Travel Therapy Mentor: Recent Episodes
Jared Casazza & Whitney Eakin
Travel Therapy Mentor is brought to you by Traveling Physical Therapists and world travelers, Jared Casazza and Whitney Eakin. Each month they provide new information and education about pursuing a career in traveling therapy, for US-based PTs/PTAs, OTs/OTAs, and SLPs. Jared and Whitney are a Travel PT duo who have been traveling since 2015 and have visited 49 US states and over 30 countries internationally! They’ve mentored thousands of current & aspiring travel therapists over the last several years. Subscribe to learn more about travel therapy and get started on your own travel journey!
Accepting a Travel Contract Without An Interview:
Travel Therapists: would you/should you accept a travel contract without doing an interview?
In our opinion, the phone interview with the facility is one of the most important steps to ensure a travel therapy contract is a good fit before accepting…
We recently learned that some companies/facilities may be trying to move away from doing formal interviews…
Alternatively- they’d have the traveler submit answers to some questions & screen based on that - then make an offer. This is apparently common practice with travel nursing & other specialties not to do an interview.
There are a lot of factors to consider here… Join us on this episode to learn more!
Negotiating Travel Therapy Contract Extensions: In this episode, we discuss extending a travel therapy contract.
-Why you might want to extend
-Why the facility might ask you to extend
-Logistics of negotiating an extension
-Pay increases with contract extensions
-Others terms you may include in your extension, etc!
Tune in to learn more!
TRAVEL THERAPY Q&A - In this episode we answer all your questions about travel therapy, finance, student loans, new grads, etc! Tune in to learn more!
As healthcare professionals, we have a lot of flexibility in our career choices. Staying at a local/perm job does not have to be “permanent” and neither does travel therapy. We as well as many others transition back and forth depending what suits our needs at the time. Join us to learn more about why you might do this + strategies & logistics if you’re considering it!
Starting a New Travel Therapy Contract
Join us to learn more about starting a new travel therapy contract:
What to expect on your first week, training/onboarding, what to do if issues come up, etc!
We will also talk a bit about our current Travel PT contract that we just started!
Interested in travel therapy, but not sure where to begin?
In this episode, we discuss the timeline and process for getting started- including: Getting in contact with recruiters; Licensure; Getting your profile set up; Being submitted for jobs; Phone interviews; Accepting a contract; Onboarding/credentialing; & more!
Reach out to us at Travel Therapy Mentor for help getting started & getting connected with the best recruiters!
Travel Therapy Job Market Update (March 2024)
Listen in to get all the latest updates on the travel therapy world!
👉 if you are a current traveler or considering starting travel therapy in 2024, you don’t want to miss this information!
We gathered stats from 12 different companies including recruiters, managers, and company owners to bring you the latest insights and stats. We also offer our personal recommendations.
We just got back from a 6 week trip to South America and Antarctica, followed by going to the APTA CSM conference in Boston! It's been a busy couple of months and we got behind on videos/podcasts! Listen in as we recap our bucket list trip & talk about future plans!
Each year we give away over $1000 in gift cards to our travel therapy community!
Listen to the replay of the live drawings for our giveaways this year.
5 winners of $200 Amazon gift cards - each for completing travel therapy contracts with our recommended recruiters in 2023
1 winner of $100 Amazon gift card - for leaving us a review on social media
1 winner of $100 Amazon gift card - for leaving us a review on our travel therapy course
1 winner of $50 for tuning in during the live drawings on Facebook
Thanks to everyone in our travel therapy community for your continued support!
We also briefly recap our year in 2023 and talk about our upcoming trip in 2024!
Mental Health & Support Systems as a Travel Therapist
Being a travel therapist has a lot of perks:
-higher income
-exploring the country
-experiencing new clinical opportunities
-having a flexible schedule
-meeting new people
But it can have its downsides too—
—such as being away from family/friends, feeling like an outsider, & having difficulty making/maintaining meaningful connections.
Unfortunately sometimes these things can lead travelers to feel lonely and isolated.
Join us as we discuss mental health & support systems as a travel therapist
We’ll give some insights & strategies- would love to hear your feedback as well!
Packing & Moving as a Travel Therapist - How and what should you pack for travel therapy assignments? The process of packing & moving for travel therapy jobs can be daunting! Join us to learn more - we’ll provide insights and tips to make your life easier when it comes to packing for travel jobs!
What are the Most Common & Highest Paying Settings for Travel Therapy Jobs?
If you’re considering jumping into travel therapy, you’ve probably wondered which settings are the most common for travel therapy jobs, and which settings pay the most for travel therapy jobs.
These are both important factors to consider before getting started as a travel therapist.
Check out our new article on this topic on our website at TravelTherapyMentor.com
And tune in for this week's episode to learn more!
November 2023 Travel Therapy Job Market Update!
Time for another update!!
Join us to hear the latest insights on the travel therapy job market! We’ll bring you updates from several different companies, recruiters, and owners. Plus we’ll provide our own insights and suggestions!
Whether you’re a current traveler or considering travel therapy- you don’t want to miss this info!
Is Mentorship Available for Travel Therapy Jobs?
If you’re a new grad or a therapist considering trying a new setting - you may be wondering if there are any mentorship opportunities for travel therapists.
As with most things in healthcare, our answer is “IT DEPENDS”.
Every travel therapy job is going to be different, but there are definitely opportunities for mentorship available.
Tune in to this episode to learn more!
You can also check out our new article on this topic:
https://traveltherapymentor.com/2023/10/08/do-you-receive-mentorship-as-a-travel-therapist/
When you start looking into travel healthcare- housing is one of the big issues that comes up.Most choose short term housing but a growing number of healthcare travelers are considering RV life.We lived and traveled in an 5th Wheel RV for 3yrs & get a lot of questions about RV life, plus how to choose the right kind of RV.Our friend and fellow Travel PT Kayla recently wrote a guest post on this topic to help with those deciding on how to choose an RV: https://traveltherapymentor.com/2023/10/01/choosing-an-rv-as-a-healthcare-traveler/Tune in to this episode to learn more on this topic!Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to our channel for more travel therapy podcasts & leave us a 5-star rating if you're enjoying the podcast!Visit our website for even more travel therapy information and even get our travel therapy recruiter recommendations: https://www.traveltherapymentor.com
Honeymoon + Roadtrip Recap --- Life has been a whirlwind the last few months! We had our Wedding, then went on a 10-Week Europe Honeymoon, followed immediately by a 2-Week Road Trip and visiting our Last National Park! Join us on this episode to hear more about our honeymoon + road trip! Plus hear some announcements and updates!
New SAVE Student Loan Repayment Plan and Student Loan Repayment Options for Travel Therapists: The student loan pause is ending & payments will resume in October. Many of you may be wondering what to do about your loans as they go back into repayment. We discuss this topic in today's episode. Join us to learn more about various student loan repayment options, including discussing the new SAVE income driven repayment plan. We also just published an article about the new SAVE income driven repayment plan & why it may or may not be a good option for travel therapists. You can read the article here: https://traveltherapymentor.com/2023/08/06/save-student-loan-repayment-plan-for-travel-therapists/
Travel Therapy Job Market Update - July 2023 Join us to hear the latest insights on the travel therapy job market! We’ll bring you updates from several different companies, recruiters, and owners. Plus we’ll provide our own insights and suggestions! Whether you’re a current traveler or considering travel therapy- you won’t want to miss this info!
Wedding Recap + Honeymoon Update!
We’ve been married 1 month and traveling around Europe for nearly 4 weeks on our honeymoon!
We’ve been to: Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Serbia, Slovenia, & Latvia so far!
Up next are Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Norway & Denmark!
Join us to hear more about our wedding in Virginia & our Europe Honeymoon trip so far!
How much $$ do travel therapy recruiters make?!
You might be wondering the answer to this question for two different reasons:
1- You’re curious if the recruiters are taking advantage of us travelers & making bank off our travel therapy contracts
and/or
2- You’re actually considering leaving clinical work & wondering if becoming a recruiter would be a lucrative option
To get the full scoop on this topic - listen in on this episode!
You can also read our new article on this topic:
“Travel Therapy Recruiter Pay: How Much Do They Make & How is Pay Structured?” at TravelTherapyMentor.com
Travel Therapy Contract CancellationsContract cancellations can be a big concern for travel therapistsFortunately contract cancellations are rare, but they do happen sometimesThere are strategies that travelers can use to try to avoid getting a contract cancelled, and further strategies to employ if a contract does ultimately end up getting cancelledListen in to learn more & ask questions!We also have a detailed article on this topic which you can read here: https://traveltherapymentor.com/2023/04/27/travel-therapy-contract-cancellations/
Net Take Home Pay Vs Gross Pay Quotes for Travel Therapy Pay Packages:Travel therapy pay can be confusing, and is much different than discussing perm hourly or salary pay for regular therapist jobs.To add to the confusion, some recruiters quote weekly pay packages as "net" or after tax pay, and some quote as "gross" or before tax weekly pay, which can add to frustration among travelers.In this episode, we discuss the differences in these types of pay quotes, if one is better than the other, and our recommendations for travelers to have a smoother experience with pay quotes between travel therapy recruiters.We also wrote a detailed article on this topic which you can read here: https://traveltherapymentor.com/2023/04/11/net-take-home-pay-vs-gross-pay-quotes-for-travel-therapy-pay-packages/Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE for more travel therapy content!For even more education on travel therapy, visit our website at https://www.traveltherapymentor.comYou can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook at @traveltherapymentor
April 2023 Travel Therapy Job Market Update! Join us to hear the latest insights for the travel therapy job market! We gather information across a dozen travel companies, including owners, managers, and recruiters, as well as current travelers, to bring you the most up to date info about what’s going on in the travel therapy industry! This information is pertinent to current travelers to know what to expect for upcoming job searches. It’s also vital for aspiring travelers to know what to expect if you’re planning to start travel therapy sometime this year! Listen in for all the updates!
Travel Healthcare with a Family: We often get questions about whether you can travel with your family- with a spouse and/or children. The answer is YES, absolutely! But, everyone’s situation will be a little different & will require unique considerations! In this episode, we discuss traveling with a family, including various considerations for different family types! Listen to learn more!
In this episode, we interview Joe Reinke at Fitbux. We discuss the student loan pause, student loan repayment strategies, and financial planning considerations for travel therapists. Managing student loan debt is an ongoing concern for current healthcare professionals and students getting ready to enter the workforce… With the current student loan pause, there’s a lot of discussion about what to do with your loans now vs later when they go back into repayment… And there are some special considerations specifically for healthcare travelers. We discuss all of this and more with Joe. Listen in to learn more! . . If you'd like to get help with your financial planning and student loan management, create an account at FitBux: https://www.fitbux.com/?ref=jaredcasazza . . Reach out to us with any questions. You can find more of Jared's financial articles here: https://fifthwheelpt.com/finance-categories/ .
Working internationally as a travel therapist...
We personally only work as Travel PTs in the US…
But we get questions all the time about working internationally & have done a lot of research on it…
Join us to hear our insights on working in the US vs. abroad as a travel therapist!
You can also read a guest post on this topic from a company that helps staff PTs & OTs in Australia & New Zealand here: https://traveltherapymentor.com/2023/01/26/internationalphysicaltherapy/
Read more posts from therapists who have worked abroad here: https://traveltherapymentor.com/unique-traveler-stories/
It’s TAX SEASON & we always get a ton of questions about filing taxes as a healthcare traveler! We also get tax and tax home questions all throughout the year. It’s been a while since we discussed taxes so this is an updated video discussing all things traveler taxes! Join us to learn more about taxes as a traveler!
Travel Therapy Job Market Update for January 2023! Listen in to get the latest information about the travel therapy job market! We have gathered insights across multiple staffing companies including recruiters, managers, and owners— as well as insights from fellow travelers about what they’re seeing right now. Here are some questions we address: -Is the job market good for travel therapists right now? -Will 2023 be a good year to be a travel therapist? -What trends should I be aware of? -Is it a good idea to travel as a new grad? How are rates looking, should I expect high pay packages? Listen in to learn more & send us any questions you have! . . . Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to our podcast to get even more travel therapy content! Reach out to us for advice & recruiter recommendations if you're ready to get started on your own travel therapy journey!
Travel Therapy Mentor 2022 Recap & 2023 Plans : Join us to hear a recap of our year in 2022! We had some amazing adventures… traveled all over… including hitting our 50th state, 60th national park, and 40th country! plus, we connected with so many new and old travel friends & colleagues… It was definitely a year for the books! We have some fun stuff in store personally & for our business in 2023…. Join us to hear more!
International Travel Tips/Travel Hacking + Recap of our 2022 Around the World Trip!
We just returned from a 9 week international trip where we circumnavigated the world for the 2nd time! This was our 5th time traveling internationally for 2 months or more. Overall we have traveled to 42 countries in the last 5 years!
On this trip we visited 4 continents & 8 different countries!
Tune in as we go over our trip, including all the places we went & amazing things we experienced!
We also discuss international travel hacking- including flights, hotels, activities, cell phone service, insurance, paying for things, getting around, and more!
If you want to be able to be able to travel abroad frugally & efficiently like we do- you’ll want to tune in to learn more!
Travel Healthcare Without Tax Home
Join us to learn more about pursuing travel healthcare WITHOUT having a tax home!
Many of you may know the importance of having a tax home to get tax free stipends as a traveler - but some may be wondering if you can still travel if you don’t maintain a tax home
We’ll recap some tax home essentials, then go into some considerations & implications if you take travel contracts but don’t meet the tax home rules!
[RV Life: Overview, Pros/Cons, Logistics, Financial Considerations & More!]
Join us to learn more about living in an RV as a travel therapist!
We traveled and lived in a 5th wheel camper for 3 years at the beginning of our travel therapy careers.
We’ll discuss logistics, financial considerations, lifestyle, pros/cons & more!
Listen to learn more!
For this episode, we took questions exclusively from members of our course group for our Comprehensive Travel Therapy Course (Becoming a Financially Successful Travel Therapist). We answer each question and scenario in depth. Questions ranged from starting the first day of a contract, to investing and finance, to setting up a tax home, to job market trends, to resigning from your permanent job, to getting licensed in new states. Listen in to hear the questions & answers, listen to us talk through and give advice on scenarios, and learn more!
If you're interested in enrolling in our travel therapy course to get started on the path to success as a travel therapist, you can learn more about our course here: https://traveltherapymentor.com/course/
October 2022 Travel Therapy Job Market Update: Listen in to hear all the updates on the travel therapy job market! We gathered info from a dozen travel therapy companies, including recruiters/managers/owners. We go over recent changes, projections for the end of the year, and what we anticipate for 2023. This is pertinent info for anyone considering getting into travel therapy soon… and for current travelers making decisions about contracts, negotiations, extensions, etc. If you're ready to get started with travel therapy, check out our website for more travel therapy education: https://traveltherapymentor.com/ And if you'd like personalized recommendations for travel therapy recruiters and companies, fill out our recruiter recommendations form: https://traveltherapymentor.com/travel-therapy-recruiter-recommendations/
PT/OT/SLP Compact Update for Travel Therapists!
What are the PT Compact, OT Compact, and SLP Compact?
How do they work?
And what are the implications for travel therapists?
Join us as we go over exactly how the compact licensure works… who’s eligible… the process to apply and maintain compact licensure… and various ways that compact licensure affects travel therapists. We also address common misconceptions about the compact licensure! Don't make these same mistakes!
Tune in to learn more!
We just got back from our 3-month Travel PT contract in Alaska plus our road trip to & from Alaska through Canada & the US! It’s been a busy & exciting 4 months!! Join us to hear all about our time in Alaska & our road trip! Tune in to learn more about working in Alaska & visiting there - for making your own future plans!
Do you really make more money as a travel therapist? Since many therapists cite earning higher income as a primary reason to pursue travel therapy… it’s important to know whether in your particular situation if you really WILL make more as a traveler? There are a lot of variables to consider to determine if you actually will come out ahead financially as a traveler. Of course there are lots of other benefits to travel therapy to consider besides just finances… but people do care about the bottom line. Listen in on this episode to learn more. You can also read the article we wrote on the same topic to learn even more: https://traveltherapymentor.com/2022/08/21/is-it-worth-it-financially-to-be-a-travel-physical-therapist/
[Which States Have the Best Tax Rates for Travel Therapists?] Taxes can be a confusing topic! State taxes, federal taxes, FICA taxes - oh my! For travelers, our taxes can be ever more confusing because of maintaining a tax home and working in different states. In this video we’ll discuss tax rates in different states- and you’ll probably be surprised by which states actually have the highest effective tax rates for our income levels as travel therapists! Think CA is the worst? Think again. Listen to this episode to learn more & ask questions! *Be sure to read the article to learn more in depth on this topic: https://traveltherapymentor.com/2022/08/03/which-states-have-the-best-tax-rates-for-travel-therapists-state-tax-rates-ranked/
July 2022 Travel Therapy Job Market Update! Tune in with us to hear the latest updates on what’s happening in the travel therapy world! We’ll give stats on current job numbers for PT, OT, SLP, PTA, & COTA travel jobs… Plus insights from a dozen company owners and managers on whether the job market is still strong… Changes they’re seeing in pay rates, job availability, cancellations, COVID policies, and more. This will be helpful information for current travelers to know what to expect on upcoming job searches & negotiations… as well as for aspiring travelers to make career decisions!
PS: If you enjoy our podcast & love learning about travel therapy.. please leave us a quick RATING/REVIEW on the podcast platform where you listen! We appreciate your support!!
INFLATION: how is it impacting travel healthcare pay?! With inflation being at the top of mind for many current & aspiring travelers lately… We’ve gotten many questions about how this will impact traveler pay… Can we expect to see our take-home pay rise with inflation?! Listen in to get the full scoop & learn more about this plus other factors that affect our pay as travelers. Also we recommend reading the article that goes along with this video to better understand this topic!
https://traveltherapymentor.com/2022/06/20/inflationandtravelpay/
Listen in to learn all about the process to take a travel healthcare contract in Alaska! Including:
-Planning -Timing -Licensing -Job search -Housing -Car -Packing -Moving
Plus hear about our experience here so far with our jobs, coworkers, weekend adventures etc!
Important info for current & aspiring travelers! Tune in to hear the latest about the travel therapy job market! Are therapists still in high demand? Are pay rates declining? Should you be concerned about getting cancelled? What settings are most needed? Is it a good time for new grads to travel? Is the PTA/COTA market improving? What are the projections for the rest of the year?
In this episode we recap our nearly 3-month trip throughout Latin America! Our trip itinerary included: -Texas -Mexico -Guatemala -Colombia -Peru -Costa Rica We had a lot of fun, but there were also some ups & downs during this trip! Tune in to hear all about our favorite places we went, the issues we encountered, COVID restrictions, etc!
Have you ever wondered how much money the travel staffing company is keeping when you accept a travel healthcare contract? If so, you’re not alone. We very often get questions about what percentage of the bill rate (the amount being paid to the travel company by the facility) should be kept by the travel company, and how much of it should go to the traveler. This is a much more complicated topic than meets the eye. Listen to this episode to learn more & read the detailed article we wrote on the same topic!
In this episode we answer some more in-depth questions from our course group members. Sharing the audio here so you can hear the answers! We discussed various travel therapy topics. If you want to join our private course group to get more in depth and 1-on-1 mentorship, enroll on our website & use the discount code "travel" to save $150!
In this episode we go over our Latin America trip so far! Things haven’t gone quite as we planned so far to say the least! We wanted to update you on what’s been happening, where we’ve been so far, and where we are headed next!
We’ve been getting a lot of questions and concerns about whether travel healthcare is still financially feasible and “worth it” with increases in housing costs. In this episode we discuss inflation/rise in short term housing costs… change in travel healthcare pay packages… and give advice on strategies for increasing income/reducing expenses to help you better determine if travel healthcare will be financially lucrative for you!— and we’ll help address the question if travel healthcare is “still worth it” based on these financial factors!
Learn what’s happening with the travel therapy job market at the beginning of 2022. We’ll discuss: -Current job market/job numbers compared to end of 2021 -If there’s been a January “job lull” this year -Impacts of rising COVID cases on travel therapy jobs -Companies’ current policies for therapists who have been exposed to COVID and have to quarantine And more!
2021 was an interesting year for all! We were able to resume a lot of travel that we missed out on in 2020. The travel therapy job market made a big turnaround. Our business grew a lot. And between travels we spent a good amount of time with family & friends! We anticipate 2022 being another great year for travel therapy. Listen in as we recap our year in 2021 & discuss plans and projections for 2022! (PS: This was recorded on Monday 12/27. The giveaway mentioned in this episode happened on 12/30/21).
We get this question a lot, and we know many new grads are wondering if it’s a good idea to get into traveling right now/in early 2022. There are several factors to consider when deciding if travel therapy is right for you personally as a new grad right out of school. Plus you want to take into account the current job market and job availability for new grads. In this episode, one of our favorite recruiters, Aaron Quihuis from MedTravelers, joins us to discuss this topic, including his experience helping new grad therapists find travel jobs, what facilities are looking for, what helps new grads be successful travelers, how the job market is for new grads, and more! If you’re interested in us connecting you with Aaron or one of our other awesome recruiters at MedTravelers who works specifically with new grads, send us a message + mention this episode, and we will get you in touch! (This episode is sponsored by MedTravelers). PS: We apologize for the poor audio quality on this episode. We had some technical difficulties with the audio due to the interview format on Facebook Live.
Vaccine Mandates are a hot topic right now across the country, particularly among healthcare workers. How are vaccine mandates affecting travel healthcare providers? Do travelers need to be vaccinated to find jobs? Are mandates causing an increased staffing need for travelers? How are booster shots affecting employment? Listen in to get the scoop on how vaccine mandates are affecting travel healthcare!
Burnout is unfortunately a big problem among healthcare workers, particularly during the pandemic. We hear from many current clinicians who are feeling burnt out and are desperate for a change; and from new grads who want to avoid getting burnt out in the first place. Travel Healthcare can help clinicians avoid burnout via many different strategies. In this episode, we discuss different strategies we’ve used and we’ve mentored others on to help avoid burnout!
Utilizing credit cards to your advantage is a good way to earn extra cash and save on hotels and flights for travel. Traveling healthcare professionals are in a good position to utilize these strategies to optimize their finances and be able to travel for longer and for cheaper! Join Whitney and Jared from Travel Therapy Mentor to learn more about how they’ve used credit cards to get ahead financially and travel the world on a budget; and let them teach you more so you can do it too! Check out our credit card recommendations here: traveltherapymentor.com/credit
Listen in to hear the latest about the travel therapy job market. Is now a good time to get into travel? What about through the holidays and early 2022? We give you the scoop from multiple companies and industry leaders to help you make career choices and strategically plan!
We just returned from 6 weeks traveling across the country in our converted minivan, from Virginia to Vegas & back! We attended the Traveler's Conference in Las Vegas & got to reconnect with many of our travel friends! We visited many new National Parks & hit our 49th state! Listen in as we recap the highlights of our trip, go over some of the logistics, and discuss what we would change in the future!
You asked, we answered! Listen in as we go through a ton of questions we received from our audience about travel therapy. We cover topics like: getting started with travel, traveling as a new grad, insurance, traveling with a family, pay packages, working in outpatient, tax homes, and more!
In this episode we discuss our 6 week trek across the country in our converted minivan, including where we have been & where we are going! Also we talk about why we chose to travel in a minivan, plus compare & contrast van life & RV life! 🚐🚐🚐🚐
In this episode we discuss some of the unique challenges we face as travelers! From housing… to licensing… the job search… credentialing… on boarding… recruiter communication… and more! We had a great conversation with John Modica, former travel RN and co-founder of Kamana. We discuss some ways that companies like Kamana are moving travel healthcare forward with great new technologies! (This episode was sponsored by Kamana Health)
We just got back from 3 months in Hawaii: 2 months for Whitney’s Travel PT contract & 1 month visiting the other islands for vacation! Tune in to learn more about: Whitney’s Travel PT contract; Logistics of getting a travel contract in Hawaii; What it’s like to live in Hawaii; Logistics of travel to and around Hawaii during COVID (for vacation or for work); Recap of the fun things we did there & what some of our favorites were; Compare/contrast the 4 islands we visited; And more!
In this episode, we give you the latest updates on the travel therapy job market from several different recruiters and companies. We also discuss what we anticipate moving into the fall, including considerations with rising COVID cases. This episode provides insights for new grads, therapists getting into travel for the first time, and current travelers.
A few weeks ago we were interviewed on AMN's "I Need Travel Therapy" Podcast. We discussed traveling as a pair and pursuing financial independence. We went over various benefits and challenges of traveling with a partner, as well as tips for those considering it. We also discussed financial planning, budgeting, and financial independence. If you're considering traveling with a partner or friend and also want to achieve financial independence, check out this episode to learn more! (Originally recorded on "I Need Travel Therapy" Podcast, Episode 43, https://www.medtravelers.com/podcast/i-need-travel-therapy/i-need-travel-therapy-ep-43-Financial-Independence-and-Traveling-as-a-Pair-Whitney-Eakin-PT-DPT-ATC-and-Jared-Casazza-PT-DPT/ )
Health insurance can be confusing for travelers since we are contract employees. There are various options out there - some better for different people based on your situation. In this episode, we discuss all the different options, what we’ve done in the past, and what we do now. Also our favorite insurance agent joins us for some Q&A!
Travel therapy pay can often be confusing, particularly when you’re new to travel therapy. It can also get confusing trying to compare pay across different recruiters/companies, when things are presented to you differently.
In this episode, we will break down the different aspects of travel pay, including: -Pay package: stipends, hourly, and reimbursements -Gross vs net pay (pre/post tax) -Weekly take home pay -Guaranteed stipends vs no guaranteed stipends -Pay packages with 40hr guarantee vs lower hours guaranteed -bill rates: where the money goes & where it comes from And more!
June job market update! Things have really picked up with the travel job market recently! We are so excited to see jobs bouncing back. In this episode we give you stats from various companies and recruiters for PT, OT, SLP, PTA & COTA Travel Jobs. Plus we let you know what trends we are hearing, and offer suggestions and insights for your travel therapy job search!
We arrived on the Big Island of Hawaii last week for Whitney's Travel PT Contract! Tune in with us to learn more about our move to Hawaii, including: the COVID 19 testing and restrictions, our flight, getting our rental car, getting set up at our new home, and life on the island so far! Get insights for your future travels to Hawaii for fun or for work!
In this episode we discuss all the planning & logistics for taking a travel job in Hawaii, as we just moved to Hawaii for Whitney’s travel PT contract! Learn about licensing, job search, finding housing, renting a car, flights, packing, current COVID-19 restrictions, etc! Tune in to learn more in case you want to take a job in Hawaii!
This is an interview we recorded with our friends and fellow healthcare travelers Kim & Erran on their podcast “InRoute: The Power of Travel Podcast”. We had so much fun talking to them about entrepreneurship, financial freedom, using travel therapy for lifestyle flexibility, and more! We hope you enjoy this interview and get inspired for your own travel therapy journey!
In this episode, we share numbers and trends for the travel therapy job market across several companies, along with our expectations for the coming months, and our advice for those pursuing travel therapy this summer! If you’re a current or prospective travel therapist, don’t miss this episode!
Travel therapy can be amazing - but sometimes there are hassles. One of the worst is getting your contract cancelled unexpectedly! So you might be wondering.... How common are contract cancellations? What are the rules for the facility to cancel your contract? What if you need to cancel your contract? What do you do if your contract gets cut short unexpectedly? Listen in on this episode to learn all the details!
In this episode, we recap our recent two month trip to Mexico and talk about our plans for international travel this summer! We go over what it was like traveling since the pandemic & what our planning process looks like! Tune in to learn more!
The weather is heating up & so is the job market! Listen in to get the full scoop on what’s happening for the Travel PT, SLP, OT, PTA & COTA job markets. We’ll give you all the updates & discuss recommendations for traveling this spring/summer!
In this episode (recorded 3/14/21) we discuss contract extensions! What are the benefits of extending contracts, why might you want to extend, how to negotiate an extension, how much you can expect to make for an extension, and more!
Following up from our episode on filing taxes a few weeks ago, we wanted to share this episode where we specifically go over how to file taxes on your own for FREE! We originally recorded this episode in March 2020 on Facebook Live. Check it out & let us know if you end up using this money saving hack!
In this episode from 2/21/2021 we discuss traveling solo! Although we’ve always traveled as a pair, most travel healthcare workers actually travel by themselves. We gathered insights from current solo travelers, and asked future solo travelers what concerns they have about traveling alone to bring you a summary! We go over the benefits, challenges, and strategies for traveling by yourself!
How do you file taxes as a traveler? What's different as a travel therapist vs. a perm therapist? In this episode recorded in January 2020, we discuss all the things you need to know to file your taxes as a traveler! It's actually a lot easier than it seems!
In this video recorded on 2/8/21 we give an update on the travel therapy job market, based on insights from several different travel companies, managers, recruiters, and leaders in our industry! This update should help guide you in your planning for pursuing travel jobs in 2021!
We are sharing this episode from last year (February 23, 2020) where we discuss why we choose not to travel internationally as therapists. We get questions all the time about traveling internationally for work. In this episode we go over the logistics and why we choose to only work in the US, and travel internationally for fun. We also give insights on what you'd need to look into if you did want to travel internationally for work!
In this episode we have a Special Announcement • we discuss the future of Travel Therapy Mentor • we tell you more about our Mexico plans • and we discuss the logistics of long term international travel! Tune in to hear all about it!
In this episode we are bringing you a video we recorded in March 2019 where we discussed Beginner Mistakes as a Travel Therapist! Listen in and learn so you won’t make these same mistakes!
In this episode recorded live on 1/10/2021, we go over things to consider when choosing a travel recruiter & company, such as pros/cons of big/small companies, benefits, and other lesser known considerations!
Many of you are considering starting travel therapy in 2021! Listen in to hear a recap of the travel therapy job market in 2020 & what we predict it will be like in 2021 based on insights from various recruiters and industry leaders! We also review our year at Travel Therapy Mentor & discuss our plans for 2021!
It’s the new year & many of you may be preparing for your first ever travel therapy job interviews! Usually travel therapy interviews are done over the phone. In this episode we discuss what to expect for phone interviews, questions you should prepare, and more! You don’t want to miss out on this information!
In this episode we discuss how the PT Compact works for travel therapists. We also give updates for the PT Compact for 2020 and what’s to come in 2021. And we discuss the progress for the OT and SLP compact licensure!
Health Insurance Options- this is one of the primary concerns that therapists have when considering travel therapy. It can be tricky due to the short term nature of our jobs. In this episode we cover all the different health insurance options, from company insurance, to ACA Marketplace plans, to private plans, to religious healthshare ministries, and COBRA! Tune in to hear the strategies we use for insurance throughout the year and what we recommend for others!
We answer all your travel therapy questions in this episode! We collected questions from you all on Instagram and Facebook, everything from the basics to more complex questions from experienced travelers! Listen in to learn & be sure to check out our other articles and videos going over each topic in more detail!
In this episode we discuss what to look for on your travel therapy written contract, and how to know if it’s a good contract or not. — We get questions each week asking us if an offer is good or to look over a contract. We can take a look at your contracts for you and let you know— but the best thing is to learn for yourself what to look for so you can make sure you’re good to go on future contracts or know what needs changed/negotiated!
In this episode we discuss: what are guaranteed hours; why are they important; how to negotiate for them; things to ask your recruiter and the interviewer/manager; red flags to look out for; and strategies for ensuring you get all your hours! Be sure to listen in to learn more so you don’t miss out on being paid for full hours at your travel job!
2020 has been a rough year for travel therapy. We have seen a slow increase in jobs since this summer. But is the job market back to normal? For those who are wondering if it’s the right time to get into travel therapy, and what’s to come as we approach the end of the year/beginning of the new year - tune in as we’ll be discussing updates on the job market! We’ll give insights and recommendations for job searchers.
In this episode, we discuss how continuing ed & advanced certifications may or may not affect getting travel jobs & your pay as a traveler. We also discuss different CEUs that could be beneficial for various settings!
As a travel therapist, you can run into some tricky situations with productivity expectations. In this episode we discuss issues you might encounter in different settings, and how to handle these situations to avoid working off the clock.
As we approach the holiday season and end of the year, there are some special considerations for applying for travel therapy jobs. Many therapists want to take off for the holidays by either requesting time off in the middle of a contract or waiting to start a new job after January 1st. In this episode we discuss some challenges and strategies for navigating this situation, so you can secure a job and avoid missing out on weeks of work due to high competition.
We recently started local PRN jobs near home! And we aren’t the only travelers doing this. In this episode we discuss why we decided to take PRN jobs; the decision making process for others taking perm vs PRN vs travel jobs; insights into the pros/cons; how to approach a perm/PRN situation if you don’t want it to be forever, and more!!
Over the years we’ve written and talked quite a bit about how we’ve been able to use credit card rewards for cashback bonuses and lots of free travel domestically and internationally! Credit card/travel hacking can be a great financial advantage to add to the travel therapist’s repertoire to be able to cash in for cheap or free travel! In this episode we discuss how travel/credit card hacking works; give you suggested strategies; and talk about some of the best offers currently out there! Listen in so you can start taking advantage of credit card rewards to earn extra cash and free travel like we have!
This is an interview we did a couple months ago on the “SLP Full Disclosure” Podcast. We discussed how we used careers as travel PTs to pursue financial independence and transition to a semi retirement lifestyle! Although this interview was originally for an SLP podcast, the information pertains to all traveling healthcare professionals (PT, OT, etc!) We hope you enjoy this interview and will be inspired for your own financial journey!
We took a van on an epic 8-week cross country road trip! We visited 28 National Parks, 20 states, and drove almost 13,000 miles! Listen in as we recap our whole trip, discuss how things went traveling during COVID, go over the logistics of van camping, and give tips for those considering their own road trip!
In this episode we discuss how to negotiate pay and other terms on a travel therapy contract. We give tips on ways to negotiate, plus how to know when you’re in a good position to negotiate or not. We also discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on contract negotiations! You don’t want to miss this insider information!
In this episode, we give an update on the job market as we move into the fall. We go over job numbers from several companies (big & small), discuss the competition level for jobs, and give recommendations for job seekers & those considering jumping into travel therapy in late 2020/early 2021! Tune in to hear the scoop!
In this episode from 8/27/20, we discussed how to budget for long term travel, including our experience from this 8 week US road trip, plus our 4-5 month international trips in Europe and Asia! We also provided an update on our road trip so far as of the time we were in Washington state!
This is a Q&A video we recorded on 8/20/20 during our cross country road trip! We covered questions on travel therapy, finance, road trip, & more! *Unfortunately due to some technical difficulties, we were only able to upload a portion of the episode to the podcast. To hear the full video, visit our Facebook Page under “videos” for Aug 20th, 2020!
We have officially begun our 8-week cross-country road trip! In this episode we discuss where we’ve been so far, give an overview of our route, discuss the planning process for the trip, and in the video version we gave a tour of our minivan we are traveling in for the trip! Listen in to hear about our road trip plans & how it’s going so far traveling during COVID! (Check our Facebook or YouTube for the van tour part of the video!)
This is the 6th and final week of our 6 Week mini-series on the basics of travel therapy! In this episode we discuss what a tax home is & why it’s important to travel therapists! Check out the full series including podcasts/videos and articles on each topic including: 1️⃣ What is Travel Therapy 2️⃣ Travel Therapy Pay 3️⃣ Finding Short Term Housing 4️⃣ Travel Therapy Licensing Process 5️⃣ Travel Therapy Recruiters 6️⃣ Tax Homes for Travel Therapists!
We can’t believe it’s now AUGUST, and we’re approximately 5 months into the COVID-19 pandemic effects in the US! In this episode we update you on what’s been going on with the travel therapy job market! Fortunately, it does seem things are getting slightly better—But still not back to where it was before, and still very competitive! Listen in to hear all the updates we gathered from multiple companies, recruiters, managers, and travelers about the current job market, as well as some speculation on what’s to come, and our advice for job seekers!
This is week 5 of our 6 Week mini-series on the basics of travel therapy! In this episode we discuss finding good recruiters, why it’s important to get recommendations, and the process of working with more than one recruiter. Join us each week during this series as we bring you a new podcast/video and article on each topic including: 1️⃣ What is Travel Therapy 2️⃣ Travel Therapy Pay 3️⃣ Finding Short Term Housing 4️⃣ Travel Therapy Licensing Process 5️⃣ Travel Therapy Recruiters, and 6️⃣ Tax Homes for Travel Therapists!
How do Benefits/insurance work as a travel therapist? What are some options travelers use for benefits during and between contracts? In this episode we discuss benefits provided by travel companies, and some options travelers use for insurance and other benefits while on contract, taking time off between contracts, and when switching between companies!
This is week 4 of our 6 Week mini-series on the basics of travel therapy! In this episode we discuss obtaining licenses in each different state as a travel therapist. Join us each week as we bring you a new podcast/video and article on each topic including: 1️⃣ What is Travel Therapy 2️⃣ Travel Therapy Pay 3️⃣ Finding Short Term Housing 4️⃣ Travel Therapy Licensing Process 5️⃣ Travel Therapy Recruiters 6️⃣ Tax Homes for Travel Therapists!
Semi-Retirement as we define it means working only part of the year (6mos or so) while taking off the rest of the year to pursue other interests! A semi-retirement lifestyle is easily achievable with a career in travel therapy. In this episode we discuss how we’ve designed our own lifestyle to work only part of the year while spending several months traveling internationally/domestically and taking time for lots of other endeavors. We also discuss methods for you to pursue a similar path and design your own semi-retirement lifestyle!
This is week 3 of our 6 Week mini-series on the basics of travel therapy! In this episode we discuss finding short term housing as a travel therapist. Join us each week as we bring you a new podcast/video and article on each topic including: 1️⃣ What is Travel Therapy 2️⃣ Travel Therapy Pay 3️⃣ Finding Short Term Housing 4️⃣ Travel Therapy Licensing Process 5️⃣ Travel Therapy Recruiters 6️⃣ Tax Homes for Travel Therapists!
In this episode we discuss how our travel plans have changed in 2020, how we’ve shifted gears, and plans for our upcoming road trip around the US! We also give some insights on what we think are the best ways to be conscientious while traveling in 2020. Last- we’d love your feedback on our route for our road trip!
This is week 2 of our 6 week mini series on the basics of travel therapy! In this episode we discuss travel therapy pay & how it works! Tune in each week as we bring you a podcast/video + an article on each topic including: 1️⃣ What is Travel Therapy 2️⃣ Travel Therapy Pay 3️⃣ Travel Therapy Housing 4️⃣ Travel Therapy Licensing Process 5️⃣ Travel Therapy Recruiters 6️⃣ Tax Homes for Travel Therapists!
Financial Independence (FI): having enough income to pay one’s living expenses without working. Jared was able to achieve Financial Independence by age 30, based on living a modest lifestyle with low expenses! In this episode we discuss what financial independence is, ways to achieve it, why you should care, and how travel therapy can help you get there!
This is the first week of our 6 week mini series on the basics of travel therapy!
Tune in each week as we will bring you a video and article on each of the following topics: ➡️What is Travel Therapy & How Does it Work? ➡️Travel Therapy Pay ➡️Travel Therapy Housing ➡️Travel Therapy Licensing Process ➡️Travel Therapy Recruiters ➡️Tax Homes for Travel Therapists
Should SLPs travel during their clinical fellowship year? The SLP clinical fellowship year is quite different than the first year out from PT and OT school. In this episode we discuss the pros, cons, and considerations for SLP grad students thinking about traveling during their CFY. Tune in to learn all the details!
Finances are a big part of all of our lives. In personal finance, there are two major sides to the equation: income and expenses. Right now income may be a tricky part of the equation for a lot of people, especially travel therapists who may be out of work. In this episode, we discuss some ways to lower your expenses as a travel therapist to improve your financial situation. These tips should help you now and moving forward in your future. (Episode recorded via Facebook Live video on 6/22/20)
There are lots of reasons why therapists might choose to pursue travel therapy jobs. One of them is often to try out an area before planning to move there permanently/semi-permanently. However, there are some limitations to this strategy. At the top of the list is that it’s not always easy to secure a travel job in a specific city— especially recently with how poor the job market is. In this episode, we discuss some of the limitations and considerations for trying to pursue travel therapy jobs in order to relocate to a specific area/city. (Episode recorded via Facebook Live video on 6/14/20)
In this episode, we discuss discrimination issues faced by traveling healthcare professionals. While discrimination occurs worldwide and is not unique only to travel healthcare professionals, we as travelers may be subject to potential discrimination more often as we move around and insert ourselves into new communities and work environments very often. We’ve gathered insight from a variety of our colleagues from all over the country with different backgrounds who have faced varying forms of discrimination on the basis of race, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation. We will be providing a platform to discuss these issues, as well as provide insight and suggestions we’ve gathered on how we as healthcare professionals can help to improve these issues and reduce discrimination within our community of healthcare providers nationwide. (Episode recorded via Facebook Live video on 6/7/20)
Have you considered Van Life? Are you dreaming of the adventures you’ll have roaming around the country in your van conversion, waking up to amazing views, embracing tiny living? Van Life is definitely “in vogue” right now. In this episode, we discuss why we actually don’t think van life is the best housing solution for travel therapists, and why we ultimately decided RVing was the best tiny living choice for us! Tune in to learn more about the factors to consider when choosing Van Life! (Episode recorded via Facebook Live video on 5/31/20)
So, what’s going on with travel therapy these days? To say 2020 has been a weird year is definitely an understatement. In this episode we give an update on the travel therapy job market as of May 2020! (Episode recorded via Facebook Live video on 5/24/20)
If you’re considering getting into travel therapy, you might be wondering how much money you can expect to make. You probably also have questions about how the pay is broken down & what factors affect your pay. In this episode, we discuss: The breakdown of how travel therapy pay works (taxable vs non taxable pay, hourly pay, stipends, and reimbursements); Where the money comes from (bill rates); Factors that affect pay (facility, staffing company, recruiter, competition, market demand); What a normal “weekly take home pay” is; And what “normal” pay has looked like during the pandemic and current job market! (Episode recorded via Facebook Live video on 5/17/20)
In this episode we discuss the RV life, why we decided to stop RVing, and give some insight on RVing vs choosing short term housing as a travel therapist! We lived and traveled in our 5th wheel camper for 3 years and recently sold it! Tune in if you’ve ever considered RVing and want to learn more about the pros and cons! (Episode recorded via Facebook Live video on 5/11/20)
In this episode we give an overview of our experience as traveling physical therapists for the last 5 years (2015-2020), including insights and advice that can help you in your own travel therapy journey! (Episode recorded via Facebook Live video on 5/3/20)
In this episode, meet Travel Therapy Mentors Whitney & Jared, learn about Travel Therapy Mentor’s content, and hear more about Jared & Whitney’s story!