As I mentioned in my previous post, I had begun to become impatient in my wealth accumulation phase early on, so I began exploring other options for work.
As every physical therapist or student knows, travel therapy is often viewed as a lucrative yet risky career path. Everyone has heard the horror stories of showing up to an understaffed clinic in pure chaos or hearing about the clinician who moved across the country only to be cut from their assignment and jobless.
This does happen but with the right questions and communication it can often be avoided. So, I did exactly what I always do when I don’t know much about something. I over-research and over-analyze until I did.
I began reaching out to a few different travel companies. Somehow, my number was then entered in to some form of central data base of travel companies because I began receiving a high volume of phone calls, voice mails, texts, and emails. I eventually got the 10-15 companies that reached out down to a manageable 2-3.
I started creating relationships with these companies with full transparency that I was talking with a couple other companies to improve my success of landing the right position for me. Also, to create a little friendly competition for my services to hopefully improve my reimbursement/salary.
Eventually one of my recruiters told me that if I wanted to leave at the start of January 2018,which is when my current apartment lease was up, that I would need to apply to a state with a quick license process. Which means exactly that, some states take longer to get your license even after you submit all the required documentation.. .
* Cough California Cough*
Where as others like South Carolina only take a few weeks.
Preparing to Leave
Finally, I signed a 13 week contract with an outpatient orthopedic company just outside of Columbia, South Carolina. I quickly moved what I couldn’t bring with me from my apartment into storage…my parent’s basement.
I packed up my car which at the time was a 2004 Buick LeSabre. The ultimate boat, so I surprisingly had more storage space than anticipated.
I knew I needed to rent something furnished so all I packed was clothes, some minor kitchen supplies, my own bedding, and a few odds and ends things. I was unsure when I would be home next, so I attempted to plan for all climates and situations.
I hit the road. I was filled with fear and excitement, but to be honest mostly just a lot of fear. I was a hometown kid. I hadn’t ventured away further than an hour radius of my hometown for my entire life. I was too poor to travel anywhere, and my friends and family were near, so why would I leave? But I left all the same, unsure of where this path would lead me.
Hitting the Road
My drive started in the Twin Cities and weaved all over through the fly over states on my way to SC. I stopped and stayed with my sister in Indiana and then again at my friend’s house in Tennessee before completing the journey to SC. This saved me a couple hundred dollars on hotel stays along the way even if it added an hour or two more to the drive.
My travel expenses are compensated, but are usually capped in most contracts. So being smart about your travel allows you to keep more of this stipend in your pocket.
I finally arrived and I felt like I was in an entirely different world. I came dangerously close to packing up and leaving that night. But this we will save for another post.
Going Forward
In the future, I plan to walk through every assignment I have taken to share my journey. But also, to help others to better navigate their own journeys themselves. Hopefully so you can avoid some of my own mistakes.
Travel therapy has its headaches but with the right guidance (which I clearly didn’t have starting out), can be something amazing both financially and personally.
As I continue to write I hope to better help other students and therapists navigate the risks, ask the right questions, and improve their confidence in traveling healthcare because the reward is far too great to at least not explore. My finances have thanked me thus far.
If you want to get in touch with me with any specific questions or to find out more about which companies I use, you can message or email me here.
