How to Become a Travel Physical Therapist

Just as not everyone is destined for a career in medicine, not every physical therapist (PT) wants to work in the same location every day for their entire career.

Look into how to become a traveling physical therapist if working in the same office seems boring or if you don’t know what type of practice you want to pursue.

At the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS), we recognize that the medical field is constantly evolving. We prepare our graduates for different practice options, including virtual and travel physical therapy positions. Learn how to become a travel PT to help patients and see the world as soon as you graduate.

What Is a Travel Physical Therapist?

A travel physical therapist does everything a traditional physical therapist does but on a short-term contract. They travel to different locations to fill gaps where physical therapists work.

Sometimes, the openings include positions the facility has been unable to fill with a full-time employee. Other times, the traveling physical therapist is filling in for a staff member on maternity or short-term disability leave.

The demand for physical therapists is expected to grow 15 percent between 2022 and 2032. Many of these openings are expected to result from current physical therapists leaving or retiring.¹

Four Steps to Start Your Travel Physical Therapist Career

There are many reasons people opt for a travel physical therapy job. They may want to see the world or work somewhere that pays them more. Others might not know what type of setting they want to work in and pursue a travel PT role to experience different opportunities before accepting a long-term position.

The journey to becoming a traveling physical therapist overlaps with the path to becoming a physical therapist and includes a few additional steps. Here’s how to become a traveling physical therapist:

1. Earn a Physical Therapy Degree

First, you’ll need to earn a physical therapy degree.

Start with a bachelor’s degree in one of the five best undergraduate degrees for physical therapy. You can earn a degree in any related field with classes that meet travel physical therapy educational requirements and prerequisites.

Then, you’ll earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree. The DPT program includes coursework in pathology and biomechanics. You’ll gain hands-on experience with simulations and on-site clinical rotations.

2. Educate Yourself About Travel PT

When you realize you want to be a travel physical therapist, research how the industry works. Talk to other traveling physical therapists or explore online resources.

For example, there are some things you’ll need to know that other physical therapists won’t, such as:

• What will your taxes be like?
• What licensing requirements exist where you want to work?
• What locations are most interesting to you?

Some people prefer to stay close to home or live in places they know. For example, maybe you vacation on a Florida beach every summer and want to work there. Others prefer to use travel physical therapy jobs to cross destinations like Hawaii or Australia off of their bucket list.

3. Pass the NPTE and Get Licensed Where You Want to Travel

Once you know where you want to practice, you’ll need to take the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and get licensed for any state where you choose to practice.²

30 states are active members of the PT Compact privilege, a licensure option that member states recognize.³ However, you will still have to pay state-based fees and potentially take the state’s jurisprudence exam.

4. Work with a Travel Physical Therapy Recruiter

While it is possible to find jobs yourself, it’ll take a lot of time and effort, limiting your ability to enjoy your destination. Consider working with recruiters at travel healthcare agencies. Their job is to find jobs you’d be a good fit for and pass them along to you—and because that’s all they do, they often have access to more resources than you.

Look for a dependable recruiter who puts your needs before their commission. Find one who communicates how you want—some traveling physical therapists want to review every possibility with daily updates, others only want to hear from a recruiter when they have the perfect job opportunity.

Optional: Get Work Experience Before You Become a Traveling PT

Travel physical therapy jobs assume you are ready to work independently on day one. Since you’re only on the job site for a few weeks, they are less invested in your long-term growth, and mentoring you won’t be high on their list of priorities.

Some physical therapy graduates are ready for the challenge and can start working as traveling physical therapists after obtaining their licensure. Others feel that they need more structure and could benefit from the mentorship of a traditional physical therapy job.

If you think you would benefit from mentorship, consider working as a traditional physical therapist for a year or two before you reach out to a travel physical therapy recruiter.

Pros and Cons of Travel Physical Therapy

No matter your reason for becoming a physical therapist, you may want to consider whether traveling is the right choice.

Pros

Becoming a travel PT has several benefits that make it an appealing career.

• Adventure: As a travel physical therapist, you’ll see many new places and experience unique challenges. Use your free time in a new city to explore, live like the locals, and try new foods and activities. The challenges involved in traveling and working in new places will make you a stronger, more adaptable person (and physical therapist).
• Flexible schedule and good work-life balance: As a travel PT, you control when you work, so you can take time off between contracts to travel or take care of personal responsibilities like caring for a sick family member.
• High demand: The projected percent change in PT employment from 2022 to 2032 is 15%, compared to the average growth rate for all occupations, which is 3%.⁴ This statistic shows the demand for PTs is high – being a travel PT allows you the flexibility to work where demand is highest.
• Clinical and soft skills: By traveling, you’ll experience a variety of hospital systems and practice models, pushing your clinical skills more than if you stayed in one location. You’ll also increase soft skills that will make you a better therapist, such as:
  • Resilience
  • Problem-solving
  • Adaptability
  • Communication
  • Compromise

Cons

A career in travel physical therapy isn’t for everyone since it has a few potential downsides.

• No paid time off: Because employers hire you for short periods, you won’t accrue any paid time off.⁵ However, if you save appropriately, you can take time off without worrying about money.
• Lack of short-term housing: Affordable short-term rentals take a lot of work to find.⁶ Some recruiters can help you find options wherever you’re headed, or you can talk with other traveling physical therapists. Eliminate housing issues altogether by getting an RV or camper and parking at campgrounds near your temporary office.
• Canceled contracts: Just because you signed a contract doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a job. For example, you may be filling in temporarily for an open long-term position, and they may find someone available to start sooner than expected. To minimize the loss of pay, negotiate for a two-week or one-month notice clause in your contract.⁷
• Health insurance gaps: Because you are bouncing from contract to contract, your insurance can get complicated. Protect yourself from gaps in coverage by asking for specific health insurance start dates before you sign a contract, or get coverage through your travel healthcare agency.⁸
• Higher costs: Working as a travel PT involves costs that others don’t have to worry about.⁹ These costs can add up to the point that they offset any financial gains you make by choosing high-paying contracts.
  • You’ll need to set up a tax home for tax purposes.¹⁰ House hacking can potentially make some extra income from a home you aren’t living in.¹¹
  • Moving expenses add up. Most travel physical therapists travel light to keep these costs as low as possible, and it might be a good idea to keep moves close together.
  • You’ll put a lot of miles on your car (and gas in the tank) as you move from place to place. You can limit your driving time by traveling to areas with well-developed public transportation systems or renting a car from one position to the next.
• Loneliness: Traveling between new locations can make it hard to develop and maintain relationships.¹² While constantly changing locations is exciting, it can get lonely. Some travel physical therapists partner with another traveling healthcare worker or get a pet to keep them company.

Want to know more about our PT programs?

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Become a Travel Physical Therapist with USAHS

Now that you know how to become a travel PT, start your journey with USAHS. We’ll ensure you get the PT education you need to succeed, whether you want to see the world while you work or stay close to home.

Apply today to take advantage of our flexible programs and start your journey to your DPT degree. Financial aid support is available.

*The information provided on this website is based on self-reported data and is intended for general informational purposes only. PayScale is a limited data source that relies on voluntary submissions from individuals and employers.

Please be aware that the accuracy, completeness, and reliability of the data may vary due to its voluntary nature and limited scope. While efforts are made to maintain the data’s accuracy, we cannot guarantee its absolute correctness or currency.

***The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is seeking approval from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) for an expansion of its Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program at its San Marcos, CA, and Miami, FL, campuses with a Hybrid Immersion model. Approval of the expansion programs is required prior to implementation.

Applicants interested in the Hybrid Immersion DPT format should contact an enrollment advisor using the request for information form on our site.

Sources:

1. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Physical Therapists,” BLS, April 17, 2024, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm.
2. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, “National Exam (NPTE),” FSBPT, 2023, https://www.fsbpt.org/Secondary-Pages/Exam-Candidates/National-Exam-NPTE.
3. PT Compact, “PT Compact,” PT Compact, 2024, https://ptcompact.org/.
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, “Physical Therapists: Summary,” Occupational Outlook Handbook, April 17 2024, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm.
5. Jared Casazza, “Is It Worth It Financially To Be a Travel Physical Therapist?”, Travel Therapy Mentor, August 21, 2022, https://traveltherapymentor.com/2022/08/21/is-it-worth-it-financially-to-be-a-travel-physical-therapist/.
6. Davina Ward, “How To Find a Short-Term Rental Apartment,” Apartment List, September 11, 2023, https://www.apartmentlist.com/renter-life/short-term-rentals-guide.
7. Laura Pilger, “Travel Therapy Contract Cancellations,” Travel Therapy Mentor, April 27, 2023, https://traveltherapymentor.com/2023/04/27/travel-therapy-contract-cancellations/.
8. Julia Kuhn “Understanding Options for Travel Therapist Health Insurance,” The Traveling Traveler, August 20, 2023, https://www.thetravelingtraveler.com/travel-therapist-health-insurance/.
9. Jared Casazza, “Is It Worth It Financially To Be a Travel Physical Therapist?”, Travel Therapy Mentor,  August 21, 2022, https://traveltherapymentor.com/2022/08/21/is-it-worth-it-financially-to-be-a-travel-physical-therapist/.
10. Julia Kagan, “Tax Home: What It Is, How It Works, Examples and FAQ,” Investopedia, February 28, 2022, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/t/taxhome.asp.
11. Victoria Araj, “What Is House Hacking and Is It Something You Should Be Doing?”, Rocket Mortgage, April 3, 2024, https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/house-hacking.
12. Morgan Lauchnor, “Being a Solo Travel Therapist,” Travel Therapy Mentor, April 10, 2021, https://traveltherapymentor.com/2021/04/10/solotraveler/.