On My Own

Veronica,

I did traveling PT for one assignment.  That could be misleading.  I LOVED it!  But I quit to get married.

First, I wouldn't do it as my first job.  Maybe it is my personality, but I would have felt ill prepared.  If you want to do traveling, which I'd highly recommend, I'd get at least a year of acute care under your belt.  In some instances you may be the only PT on site.  Having a wide variety of patient treatments under your belt will give you the exposure to be able to field most of what comes as you.  You can always pick up the phone to call a colleague.

Which, by the way, is all you do to find out about traveling therapy...or click your mouse!  Just call the different companies located in your ADVANCE mag.

When I graduated, I was my own headhunter.  I knew I wanted to live in the SE...I arranged six interviews in two states from the mountains to the coast.  I got the different sites to share the cost of the plane tickets, rental cars, hotel, and meals.  By the time I got done with all of the interviews I had done my comparison shopping of both the facilities, their benefits and compensation packages, and the geographic/cultural locations.

If I had it to do from scratch, I'd work in acute care a year or two and live at home to save up money.

Then I'd connect with a home health company and see the US.  I'd assess all the factors you mentioned in your blog...geographic region, job market, type of facility (you can get a variety of types of assignments), cost of living, housing, available resources, and even compensation packages...talk to the HR depts while you are traveling.  Some people make a career out of it...some people find the career they love and stay put once they find it.

Best to you on your new journey!!

Thank you for the advice guys! I actually have considered doing traveling PT, but I haven't heard much about. I don't even know where to begin...

Veronica, I know exactly how you feel! I'm leaving a position with excellent benefits for the NHS of England. I have no idea what to expect but I'm sure I'll be able to make much more informed decisions and statements about the future of US healthcare afterward.

You're right about needing to take many factors into consideration about your intended area to locate. I'm currently still in New York where many new therapists come lured by seemingly high salaries and then are shocked to discover the cost of living here.

Well, you're a PT, research is not new to you. You can apply the same skills of observation, research, assessment and interview to any situation in life (along with a little bit of that gut feeling I believe each of us have). Before you know it, you'll have a "plan of care" for your next step.

Best of luck from an old geezer!

Veronica - Welcome to the real world! The thought of life after school can and is overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be at all. Have you ever considered starting out as a traveler, taking on short-term contract therapy jobs in most anywhere you'd like to go. By taking these various assignments around the country you are bound to learn more than you ever would by being stationary at one job. You'll also be making much more money that you can apply to chopping away at those student loans! Yes, the real world can be scary, but if you play it right, you'll be doing everything you want and you can feel like you do have your life under control, because you will.