A new year means a fresh start for contacts, assignment destinations, and it’s the perfect chance to refocus your healthcare travel goals. Whether you are chasing the higher-paid contracts, a new specialty, or more time to explore between assignments, the new year is a fresh start to design the year of your dreams, one contract at a time.
If you’re ready to turn your resolutions into real results, here are a few ways to set meaningful goals and make this your best year yet.
7 Ways to Set Healthcare Travel Goals for 2026
1. Reflect on Your Prior Year Assignments
Before you start looking ahead to the new year, take some time to reflect on the prior year. Which assignments did you love most, and why? Was it the location, the facility, the co-workers, or the work-life balance you had? Understanding what worked, and honestly, what didn’t, will help guide your next move.
Pro tip: Jot down three things you want to repeat and three things you want to avoid in the new year.
2. Define Your Career Priorities
What matters most to you in the coming year? Is it experience, flexibility, income, or location? You can’t chase every goal at once, so choose your top priorities and let those guide your contract decisions.
3. Set a Financial Goal
From student loans to savings, every assignment is an opportunity to get closer to a financial milestone. Figure out how much you want to save or earn in the coming year, then reverse-engineer it based on your pay rates and locations.
4. Plan Assignments Around Adventure
You’re not just working while on assignments; you get to explore! Think about some of your bucket-list destinations or seasonal experiences you want to check off this year. Winter in Colorado? Spring in Seattle? Summer in Maine?
Planning your assignments by region and season can keep your year exciting and balanced.
5. Build Your Professional Network
The connections you make while traveling can shape your entire career. Stay in touch with recruiters, coworkers, and fellow healthcare travelers; those relationships can often lead to better assignments and insider tips.
Join the The Gypsy Nurse Facebook Network Group to share advice, ask questions, and celebrate wins with people who get it.
6. Prioritize Balance and Well-Being
A new contract is exciting, but remember, you are your top priority. Don’t forget your mental and physical health. Set some realistic goals and expectations for rest, boundaries, and self-care. Remember, you can’t care for others if you aren’t caring for yourself.
7. Keep Learning and Growing
Professional growth doesn’t have to wait for a permanent job. Take some extra cert classes, attend conferences like TravCon, or work in a new specialty this year.
Some of those specialty-specific credentials can boost not only your resume but pay rates as well.
Ready to Find Your Next Assignment?
Whether your 2026 healthcare travel goals are to explore a new city, grow your skills, or simply find more balance, your next healthcare travel assignment could be the start of something amazing.
Check out our job board to start planning your next adventure, because no matter where you go, 2026 is your year to thrive.
Here’s to a fulfilling, adventurous, and goal-crushing 2026 for all healthcare travelers!
