The role of a PT provider is to provide functional healing and practical support for those who need it most. Other opportunities in the allied healthcare space offer a boost in pay with a side of adventure. If you’re considering the switch from a traditional PT role to travel healthcare, here’s what you need to ask yourself. 

Do You Value Flexibility or Consistency In Your Schedule?

A locally staffed position offers consistent work at the same time, in the same place every day. For many, it’s a reliable role that increases a sense of security and safety. In most cases, this is a steady full-time or part-time position with an average of 3 weeks of PTO yearly. 

The travel physical therapist role is contract-based, with most contracts running for 12 weeks. This temporary structure has a built-in checkpoint to determine whether you’re ready to take a break, renew your contract, or pick up a new contract somewhere else. You control how much time off you get when you plan out the desired number of contracts you will take on each year. 

Do You Want To Stay Settled Locally Or Frequently Explore New Areas?

Staying close to home, living in your community, building a local clientele, and staying connected with a local provider team are all checks in the “Pro” column for locally staffed PT positions. Putting down roots may be a better fit for you if your priority is on the home front. 

Travel physical therapy offers exciting opportunities to explore new places, meet new people, and pursue new experiences every few days or weeks. If you’re excited about the prospect of adventure, travel, and creating new memories and moments, it might be time to switch to travel healthcare. 

Where Does Higher Earning Potential Rank In Your Priorities?

One of the primary draws to travel PT and travel nursing is the more lucrative salaries. On average, traditional physical therapy roles pay roughly $80k per year. That works out to $1,500 per week of working 40+ hours all year long.

Travel PT roles are consistently offered higher weekly salaries, ranging from $1,800 on the low end to $2,500 or more, and this is before any stipends and travel bonuses are paid out. These additional financial supplements reduce the general costs of living, travel, and other incidentals, helping you keep more of what you earn. All things considered, travel physical therapists can earn over 6 figures on their terms in new places and often work fewer hours per week. 

Travel PT opportunities put you in the driver’s seat of your career with more control, more flexibility, and more pay. Search our database of hot, open listings for travel PT here.