I’m an occupational therapist, recently turned traveling occupational therapist! I’ve been an OT for a little over 2 years now, and it still feels like I was in OT school just yesterday. I decided to complement my journeys as a traveler with this blog.

A few things I’ve learned since graduating OT school:

1. OTs are definitely in demand. However, that demand changes depending on your geographic location.
2. I’m constantly learning.
3. Communication. There’s a certain finesse and it’s often learned through trial and error.
4. Very few will understand what OT entails. And fewer will care to listen to your explanations.
5. It’s imperative to remain informed through current research/ evidence-based practices in order to validate this field and demonstrate its meaningfulness.
6. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I will be probably be paying off school loans for a good majority of my life.
7. I’m thankful to be in a great career field and to be able to truly enjoy what I do.

I was interested in traveling therapy even before I finished OT school. The idea of working in a new place every 3 months sounded doable and not terribly daunting. Plus, getting a higher salary doesn’t hurt either 😉 I’ve had the privilege of working in a number of settings: school-based, inpatient rehab, outpatient neuro, acute care, home health, and skilled nursing. So many other settings and niches exist within OT; I hope that through travel OT, I’ll be able to dabble in other areas that are not well-known yet.

Who doesn’t like making lists? Some of my pros/cons thus far…

-PROS-

1. Traveling. And getting paid to travel!
2. Getting paid a lot more. This shouldn’t be THE determining factor, but I have bills to pay and life to live.
3. Respite. It’s nice to just get away, whatever the reason may be. There’s something cathartic about getting away from it all and being on your own. I’m not exactly roughing it out in the middle of nowhere, but still.
4. Trying out new settings. Since I’ve only had 1 assignment so far, but I’m anticipating that I’ll be trying out different/new settings in the near future.
5. Most contracts are 2-3 months. I can put up with most things for 2-3 months.
6. Living minimally and simply. My traveling life’s belongings consist of items that fit inside 1 suitcase, 1 duffel bag, and 1 laundry basket. My other belongings are dispersed throughout my family’s homes.

-CONS-

1. It gets lonely at times. Especially working in home health, I don’t have colleagues that I see or talk to on a regular basis.
2. No paid/sick leave accrual. *Praying that I stay healthy*
3. You don’t really know what the job/culture is like until you’ve started. Well, this goes with any job (duh).
4. Compared to when I was working at a large hospital, healthcare premiums through my travel agency are expensive.
5. At the end of the day, you are the only one looking out for yourself. Not the client agency, not your travel agency.
6. I imagine it can get burdensome/mundane to have to look for a new place to live every few months, and to accommodate all your belongings, plans, etc. Thank goodness for AirBnB and Google.

Other things to remember (and another list while I’m at it)…

1. Complete all major car repairs before an assignment. Maybe sign up for AAA.
2. Get healthcare concerns/procedures completed before an assignment.
3. Not all travel companies reimburse for CPR, physical exam, vaccinations, etc, but still doesn’t hurt to ask. Keep digital records of this info.
4. Be mindful of when license(s) expire and keep track of CEUs.
5. Get things in writing. Ex: specific days off without penalty, guaranteed hours/low census pay, notification of termination (in case they hire a permanent employee or you want to quit), breakdown of pay (regular hourly pay, housing stipend, meals & incidentals, overtime pay, holiday pay, on-call pay, mileage, etc).
6. Ask if you can contact the therapist you’re taking over for, and ask about coverage area/driving radius (for home health).
7. Housing: if unsure about geographic location, book a motel or another place for 1-2 weeks to get a feel for things.
8. Check per diem rates on the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) website.
9. Check traveltax.com for info re: tax homes and doing taxes as a traveler.