Travel Physical therapists have the opportunity to help people and make a meaningful impact on their quality of life through rehabilitation and recovery from injury or illness. For some PTs, there is an appeal in being able to provide those services to communities across the country as a travel therapist. This career path offers unique rewards of financial independence, diversity of experiences, and freedom from the everyday routine of one clinical setting.
Financial Independence and Flexibility
One of the biggest draws of travel physical therapy is the potential for high earnings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a physical therapist in the United States is $87,930.[1] Travel therapists commonly report income 50-100% higher than that amount. The reason is that many travel PT companies pay a daily rate, often $1,500-$2,000 or more per day worked.
Travel PTs avoid fixed costs like rent, utilities, and facility charges that cut into regular staff PT salaries. Some companies even provide a housing stipend of $40-$60 per day to cover living expenses while on assignment. With contracts typically 2-4 months in length, travel therapists can take time off between gigs or pursue more lucrative short-term assignments. This flexible schedule and higher pay allow for financial independence.
Diverse Clinical Experiences
Another advantage is gaining exposure to a wide variety of patients, facilities, cultures, and clinical specialties. In just a few years as a traveling PT, you could work in acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient orthopedics, rehabilitation centers, and schools across different regions of the country. No two assignments will be alike.
Some travel PTs seek out specialty areas they couldn’t gain expertise in at one hospital, like pediatrics, wound care, pulmonary rehab, or sports medicine. The broad range of hands-on experiences can help you determine your professional niche and become a versatile clinician.
Personal and Professional Growth
The travel lifestyle also provides opportunities for personal enrichment. You may experience new cultures, cuisine, holiday traditions, outdoor activities, and other aspects of life in cities across America. Some PTs use travel assignments as a chance to visit friends and family around the country.
Professionally, immersing yourself in different healthcare models and standards of various facilities can spark new ideas. You may observe innovative treatments or efficient workflows to bring back to your home clinic. Continuous learning and adapting to new environments also help strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Flexible Schedule and Sense of Adventure
In contrast to a staff position’s regimented 9-5 schedule and seasonal rhythms, travel physical therapy allows independence and spontaneity. Your career becomes more like an exciting adventure rather than a routine job. You can take time off between 2-4 month stints or make career breaks without disrupting your income potential.
The ever-changing scenery helps avoid burnout. As one travel PT noted, “Every week I get to experience a new city, new team, and new patients. It keeps things fresh and helps me stay motivated and engaged in my work.” For the right personality, a nomadic lifestyle can be enriching.
Educational Requirements
To gain eligibility for a travel physical therapy job, the basic educational requirement is the completion of a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from an accredited graduate program. A DPT normally takes 3 years beyond a bachelor’s degree to complete.
Coursework in a DPT program covers medical sciences like anatomy, pathophysiology, and pharmacology as well as evaluation skills, treatment interventions, diagnostics, and evidence-based practice. Clinical internships are a mandatory component, giving students hands-on practice under the guidance of licensed PTs in various settings like acute care hospitals, outpatient orthopedics, and rehabilitation centers.
Students must also pass the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) to earn their physical therapist license. Many travel PT jobs will require at least one year of work experience post-graduation as well. Advanced training or certifications in orthopedics, wound care, or other specialty areas can also make candidates more desirable to travel companies.
Physical Therapy Licensure
Achieving an active physical therapy license is necessary before beginning a career as a travel PT. The licensure process involves applying individually to each state’s physical therapy licensing board. Requirements may vary slightly state by state but generally include:
- Graduation from an accredited DPT program
- Passing score on the NPTE
- Undergraduate degree transcript
- Background check and fingerprints
- Jurisprudence exam on State Practice Act
- Application fee ranging $50-$200
Many travel PT companies can help facilitate the licensure process for the numerous states they serve. Multistate compacts are also emerging, which simplifies approval if you already hold a compact state license. Expedited or temporary licensure may take 1-4 weeks vs 4-6 months for standard processing. Prioritizing compact states when applying can help your career get started faster.
Gaining Valuable Clinical Experience
Most travel PT employers prefer candidates with at least one to two years of full-time clinical practice under their belt post-graduation. Here are some settings that provide experience valued by travel companies:
- Acute Care Hospitals: Exposure to a wide variety of orthopedic, cardiovascular, neurological, and other medical diagnoses. Experience with wound care, ventilator protocols, and complex rehab.
- Outpatient Orthopedics: Develop assessment and manual therapy skills for common MSK conditions like shoulder impingement, knee osteoarthritis, and low back pain.
- Skilled Nursing Facilities: Train in geriatric rehabilitation, complex discharge planning, and managing high caseloads. Experience with wound care and mobility.
- School Systems: For pediatric specialists, experience with developmental delays, sensory processing disorders, and school-based services.
- Private Practices: This may offer a balance of patient diagnoses, autonomy, and mentoring opportunities if owned by experienced clinicians.
Getting one to two years in even one of these clinical settings demonstrates you can adapt to new environments, care for complexity, and work productively with limited supervision. It’s a great resume-building experience for travel therapy roles.
Choosing the Right Travel Company
With so many travel PT staffing agencies, finding the best company match is important for career satisfaction and financial opportunity. Here are key factors to research thoroughly before applying or interviewing:
- Pay Structure: Hourly or day rate? Additional bonuses, stipends, or benefits?
- Specialty Areas: orthopedics, wound care, etc. Match your interests.
- Regions Served: Likelihood of assignments near your preferred areas.
- Assignment Lengths: 2-4 months standard or more seasonal gigs?
- Housing Support: Stipends adequate for location? Support finding accommodation?
- Company Reputation: Check Glassdoor, and Indeed reviews from current/former travelers.
- Onboarding Support: Extra training, credentialing assistance, job placement guarantees?
Speaking to current travel PTs can also provide invaluable company perspectives. Pay close attention to how staff feel about support, transparency, problem resolution, and treatment by recruiters or management. Company fit makes a big difference in career satisfaction at each new work location.
The Travel PT Lifestyle
For those seeking adventure, constant change, and the autonomy of living out of a suitcase, a travel therapy career can provide just that. But it does require certain lifestyle adaptations as well. Here’s what to expect as a nomadic PT:
- Variable Hours: Shifts may be four 10s or alternate day/night rotations depending on the setting. Weekend work is common.
- Relocation Expenses: You’re responsible for move-in/move-out costs of 30+ settings over the years. Save accordingly.
- Housing Challenges: Apartments, extended-stay hotels, short-term corporate housing. In some areas, housing is tight in seasons.
- Diet & Home Cooked Meals: Ease into convenient dining options – pack snacks! Meal prep on days off.
- Staying Social: Join local sports leagues, fitness groups, and churches for community away-from-home facilities.
- Wellness on the Road: Commit to self-care like exercise routines no matter the location basics available in gyms.
- Flexibility is Key: Embrace the uncertainty of new facilities/teams and adapt smoothly to changes in schedule at a moment’s notice.
With foresight and resilient adaptability, the travel lifestyle can feel liberating to the right candidate. But it also requires self-sufficiency, resourcefulness, and constant flexibility wherever work may take you next. Many find the dynamic, active career path re-energizing in the long run.
Getting Hired as a Travel PT
Most travel PT positions are filled through direct applications on staffing agency websites. But you can improve your odds of acceptance with strategically crafted resumes, cover letters tailored for each setting and company, and stellar interview skills. Here are some additional tips that can help you land your first travel contract:
- Ask current travel PTs for “insider recommendations” to certain companies – referrals help!
- Highlight any specialty certifications, advanced training, or teaching experience that uniquely suits niches
- On resumes and interviews, emphasize initiative, resilience, and desire to acquire new skills rapidly
- Research each facility thoroughly – you’ll be representing them so show investment
- During interviews, have stories prepared highlighting adaptability and commitment to excellence
-Follow up promptly after interviews with a thank you reiterating interest in the position
-Consider relocatable interim jobs like PRN, and 1099 to build a network and exposure if new grad
With effort, optimism, and flexibility, gaining your first travel therapy position is very achievable – then you’ll be launched into the rewarding lifestyle it provides! Don’t be afraid to stand out among applicants with passion and personality.
Conclusion
For physical therapists aspiring to gain diverse experiences in new cities while enjoying career independence and variety, travel therapy provides a compelling path. By pursuing a DPT, achieving credentials, and gaining clinical experience, candidates can set themselves up for success by applying to top travel companies.
With the support of a well-researched, matched agency, travel PTs find assignments in settings all over the country with higher earning potential. The lifestyle satisfies the needs for spontaneity, learning, and making a difference in multiple communities. With adaptability and enthusiasm, this career path holds rich opportunities for professional growth and personal enrichment. For self-motivated clinicians, becoming a travel physical therapist could be an ideal way to practice.
