Sonography is a crucial part of modern medical practice, offering many exciting career opportunities for those who are passionate about it. As demand for healthcare services continues to grow across Canada, more sonographers are needed to work in facilities like hospitals and private clinics.
Sometimes this increased demand for healthcare can overwhelm a facility, especially when staff take vacation or go on maternity leave. This is where a travel sonographer comes in. Much like other locums, they travel across the country to communities that need their services. Each new location brings new challenges, experiences, and adventures, which is why many medical imaging technologists enjoy this career option.
In this blog, we go over the benefits of locum travelling as a sonographer and how ProMed HR Solutions can help you find work in places where it’s needed the most.
What is a Travel Sonographer?
Travel sonographers practice in all specialties, including but not limited to:
- General imaging
- Abdominal,
- Obstetrical and gynecological
- MSK
- Vascular
- Cardiac
They have the same responsibilities as their counterparts directly employed by healthcare facilities. Depending on where you work, you are typically required to:
- Provide diagnostic ultrasound procedures/examinations to inpatients and outpatients
- Perform sonographic exams according to site scanning protocols
- Collaborate with radiologists/cardiologists, physicians, and other healthcare professionals
- Complete hospital exam workflow
- Maintain sonography equipment
Unlike permanent staff, travel sonographers are employed on a contract basis with different employers for short periods of time. Hospitals and private clinics hire them through sonographer agencies to:
- Fill in for sick or vacationing staff
- Cover maternity leave
- Fill vacancies while recruiting for permanent staff
- Accommodate surges in demand for medical imaging services
- Assist underserved communities
This is the ideal working arrangement for many because it gives them more control over their schedules and makes juggling their career and personal lives easier.
Benefits of Being a Travel Sonographer
There are a lot of reasons why traveling as a sonographer can be a rewarding career option. Below is an overview of the biggest benefits you can expect to experience.
Your Schedule is Flexible and More Balanced
Being a travel sonographer allows you to choose when, where, and how long your next assignment will be. Once an assignment concludes, you can request another one right away or take a break to accommodate a big family get-together or yearly vacation. Unlike being employed in a hospital or clinic, you don’t have to worry about being able to take time off when you need it.
You Get to Travel Across Canada!
One of the biggest differences between a staff sonographer and a travel sonographer is that the latter enjoys the opportunity to travel all across the country working on different assignments. Living in a different city every few weeks or months means that there are always new and exciting things to do, places to see, and interesting people to meet.
While moving around so often isn’t for everyone, it can make you a better sonographer. Experiencing new situations will enhance your current skills while you learn new ones. You can also try different work environments without having to commit for the long term, giving you the chance to see which ones you enjoy the most.
You Can Make New Connections
Sonographers who travel have countless opportunities to meet and connect with other healthcare personnel in different locations. This not only broadens their professional experience, but also increases their network of healthcare professionals. There is no telling where one connection will lead- that head nurse you worked with at a Yukon hospital may remember your excellent work and recommend you for an exciting position with her new employer.
You May Learn New Skills
Travel sonographers often develop skills they would never have learned as full-time employees. You will work in a multitude of different settings across Canada and see how the daily routine varies from one clinic or hospital to the next. Through exposure to a variety of different people and situations in a healthcare setting, you will also become more adaptable and develop critical thinking and communication skills.
You Can Advance Your Career
As we all know, demand for healthcare services continues to climb, creating a wide range of job opportunities for skilled sonographers. In this regard, becoming a travel sonographer can help you advance your career.
By working in big cities, underserved communities, and all kinds of locations in between, your view of the profession will be influenced by a variety of different perspectives. You will not only be able to pinpoint the direction you want your career to take, but it will also give you a multitude of options to choose from.
When you see how different the daily work and the patient experience can be at various healthcare facilities, you may be inspired to take your professional development in a whole new direction. For example, if you currently specialize in obstetrical imaging but a recent assignment has made you realize that you like working with children, you may decide to get the additional training needed to become a pediatric sonographer.
Have You Been Thinking About Traveling as a Sonographer?
Sonographers are in high demand across North America. As imaging technology advances, medical facilities will increasingly use ultrasound to replace costly, invasive procedures. Therefore, hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, and other healthcare facilities are turning to sonographer agencies to help them find qualified medical imaging professionals to join their care teams or fill in for existing staff when needed.
At ProMed HR Solutions, we provide short-term travel opportunities to Canadian sonographers and other medical imaging professionals who:
- Are seeking a better work-life balance
- Want to cover gaps between jobs
- Are interested in working with a wider range of patient types
- Are looking to try different placements to get a better idea of their ideal work setting
ProMed HR Solutions can assist you in finding opportunities that challenge and inspire you. We strive to find openings in your preferred locations, and you are under no obligation to accept a contract that doesn’t fit your schedule. To learn more about us and how we can help you find opportunities that further your career goals, reach out to us today!
