Yes, you heard that right!
If you know me or read my bio...you know I am a travel PT. But some of you may also be thinking, "what does that even mean?" So I thought, why not break it down for the curious, AND if there are any other healthcare professionals out there that are interested--here is a brief breakdown of my experience so far!
So the quick rundown is this: I travel to a location for 13 weeks to work full time as a physical therapist. I'm filling a need.
The long rundown? Here it goes...
Where?
Wherever you want. No, I really mean it!! You can travel within one state, you can travel coast to coast, you can travel within a region...whatever floats your boat! For me, my plan is to travel to places I have never been, and to see things I have always wanted to see. Kind of like an extended vacation. I work during the week, explore on the weekends (hence where most of my posts usually arise from--weekend excursions).
You can also choose big cities or small towns. Options are EVERYWHERE. For me, I prefer mid-size locations to live in, but am willing to drive anywhere on the weekends to take in the sights. I lived in Houston, TX for 4 months...let's just say huge cities are a NO NO for me. Plus, I'm a big fan of hiking, kayaking, mountains, beaches, and parks....probably not going to find that stuff among a city of millions of people.
"Sooo where do you live during this?"
Again, wherever you want! Sensing a theme here right? You are basically in the driver seat for all decisions. It is amazing, but also can be stressful. Not going to lie. Luckily, today there are more options than ever for short term FURNISHED housing (definitely not going to be moving furniture every 13 weeks--you are crazy if you think I signed up for THAT). AirBnb, FurnishedFinder, and facebook groups are excellent resources. Yes, you can find something just about anywhere if you are flexible with price, location, and amenities. You might have to commute to work, you might have to do without a fancy DVR on your tv, or if you are like me, you might have to pay more to bring your best pal along--my dog! It basically comes down to what are you willing to spend for the quality you find. Some even rent just a room in a house which is much cheaper, but also more difficult to do when you bring a dog along. But don't forget about friends and family -- they may let you stay for free or cheap!
When?
Whenever you want! You had to know I was going to say that, right? But really, start whenever you want, and you basically can end whenever you want. You can travel as a New Grad (like me!), after a year of working, or after 25 years of working! And you can do as little or as many assignments (13 weeks long) as you want! Try one assignment. Don't like it? No biggie, don't do another! It's really that easy!
Why?
For a lot of different reasons. For some it's the pay--because school loans are REAL. Travel therapy typically pays more than a permanent position because, well honestly, not many are willing to jump around job to job. Or for some it's the opportunity to see new places! You are PAID to work in a location of your choosing to be able to see new things, experience a new region, or visit friends or family. For others, it may be because they like the idea of learning to be flexible, becoming a jack of all trades, or the idea of being pushed out of their comfort zone. For me? ALL OF THE ABOVE. Yes I have school loans, yes I love to travel, and I still have no clue where I want to live or the setting of PT I like best (although I am beginning to figure these things out). There may even be other reasons, it is honestly a sweet gig to have if you ask me!
How?
As a travel therapist, you work for a travel company, specifically with a recruiter from that company. The company (basically the recruiter) is the middle man for all things related to finding the job, negotiating the job, etc. What I am trying to say is that your recruiter is an angel sent from above to make life as easy as possible--or maybe that is just mine (shout out Victoria S.) So if you are catching what I am throwing down, you need to get along with your recruiter. You sort of become besties that likely will never meet face to face. Your recruiter will gather info on what you are interested in as far as locations and job descriptions, and will send our your info to all applicable job openings. From there, the job sites will contact you directly for phone interviews. And if it goes well on both ends, you get extended a job offer! Your recruiter will negotiate the important things for you--pay, hours, productivity, etc. You don't have to worry about any of that, but of course you have input as to what you like or don't like. Even throughout your assignment, your recruiter constantly is in the know of how things are going. And when the time comes, you will do it all over again!
Now I may have skipped an important step. Before you can have a recruiter. You have to have a company. There are soooo many out there. Essentially all the same thing, but with some differences. I am in no way an expert, but if you would like to know more about my company, continue to read below. The best way to find companies is either to Google it or talk to people! You'd be surprised the amount of people that have heard of a travel company or have some distant cousin of a relative with a child who works for ______. But really, it is true. Do extensive research on the company. Talk with a recruiter. Find your match, or what just feels right. Ask questions about benefits, concerns, bonuses, job postings, etc and pay attention to personality, communication, and knowledge. You need a company and a recruiter who works WITH you and is on your side. If they aren't? Buh-bye!
Whew. That is the long run. Not THAT long though. But if you are still curious...here is my REAL experience with being a travel PT so far.
Company/Recruiter
I went with Advanced Travel Therapy. And as mentioned above, I work with Victoria S. Why? Not going to lie...at first their website drew me in. But then I began to look. It was THE ONLY travel website I found that explicitly had mention of traveling with pets. If you are on this blog site, you KNOW I am not leaving my dog behind for anyone. So ya, bonus points to Advanced for acknowledging my best friend. After filling out the online info form, a recruiter contacted me. We got along GREAT. But after a month or so, that recruiter moved on from the company and I was placed with a new one. Sounds bad, but honestly, it led me to Victoria and she is AMAZING! Like I said, you have to get along with your recruiter, it is SO important. The other huge thing that stood out to me, was how New Grad friendly it is. I can't tell you the amount of people that said New Grads shouldn't travel until they have "experience". Bologna. To me it just seemed that it would be my "normal". I would know no different than the fast paced and almost zero training time start to a job. Advanced offers mentorship for New Grads to prepare you for any setting and to have a contact point to ask any and all questions to...because sadly, that is the one thing your recruiter cannot do. They are not (usually) a healthcare professional. So it is wise for any New Grad to be equipped for the job they are starting (whether it is a travel gig or a permanent position).
Housing
My experience with housing has probably been more stressful than my actual experience with my job at this point - haha! But trying to find housing in an overall expensive area that is a common destination spot for the US, makes things tricky. But that is honestly on me. I didn't have to choose the location I did. Like I said, you are in the driver seat with EVERYTHING. My go-to is AirBnb. I have had great experiences finding dog-friendly places that fit my needs. But I could not find that in my current location for a reasonable price. So I went with a 3-month lease for an apartment that I found through a local realtor. I DO NOT RECOMMEND. 1) because I am contractually bound to my housing even if my assignment ended early or is cancelled for some reason, and 2) the realtor is so unprofessional and unreliable it is not even funny. But again, this is on me. You win some, you lose some.
Assignment
My plans for my current assignment were this: I want to go to the East Coast because I have not been and I want to go there during the fall foliage. ALSO EVERYONE ELSE'S THOUGHTS, apparently. Hence expensive housing. But honestly, it is like an outdoor adventurers dream out here! I work in Massachusetts, but I live in New Hampshire, and I have already visited and explored Vermont, Rhode Island, and Maine! And I have future plans to explore New York and Connecticut! I am pretty sure by the end of my time as a travel PT, I could be a part time travel agent haha. But as far as my actual assignment goes, I am currently in a Skilled Nursing Facility aka SNF or to most of you, commonly associated with a nursing home, although they are different. I had never worked or done a clinical in this setting, so in my interview, I expressed my concern with all of this upfront so they knew where I stood. And now that I am 7 weeks in, I cannot complain about my co-workers or my experience. Everyone has been extremely helpful and extremely nice. Although I know this is not ALWAYS the consensus with travel assignments unfortunately.
OKAY. I think that sums up things. If anyone is ever curious about other details related to this blog post, send me a message, comment, text, whatever you'd like! And if you are a healthcare professional interested in becoming a traveler, I highly suggest Advanced as well as my recruiter, Victoria!
That's all for now, got to go pet my dog!
Shawna
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