There is a popular misconception that healthcare professionals are perpetually stuck in their hospitals and facilities but this list of the best paying healthcare jobs that allow you to travel will prove that wrong.
Of course, we can easily tell where the misunderstanding comes from. The same way that we believe it is impossible to find at least 7 Legitimate Healthcare Jobs for Stay at Home Moms, it is kind of hard to imagine healthcare professionals doing anything other than living in the hospitals or clinics. Or that the ones who travel for their profession are volunteers who seek out the farthest, neediest corners of the world and are doing it pro bono.
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But lo and behold, there are actually a multitude of well-paying jobs in the healthcare industry that involve traveling – some more frequent than others. In fact, there is an entire industry of traveling healthcare professionals! These pros take on short-term job contracts, usually 13-weeks long, from one place to another. Finding a job normally involves a recruitment agency who takes care of the hiring and the contracts that are normally 13-weeks long. While the concept does sound a little new and alien to us who do not belong to the healthcare industry, it is actually a common practice and has been around for quite a while. This type of employment is perfect for those who are seeking more freedom in their careers and, of course, those who love to travel. And the pay is not exactly too shabby either – that is, of course, depending on the type of contract, job location, and even the contract duration.
Despite the lucrativeness of it, surprisingly, the jobs offered under the travel healthcare industry fell short of our list of the 7 best paying healthcare jobs that allow you to travel are actually more traditional. They did come close, but not close enough.
To come up with this list, we have used the suggestions from Very Well, Bright Knowledge, as well as popular travel healthcare recruitment agencies like Supplemental Healthcare and Medtravelers to check the list of popular medical careers that offer traveling opportunities. To find out their annual median salary, we used the figures provided by PayScale set to the United States as its base location. For other items on this entry whose salary ranges do not appear on PayScale, we have indicated the source for the figures used in this article.
So, which jobs actually did make it to our list of best paying healthcare jobs that allow you to travel? Check it out!
7. Cruise ship doctor
Average annual salary: $69,700 (Source here)
If there is one job that screams travel for work, it has to be the cruise ship doctor. You are literally traveling as part of your job. Preferred qualifications for the job are those with emergency room experience and work closely with the multiple nurses and with a senior. The pay could be higher with seniority.Now, let’s see what’s next on our list of best paying healthcare jobs that allow you to travel.
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6. Military Physical Therapist
Average annual salary: $70,827
With the rigorous physical requirements of military training, and the demands of working in a military base, physical therapists, next on our list of best paying healthcare jobs that allow you to travel are needed 24/7. As with any job in the military, working as a military physical therapist includes a lot of benefits including continuing education and comfortable retirement compensation. Travel opportunities may be domestic or international depending on base assignments.
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5. Healthcare Consultant
Average annual salary: $75,136
Unlike most of the careers listed among the best paying healthcare jobs that allow you to travel, healthcare consultancy does not normally require a medical background – although experience in a healthcare work setting plus a Master’s Degree are preferred. This job involves management and analysis in examining proficiency, efficiency, and organizational structure of a healthcare business or facility among others. This is the business and structural side of the healthcare industry that is not directly involved with health and patient care but is still essential to the success of the institution. Travel opportunities with this career come from the fact that businesses across the country need them before opening or starting a new venture.
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4. Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
Average annual salary: $76, 380
If you’ve seen the movie, “Love and Other Drugs,” then you’ll definitely know what Jake Gyllenhaal’s character does for a living. While all the sexual inclusions in the said movie are a little too Hollywood-exaggerated, going around clinics and hospitals across the country to personally pitch their pharmaceutical products to doctors is a huge part of the job. So if constant travel is your thing, this is definitely the job for you – and the compensation is not too bad either as many pharmaceutical companies offer incentives and commissions for sales made. So basically, your take-home pay depends on how well you can sell.
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3. Military Physician’s Assistant
Average annual salary: $93,726
Doctor’s assistants work closely with overseeing the jobs of the military nurses and of working closely with the head military doctor at the base hospital. As with most military jobs, military physician’s assistants, next on our list of best paying healthcare jobs that allow you to travel enjoy domestic or international travel depending on their assignments and troop needs. Benefits include further education, retirement, and pay that goes up with seniority, experience, as well as specific assignment making it qualify for the third rank on our list of the 7 best paying jobs that allow you to travel.
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2. Military Doctor
Average annual salary: $141, 754 (Source here)
Military physicians are not required the usual training requirements as other military personnel do, but they are required the usual health, security, and character clearance. Aside from the usual benefits of working in the military, doctors in active duty can avail of the loan repayment programs that helps them pay off their medical school debts. Doctors with higher specializations are eligible for even bigger amounts for their loan repayment program.
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1. Sports Doctor
Average annual salary: $185,112
The job that holds the distinction and honor of topping this list of the 7 best paying healthcare jobs that allow you to travel is, unsurprisingly, being a sports doctor! Of course, traveling is part of working with a pro or semi-pro athletic clubs (or athletes). Working for more popular (aka heavily sponsored) teams or pro athletes automatically translate to higher pay (way higher than the average, of course) and more opportunities for travel. The job is hectic and especially crucial, especially if you have a superstar in your hands, but the pay and the travel benefits of this job can more than compensate for its demands.
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So there you have it, the 7 best paying healthcare jobs that allow you to travel! If you’re still on the search for the perfect career path, and you want to include a lot of going around and flying in your future job description, this is one list you have to consider.
