Therapists with an urge to travel can have their cake and eat it too. And they can have it for brief stretches or for months at a time. You’ll be working hard, but you’ll be doing so in parts of the country you possibly only once dreamed of visiting.

What is the appeal?

First of all, the medical professions bring a host of rewards due to the nature of the work. Rehab therapists are helping people get their lives back and deal with individuals in a variety of situations day in and day out. Throw in the traveling component and you enhance your overall lifestyle portfolio a great deal.

Also, consider the fact that traveling therapist firms can post you in working environments to which you otherwise wouldn’t have access. Imagine working at some of the nation’s top healthcare facilities with some of the leading practitioners in their fields. Or consider using your skills in a remote location caring for an underserved population where your skills will be greatly appreciated.

This is the time to visit cities such as San Francisco, Miami, Honolulu, New York or Chicago. It is an opportunity for those who enjoy hiking or skiing to visit Colorado, for surfers to visit a coastal town, or to get away from it all in the greenery of Maine. Who knows? You may like what you see and decide to stay there permanently.

Salaries for traveling therapists are highly competitive. Free private housing is not unusual. In fact, most living expenses are covered. Add to that a 401(k) retirement plan and travel expenses and the benefits are quite attractive.

With average assignments lasting 13 weeks to 26 weeks, traveling therapists will have plenty of  time to get a feel for a particular hospital and geographic region. Working as a traveling therapist is a perfect situation for anyone who wants to visit different areas of the country without having to commit to the stressful and often costly realities a permanent move involves.

Young therapists with just a few years of experience and seasoned professionals who no longer have children at home particularly appreciate the opportunity to move around the country and visit family and friends longer than a typical three-day weekend allows them.

As the song says: Go where you want to go, do what you want to do.

If you’re an occupational, physical or speech therapist with an itch to see the country while serving patients who desperately need you, contact Centra Healthcare Solutions. Hospitals, rehabilitation centers and other medical facilities around the country are eager to use your services. We look forward to hearing from you.