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What is Travel Physical Therapy and How Does it Work?

What Does a Traveling Physical Therapist Do?

These days, more and more healthcare careers offer opportunities for travel, and physical therapy is no exception. Instead of staying in one location, a travel physical therapist can work at facilities across the country. As a travel PT, your job description is the same as a regular PT: you use physical intervention to help patients manage pain and regain mobility after injury or surgery. The big difference? You get a chance to see the country – and bring in an excellent salary while doing so.

What are the Requirements?

Travel PT has the same education requirements as a regular PT. You must earn a degree from an accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy program, then pass a state licensure exam before you can start practicing. However, travel PTs also need to be licensed in the state they’re traveling to. If you’re licensed in Ohio, for example, you need to pass a Florida licensure exam to be eligible for work in Miami.

What are the Benefits of Becoming a Traveling Physical Therapist?

Earn More

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, travel physical therapy positions can pay 15%-20 % more than permanent positions. Travel PTs are also reimbursed for housing, licensure, and other travel fees, making day-to-day expenses even more affordable. Plus, there are major tax breaks: the IRS Tax Advantage Plan allows qualified travel PTs to hold onto up to 15% more of their paycheck. Everything included, travel PTs can easily bring home six-figure earnings.

Choose Your Schedule

Most travel PT contracts last 13 weeks. At the end of your stay, you can either jump to a new job or take time off. Either way, you don’t have to commit to anything long-term, so you’re free to shape your schedule however you’d like. If you’ve been dreaming about taking an extended vacation, but don’t have enough PTO saved up, travel work can give you the flexibility you’ve been craving.

Go Where You Want

Travel physical therapy jobs are available across the country. If there’s a city you’ve been wanting to visit, a part of the country you haven’t seen, or you’re just eager for a different climate, you have your pick of locations. Some companies even offer stipends for relocation fees, like rent and other living expenses. Travel work is a great way to satisfy your wanderlust while earning a great wage.

Gain Experience

Travel PT jobs expose you to a variety of work settings and patients. If you’re getting tired of treating the same types of injuries and ailments, travel work gives you a chance to mix it up. Whether you’d like to try a hospital, private clinic, rehab center, or nursing home, there are travel positions available in all kinds of facilities. You’ll learn new skills, work with a wider range of patients, and gain more experience than you would at a stationary job.

Help Others

Travel jobs give you a unique opportunity to work with patients from underserved communities. Patients from rural towns and inner cities, for example, might not have access to high-quality healthcare. You’ll be able to use your expertise to make a real difference in the lives of these patients. If helping others is important to you, travel physical therapy is a great way to give back.

How Much Do Traveling Physical Therapists Make?

As of 2022, the average annual pay for a travel physical therapist in the United States is $94,583 a year. Travel PTs report salaries as high as $114,500 and as low as $64,000, but the majority range between $85,000 and $109,500. Since wages vary based on experience and location, the average pay range varies greatly.

How Can I Find Travel Physical Therapy Jobs?

If you’re ready to take your PT career to the next level, our travel physical therapy company can help you get started. Our recruiters will connect you with a company you love in the location of your choice.

Begin a Traveling Physical Therapist Job Today

Reach out to our healthcare recruiters at TheraEx Staffing today to jumpstart your travel physical therapy career.

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