Hello:

My name is Eric, and I have been working as a PT for about 2 years. I am looking to work as a travel PT, and would like to talk to other PTs who are in traveling PT position. Any advice will be appreciated. 

 Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

Eric :)

You will get assignment in the least desirable areas, where most PT don't want to work consistently.  There are reasons in places where most PT wouldn't want to work.

I have had nothing but fantastic experiences traveling as a PTA.  I worked for MSN and MDI.  You can ask for areas to work in.  I asked for Seattle and worked at Washington Medical Center Outpatient and In patient for 7 months.  Out of the blue I was asked to go to Honolulu to work inpatient.  I lived at the edge of Diamond Head down the street from Wakiki Beach.  The waterfront condo was awesome.  If you work for a bigger company, you can get better deals. Some companies give you a chance to take more taxfree money.  Go for the fun places.  Good luck.

Hi Eric, I was a traveler for about a year and a half in Washington, California and Alaska. I had a great experience. I was able to get great positions - a rehab hospital, outpatient orthopedic clinic, and only 1 nursing home, because for my last assignment I was very picky about the location and wanted to be near my home. But if you are flexible, they work well with your needs. I worked with two different companies, and went back and forth, depending on what they had to offer. You have to be prepared to make quick decisions, because often something will come up quickly and you need to decide on it. It's a great opportunity to see how different clinics work and to get some varied experiences. Good luck! Let me know if you have any specific questions.

 Corey

Cynthia,

 So glad to hear your travel experiences have been good. I am an occupational therapist currently searching for a travel company.  I have been in contact with 5 different companies and I'm having trouble deciding on who to work for. They all offer very simialar packages.  I have a few questions for you: How long did you work as a PTA before your travel experience?  Did you research many companies before your final decision with MSN/MDI, and what influenced your decision?  What to you have been the "pros and cons" of being a traveler?  Thanks!!!   Heather

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OTR/L IN ILLINOIS

hi Eric, I have alot of information to give you.

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Donna Lewis

hi donna i would like to get some info on traveling companies. i am confused on which to choose all of them look gr8.have you heard about ardorhealth,destination staffing or cornice.inc.

Hi Sherim, sorry I did'nt get back on until now.  The main thing with these companies is you have to do your homework on each one.  For example the company I work for they say you get a weeks vacation a year, that's not true exactly, it's after you've worked 2,080 hours.  If the company is unwilling to tell you what their contracts contain, then dont work for them.  I always ask; 401k match, vacation pay, most don't pay  vacation, housing, will they give you a stipend if you find your own housing with relatives, insurance with who?, I have also learned that you are better off buying your own insurance so that if you are bettween jobs, you still have insurance.  It's alot of homework as there are a bazillion companies out there, but the ones I have heard are the better ones are Reflectxstaffing, platinum select, career staff, those are a few, but like I say they all are offering good stuff, but they're always stipulations.  I love traveling, you meet alot of therapists that you bond with very quickly and you have to be able to drop and roll, so to speak.  Good luck and let me hear from you.  Donna

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Donna Lewis

Hey guys!  I have been a traveler for over 4 years now and can't envision stopping anytime soon.  It is a bit of a hassle though, when looking for specific assignments in specific cities.  This normally forces you to contact multiple companies and that in itself is a major headache.  Plus, when I drove clear across the country, I did that based on the "word" of my recruiter and the wealth of knowledge my 10 minute phone interview gave me.  I thought to myself, there has to be a better way.  So, I created a community of traveling rehab professionals at:

http://www.medtravelerclub.com/

It provides rankings and ratings of all the companies out there, the facilities they place us at, provides forums that allow us to network and answer questions that only other travelers could possibly answer correctly, as well as, benefits comparisons, links to everything a traveler would need on assignment.

Its all free and it takes no time to join up and get the advice of other travelers.  Hopefully, YOU will be able to contribute to our next assignment by rating your companies and assignments as well.  The more therapists that do, the more it identifies the great companies and facilities and the ones to avoid like the plague.

 

Hope to see you around!

Jason

hey jason, a quick question. I have been a traveler for a year and i wanna settle for a good state, what do you think, based on your experience will you recommend?

Wow, that's to big of a question.  I mean it depends on what you want to travel for.  Jobs are jobs no matter what, except if you are trying to find a certain specialty, like wound care, which is predominantly served by PT's only in the south.  Respiratory stuff only in the NE, etc...

If it is the most money and tax breaks, there are states without state taxes, like WA, TX, etc.  I would just think about what interests you personally the most (Art in NYC, skiing in CO, hiking in Moab, beaches in Cali or FL) and then hone in on a city near that stuff.  Then pick the type of facility and then join MedTravelerClub :-) to find out which  travel company you should contact to get you there.

J

Jason, or anyone else:

I just graduated this May and just passed my boards and want to start traveling right away, but some colleagues and professors are saying it may not be the best idea. Any suggestions??

Basically, I think if you have the will to do it, you can absolutely travel right off the bat.  Most people can be fairly comfortable in within the first few months of working in a hospital, which if it is a perm or travel position really doesn't change anything.  Will you be the best therapist?  No.  But, if a facility would have been hiring a new grad anyway and they are willing to take you on as a traveler, then who cares?  You will be gaining valuable experience and the hospital has their needs filled as well.  You get more money to help with those hefty loans and get to see parts of the country you would like.  I can't find a loss in that scenario.  There will very likely be some headaches and bumps along the way, but thats with everything.

 

I say go for it!

 

J