Housing for travel radiology and imaging techs

Where you work decides where to look

Imaging contracts cover more kinds of work sites than most nursing contracts, and the right neighborhood depends on which one you're headed to.

• Hospital imaging departments. X-ray, CT and MRI techs on hospital contracts usually report to one building, often on 12-hour, evening or night shifts. Search within a few miles of the hospital.
• Cath lab and interventional radiology. These contracts often include call, so you need to live close enough to meet the call-back time (more on that below).
• Outpatient imaging centers. Freestanding imaging centers and clinics aren't in our hospital list. Search by city, or use the nearest hospital as an anchor and widen the radius.
• Rotating sites. Some contracts move you between a main hospital and outpatient sites, or between two hospitals in the same health system. Ask your recruiter for every address before you choose where to live, and pick a spot that keeps the longest drive reasonable.

Call shifts and response times

If your contract includes call, the hospital usually sets a response time: the window between the page and you being in the department, ready to work. For cath lab and IR call it is often about 30 minutes, but it varies by hospital, so check your contract. That window has to cover getting dressed, the drive and parking.

• Check the drive at 2 a.m. and at rush hour, not just at midday.
• Ask the host where you'll park, and whether another car could block you in.
• Ask about cell signal inside the home, so you don't miss a page.
• Think about winter. A drive that takes 15 minutes in October can take twice as long on an icy morning.

Searching near your hospital or imaging center

You can search any US city, or choose your hospital from the 5,384 in CMS data and set a radius from 5 to 50 miles. The map shows listings and nearby hospitals together, which helps if you split time between sites. Filter by move-in date, price, bedrooms, pets, furnished and property type. Save the homes you like, and save a search to get an email when a new listing matches.

Hosts set a minimum stay, 30 nights unless the host changes it, so a typical 13-week contract fits most listings. The 13-week contract housing guide walks through the timing.

Credentialing, start dates and what to ask a host

Imaging contracts depend on your registry credentials, and many states also require a state license for radiologic technologists. Credentialing, a new state license or hospital onboarding can push a start date back, so ask how flexible the move-in date is before you pay anything.

• Is the rent all-in, or are utilities, Wi-Fi and parking extra?
• If I work nights or take call, how dark and quiet is the bedroom during the day?
• What happens if my contract is extended, or cancelled before it starts?
• What's the deposit, how do I pay it, and when do I get it back?

Stipends, privacy and payments

Imaging agencies often pay a housing stipend the way nursing agencies do, and the tax rules behind a tax-free stipend don't depend on your profession. Read how housing stipends work and the guide to keeping a tax home, then check the current GSA lodging rate for your area with the stipend calculator before you set a price filter.

Hosts don't see your email address, and you get a home's exact street address once you've arranged it with the host. Messages that ask for wire transfers, gift cards, crypto or similar payment get a scam warning, and you can report or block a host. Med Pro Housing doesn't collect rent or deposits, so get the lease in writing before you pay the host. You can verify your professional license so hosts see a verified badge on your inquiries.

To start, search by hospital or city, or see housing for other professions.