This NeuroPod podcast episode features Connie Kubiak, a past president of ASET, discussing her 40-year career in neurodiagnostics and her transition to travel neurodiagnostic technology. The interview covers her training, experiences, the realities of travel tech work (including compensation and contract specifics), and advice for those considering this career path.
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The interview provides a detailed breakdown of the compensation structure for travel neurodiagnostic technologists. The core compensation is an hourly rate, comparable to local rates for the position. This hourly rate is then supplemented by several tax-free stipends. There's a stipend to offset expenses like gas and phone, typically ranging from six to eight dollars per hour worked (this is tax-free if the assignment is more than 75 miles from the technologist's home base). Critically, there's also a housing stipend to help cover furnished accommodations. This varies significantly by location; higher-cost areas like New York City or San Francisco will have substantially larger stipends than smaller towns. These stipends, along with the hourly wage, are paid by the agency, not directly by the employing hospital or clinic.
Contract lengths are generally flexible but commonly range from a minimum of six weeks to a maximum of 11 months. The six-week minimum is often a break-even point, covering the agency's costs in placing the technologist. Contracts exceeding 11 months are usually considered permanent employment, impacting tax implications for the technologist and potentially requiring a break period before undertaking another travel assignment.
The agencies play a vital role beyond simply finding job placements. They handle all the administrative tasks associated with the job, including onboarding, ensuring compliance with Joint Commission requirements (physicals, vaccinations, etc.), and most importantly providing malpractice insurance. This is a crucial point highlighted by Connie Kubiak, who states she chose to work through an agency precisely to avoid the complexities and liability of self-insurance. The agency acts as an intermediary, negotiating contracts and billing the hospital or clinic a rate higher than the technologist's compensation, with the difference covering their services and profit margin.
