The Benefits of Working As a Travel Therapist

If you've ever had the desire to travel to different parts of the country using your physical, occupational or rehabilitation skills in facilities where they're needed most, consider working as a travel therapist.

The benefits of doing so are many. Here are just a few:

• You'll more than likely make more money. The hourly wages paid to traveling therapists generally are more than those paid to therapists who work full-time at one facility. In addition, many staffing services pay their therapists bonuses for signing on, for staying with the service for several assignments and for referring other therapists to their service for assignments.


• Your travel therapist company also will probably pay for your housing. Your therapy service will pay your expenses in a nice apartment not too far from your assignment facility. These apartments often are furnished, and offer many amenities such as pools and fitness centers. If you don't wish to stay in the apartment the service finds for you, many travel therapist staffing services will pay you a generous housing stipend that you may use to find your own accommodations.


• You'll also receive generous health benefits as well as the opportunity to invest in the travel therapist staffing service's retirement plan, often a 401(k) plan.


• What's more, you'll be working on assignments where your skills and expertise are highly valued. Healthcare facilities often turn to travel therapist staffing services because they are short-handed with a large patient case load. They are desperate for help and are thrilled when skilled therapists "come to the rescue" at their site.


• Your skills also will increase due to the fact that you'll be working in a new environment, possibly (depending on the assignment facility) with new equipment using the latest techniques.

In fact, many traveling therapists tell us that the satisfaction they get from being put to such good use and helping patients heal is the best benefit they receive.