TravCon is the one time a year where ALL healthcare travel professionals, recruiting companies, and niche-specific services that serve our community gather to network, make everlasting relationships, and educate one another. That said, the more prep you do in advance, the more fun you’ll have when you’re there. Simply put, use the 80/20 rule as your guide – 80% fun and 20% work. Put in the effort now so you can reap all the rewards later.
This year, TravCon 2022 will be held at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, NV on September 18-21st. Below is a list of everything you need to know before attending the conference of a LIFETIME!
BEFORE YOU GO TO TRAVCON 2022
1. Register
Quick links:
Whether you are thinking about traveling, accepting your first assignment, or are a veteran traveler- TravCon 2022 is the place for you. But first, you’ll need to pick between the four registration types. All registration types come with CEU credits.
- Newbie ($419)- This package is for the new traveler or the staff member thinking about going into traveling. This ticket includes an “Newbie Boot Camp” held on Sunday, September 18th.
- Spanish Bundle ($419)- This ticket provides you with a full day medical terminology Spanish course offered on either Sunday the 18th or Wednesday the 21st.
- Mainstage ($349)- This ticket gives you full access to the conference and all the perks that come with it (which we will discuss later).
- Add Ons (Prices Vary)- TravCon offers several CE’s or Certificates that you can checkoff while attending the conference. Be sure to log in to your Kamana profile (or sign-up for a free one) to see your upcoming credential expirations (BLS, NRP, ACLS, PALS, AWHONN, CPI) so that your next assignment submission is seamless.
Registration closes on September 13th, so make sure to get your ticket sooner than later!
2. Book your Room
Quick link:
This year TravCon is held at the Paris Hotel and Casino. There are a number of blocked rooms, which tend to sell out fast, so head over to the TravCon hotel page to see the availability. There are also several more affordable hotels nearby on the strip, but from experience, you’re going to want to stay where the conference is held. Las Vegas is very hot in September and the hotels are very spread out.
3. Book your Flight
Las Vegas is one of the most accessible airports in the United States. Wherever you are on assignment, the flights to Las Vegas should be within reason for any budget.
Pro-tip: Remember that since this is an educational event, all expenses incurred can be written off on your taxes
4. Packing List
The general dress code during the event is business casual. You are going to want to bring party attire for the happy hour events and the official TravCon After-party on Tuesday night. The days leading up to TravCon (Saturday and Sunday), agencies also host pool happy hours and since Las Vegas is hot in September, we recommend bringing a swimsuit. Finally, we suggest leaving room in your suitcase or getting an extra duffle/suitcase because of the amount of swag (think pens, compression socks, stress balls, etc.) that you will receive from the exhibitor hall. Keep in mind that a 50 lb. suitcase may not be enough.
Pro-tip: Masks and vaccine cards are always good to have one hand when traveling in the current Covid-19 climate (or make sure your Kamana profile is updated with your most recent vaccine records).
WHAT TO EXPECT DURING TRAVCON
1. Educational Seminars
These sessions are geared towards everything you need to know as a traveling healthcare professional. Topics include, but are not limited to, tax advice, contract negotiations, a keynote speaker, self-care, finding community, and much, much more. Our suggestion is to attend at least 2-3 sessions per day and if there are two sessions happening at the same time, grab a friend, split up, and share notes.
2. Exhibitor Hall at Paris Hotel
This is one of our favorite parts of the whole experience. The conference room holds 150+ vendors that are wanting to get to know YOU! The exhibitor booths range anywhere from travel agencies, healthcare brands, or other niche specific services that serve YOU. The booths in 2021 were very interactive and fun, so we imagine this year will be even better! Some of the booths have games, special guests, prizes, and a TON of free swag! This is also your chance to get to meet your favorite recruiter or company IN PERSON.
Stop by and say hello to us at the MedVenture Booth #311 for some free swag and special giveaways. This year Kamana will be a Platinum sponsor, check them out at Kamana Booth #225 for the VIP experience!
3. Meals
Breakfast and Lunch are included in your ticket and are provided on the 20th and 21st in the Exhibitor Hall. When we attended in 2019 we were pleasantly surprised by the variety of foods, its presentation, and how good it tasted. If you are a throughout-the-day snacker, bringing some snacks or bars to sustain you may be wise.
4. Party Time
Once the conference comes to an end on the 20th, your ticket includes admission to the exclusive TravCon after party at Drai’s Nightclub. This is an all-inclusive event (food, drinks, and adult beverages) with a live DJ where you can party the night away with your new best TravCon traveler friends.
5. Farewell Brunch
This is perhaps the saddest part of the whole experience. This is where you say goodbye (for now) to all of the new traveler friends you’ve made. This all-inclusive brunch is held on Wednesday, September 21st from 10:00 AM-12:30 PM.
6. Other Perks
Quick links:
In addition to the events listed above, TravCon 2022 also hosts morning yoga and networking events. Several agencies host nightly happy hours, dinners, party buses, and other events before the conference as well as during. To learn more about these events we suggest you join Facebook groups.
Pro-tip: Schedule of Events.
AFTER TRAVCON ``TO-DOs``
Get organized.
With all the excitement and things happening in Las Vegas, taking some time to regroup after the conference is essential. Just as important as unpacking your bags, unpacking your brain is a helpful post-conference practice.
Make a “To-Do” list and wrap up TravCon knowing you’ve followed-up and followed-through.
- Review notes to decide what session / CEU info is worth keeping and what can be deleted.
- Update your universal profile from Kamana with new / renewed certifications you earned.
- Manage your social networks and start following the new travel friends you’ve met.
- Connect with new travel friends on the MedVenture App.
- Show off your swag by tagging companies that really impressed you with their merch or thank them on social for any giveaways you won.
- Share your Kamana profile with recruiters you really hit it off with.
Other Thoughts
TravCon holds a special place in our hearts. We, the founders of MedVenture App, met at TravCon in 2019 and have been working on the MedVenture App ever since. We saw the value in connecting travelers and providing resources within TravCon, so we created a platform that does this year round. We hope to see you there! 🥰
About Emily Cheng, BSN, RN, CCRN-CSC
Emily Cheng is a CVICU traveling nurse born and raised in New York. She has been a travel nurse for 3 years and has been travel nursing in Napa & San Francisco, California, Seattle & Tacoma Washington, and Oahu, Hawai’i. She is the co-founder for MedVenture App, an app to unite all traveling healthcare professionals. Having experienced loneliness, confusion, and frustration in scattered resources, she is excited about how MedVenture will help her fellow travelers and empower travelers to come. When she’s not at the hospital or working on MedVenture, you can find her hiking, backpacking, or enjoying the outdoors in some capacity!
About Ryan Cogdill, BSN, RN
Ryan Cogdill is a PCU traveling nurse from Fresno, California. He has been a traveling nurse for 7 years and has been to Guam, Maui, Austin, Denver, Seattle, and San Luis Obispo, Oahu, Hawai’i. Ryan has a passion for the travel community, co-founding and creating the platform, MedVenture, an app designed to inform, unite and create community for all traveling healthcare professionals. On his days off, you can find him outdoors camping, hiking or biking.
