Become a Travel Therapist as a New Graduate!

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

What is Travel Healthcare?

Real Travelers’ Perspectives

Become a Healthcare Traveler with Med Travelers Where opportunities and adventure await

Work. Play. Discover BOTH.

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Congratulations on choosing a career in the exciting field of healthcare!

As a new therapist, you’re already on a rewarding career path. Job

opportunities abound, and you’re sure to gain much satisfaction from

helping people in your chosen field. But the possibilities are even

greater than that.

While most healthcare professionals must put adventurous travel

on hold to pursue their careers, travel healthcare affords you the

opportunity to grow your career while experiencing new places and new

adventures. It gives you plenty of opportunities to enjoy the journey.

Will you be one of the fortunate ones? Are you up for the adventure?

Med Travelers has created this manual for new graduates who

want to learn more about travel healthcare. Over the years, we’ve

helped thousands of healthcare professionals realize their dreams of

becoming a “traveler.” To help you discover whether travel healthcare

is for you, we have collected the most common questions from

students and professionals in the industry and provided answers,

along with real-life stories that we hope you will find useful. Read on to

explore this exciting career option!

For more information and advice about working in travel healthcare,

please contact a Med Travelers recruiting consultant at (800) 788-4815

or submit an online request at http://www.medtravelers.com.

We are happy to assist you on your journey!

Best wishes for your success,

The Med Travelers Team

Travel healthcare is an exciting career option, allowing healthcare professionals to travel to different parts of the country on temporary work assignments. The practice of travel healthcare began more than 25 years ago when staffing companies first provided hospitals with short-term solutions. Today, travel healthcare jobs are widely available across the country and traveling has become a viable and popular career option for licensed and certified professionals, including physicians, nurses and allied health professionals.

If you choose travel healthcare, your Med Traveler recruiting consultant will work with

you to find the best travel assignments for you, offering excellent compensation and benefits, as well as work experience in a variety of clinical settings. While on assignment, you’ll have the opportunity to explore a new city, visit famous attractions, try new foods and perhaps take up a new hobby or sport. And you can choose to work close to home or perhaps take the opportunity to reconnect with relatives or friends on the other side of the country.

Healthcare travelers are needed to cover vacancies when there are staffing shortages due to increased patient load, seasonal and

census fluctuations, facility expansions, special projects, and staffing issues such as leaves of absence, vacations and turnover. Travel therapists are placed in short-term contracts (typically 13 weeks) in a variety of settings:

What is Travel Healthcare?

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Is Traveling for YOU?

Do you consider yourself a flexible person?

Do you consider yourself an independent person?

Are you willing to put forth extra effort to earn a great pay check?

Do you like to make new friends and experience new things?

Do you have a reliable form of transportation?

Can you adapt to varying management styles and techniques?

Do you consider yourself personable?

Do you find that you are often praised for your work ethic?

Do you enjoy traveling and exploring new places?

Do you respond well to new challenges and learning experiences?

Are you committed to achieving your personal and professional goals?

Are you interested in diversifying and expanding your skill sets?

significantly different than permanent

traveling is not for everyone and the Med Travelers recruitment team will partner with

you and help you determine whether traveling is the right choice for you.

quiz, and then talk to us about your goals.

Contact a Med Travelers recruiter to find out more.

The Perks of Working as a Travel Therapist

for permanent positions!

Rest easy with guaranteed hours, offered with most contracts.

Take advantage of insurance coverage and retirement plans, including medical, vision,

An excellent compensation package

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Choose to travel by yourself or bring along your family, friend or pet.

Try out different communities before making a permanent move.

Make new friends and create lasting memories.

Have a “bucket list”? Knock it out!

Meet and share experiences with fellow travelers and staff members.

Personal growth

Boost your résumé with new skills and qualifications.

Work in some of the country’s most prestigious healthcare facilities, including high-profileacademic medical centers.

Receive training in new technologies, techniques and protocols, allowing you to introducesolutions and new systems to your next job.

Work in a variety of settings every 13 weeks, or extend your favorite assignments by mutual agreement.

Take advantage of mentorship programs for new graduates.

Professional career growth

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As a new graduate, you may wonder whether a career

in travel healthcare is possible due to having limited

work experience in the field. While there may be fewer

opportunities for new graduates than for experienced

professionals, there are many facilities that welcome recent

graduates and are willing to provide the support you need to

start a rewarding career.

To maximize the travel opportunities available to you:

company like Med Travelers, to help you identify the best opportunities that are “new grad-friendly” and provide mentorship on the job;

clinical internship, fellowship, supervised practice, field work, or volunteer work;

thishelp you find travel assignments more quickly, but it will help you gain the experience that will help you down the road.

Job Market by Discipline

Physical Therapist (PT)/Occupational Therapist (OT)

The PT/OT travel market is booming! Because we have the

largest database of travel healthcare jobs in the industry and

know which jobs are able to support a new graduate, Med

Travelers can present you with a number of opportunities and

work to make sure that you have the best fit, with the level of

mentorship that you desire.

Physical therapists are needed in many areas of the medical

field to treat and assist patients of all ages and abilities in

orthopedic treatment centers, hospitals, nursing care facilities,

rehabilitation clinics, and in home health. Occupational

therapist assignments can be found in the same settings, as

well as in schools and adult day care programs.

Once you gain a little bit of experience, your assignment options

increase dramatically, but, until then, new graduate PTs and OTs

will want to be as flexible as possible on setting and location.

The Travel Job Market for New Grads

Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA)/Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)

The majority of PTA/COTA jobs are in a skilled

setting, and practitioners with a current

license in hand get preferential treatment.

Being a traveling healthcare assistant

requires a large amount of flexibility. There

tend to be fewer positions available for

assistants than for PTs or OTs, which makes

for a very competitive market, especially in

more desirable areas and settings. However,

most find that the many rewards brought to

the table outweigh the challenges.

The best way for PTAs or COTAs to secure

assignments consistently is to be open to

many settings and locations.

Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)

many clinical and educational settings. To

although it can be difficult to get placed.

Many smaller nursing homes and facilities,

especially, do not have the bandwidth to

supervise and adequately train someone

important thing is that you will need to be

willing to go wherever there is an opening.

After you’ve completed your Certificate of

Clinical Competence (CCC) and no longer

need to be supervised, the market opens up

dramatically. The ability to remain flexible on

setting and location will ensure your travel

experience is as consistent as possible.

setting, and practitioners with a license in

their hand get preferential treatment.

Looking for current job market data?

To get the most current information on job opportunities in your specialty, talk to a Med Travelers recruitment consultant

by calling (800) 788-4815 or applying online at www.medtravelers.com

How to Choose a Travel Healthcare Staffing CompanyChoosing the right travel healthcare staffing

company is crucial to the success of your

experience as a traveler, especially when

you are at the beginning of your professional

service their priority, and have the resources

to get you where you want to go.

Along with extensive experience and a great

reputation in the industry, they should provide

comprehensive service offerings such as payroll, travel, benefits, housing, and—most importantly--be able to offer a large choice of assignments for their travelers.

You’ll want to work with a recruiter who will:

professional and personal goals;

best suits your current needs, while helping

you prepare for future assignments;

hiding details in the fine print;

support;

questions, or be able to direct you to the proper resources that can.

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All travel staffing companies are not created equal. Many can

fill positions, but Med Travelers has the resources, skills and

job, but we can take you there. If you’re looking for a travel

healthcare company that treats you like a client for life, look

no further--Med Travelers is the company for you!

What differentiates Med Travelers from the pack:

We put you first. Our entire team—including recruiters, quality assurance analysts, clinical liaisons and more—are caring, knowledgeable and dedicated. And they will go above and beyond to assist you with licensure issues, housing

put, our staff will serve as your on-the-road lifeline and will work to continually earn your trust.

We tell it like it is. Med Travelers ensures that you will be

thoroughly educated about the traveling therapist world.

Our goal is for you to have the best possible experience

as a traveler, with no surprises along the way; we help you

know what to expect and will help you make career choices

based on facts and a thorough understanding of all possible

scenarios. We will not shy away from telling you the truth, or

from pointing out the pros and cons of job-related decisions.

Our commitment to honesty, integrity, and full disclosure is

one reason we consistently lead the allied staffing industry,

in both numbers and reputation.

We offer more assignment choices with the industry’s

largest network of healthcare facilities. We are able to

offer more travel positions through our relationship with

thousands of nursing homes, clinics, medical centers and

the nation’s top hospitals. Many of our job opportunities are

exclusive, too!

Our financial strength means we’ll be here when you need

us.

largest healthcare staffing company, we have a solid financial

foundation, which provides added assurance for your

continuing employment—even in uncertain times.

You can leverage our industry knowledge and expertise.

healthcare staffing, with over 25 years of experience at your

disposal.

We are Joint Commission certified:

Commission, meeting rigorous guidelines for certification.

Our emphasis on quality and compliance has built our

reputation: Our travelers and facility clients trust us to meet

the highest quality and compliance standards in the industry.

Med Travelers Offers a Wealth of Benefits for Our Travelers:

permanent positions

Mentorship for new graduates

when you do!

Disability and life insurance also available

named on policy with traveler

Worker’s compensation coverage

Referral bonuses

Corporate discounts on flights, rentals, cell phones, scrubs,computers, etc.

Healthcare Organizations)

leader in healthcare staffing and workforce solutions

including your recruiter, housing specialist, payroll specialist, quality management specialist, benefits coordinator, clinical liaison, and licensing coordinators

Why Choose Med Travelers?

trip, anyone?)

by the healthcare facilities.

We Watch Out for You—Before, During and After Assignments

Anxious about venturing into the unknown? Med Travelers is

here to help, and will partner with you to show you the way,

overcome obstacles and protect your growing career. Here are

three of the main ways we watch out for our traveling therapists.

1)Licensure assistance for your state(s) of choice.

Med Travelers has a team of medical licensure experts who

will take care of the documentation and verification process

for all allied health professionals who accept a temporary

assignment with us. Our licensing specialists act as liaisons

between travelers, state medical boards and any third-party

offices that are involved in the application process. Med

Travelers will collect and verify all required documents and

forms to make sure they are accurate and complete and

ensure that they are sent to the proper parties.

For more information on taking your board exam and

obtaining state licenses, including a chart of approximate

timeframes, please refer to Appendix A and Appendix B at

the end of this manual.

2) Our team of clinical managers is available 24/7throughout your assignment

These highly qualified clinicians:

Act as liaisons between the facility and our therapists toensure that you are successful on your assignment;

Can relate to your experiences and provide sound advicewhen facing difficult obstacles and challenges;

Can help you uncover opportunities for professionalimprovement and development throughout your traveling career;

questions or just want to talk to a fellow clinician about your assignment, these clinical managers are non-biased and available to listen and assist.

Help you avoid professional risks. Our goal is to ensure thatthere is no potential breach of ethics or risk of jeopardizing your license. In the event our clinical managers deem you are in a risky situation, they will not hesitate to take action and act in your best interest.

3) When it Comes to professional liability protection,med travelers has your back.

Key features of our professional liability plan:

Free coverage

Offered through Medical Protective (MedPro), which hasbeen protecting healthcare professionals since 1899

in the country!

Pays for cost of licensing authority investigators

Up to $2 million in coverage

Putting our name on the policy means that we are highly

motivated to provide you with the best mentorship and

take you out of unethical and unsafe situations as soon as

possible; it’s for your benefit as well as ours. If a case is ever

brought against you, we would be held just as liable.

Why are we willing to share the risk? Because we trust in

our ability to get providers out of harmful situations when

necessary, and we want you to have the same assurance. If

you utilize our clinical managers the way they are intended,

we will be able to stand beside you and ensure that your

license is never in jeopardy.

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Career Tips for Students, Interns and New Graduates

1. Make the Most of Your Clinicals!

opportunity to take ownership of your career.

They lay the foundation of your future as a

therapist. Make the most of this important

period by building your skills and acquiring

as much experience as possible, working

directly with patients and clinical staff. This

experience should be added to your résumé,

and serve as a springboard into your first job.

Follow these tips to make the most of your

clinical experience:

Diversify your experience in the clinical

settings; gain experience in every possible

setting—hospital, clinic, skilled nursing

facility, school, home health, etc.—so that you

can make an educated decision as to where

you would prefer to work after you graduate.

love a setting that you hadn’t expected!

Seek out faculty members to get their

recommendations for clinicals and how to

experience in as many settings as possible

will improve your marketability as a therapist,

and help you gain exposure to variety of

patient diagnoses, treatment methods,

management styles and productivity

expectations.

If possible, avoid the location/setting of

clinical internships to be left to a “lottery”

decision made solely by the faculty members.

Take charge!

Do not be afraid to travel outside of

your state for clinicals. This may involve

additional expenses, but your career is a

long-term investment that you should never

skimp on, if at all possible. If your school is unable to provide you with a variety of clinical settings, research the opportunity to expand your clinical internship availability outside of their resources. This also gets you ready for the excitement of the travel lifestyle!

Develop and maintain a good relationship with your clinical instructors and rehab managers. provide you with priceless knowledge and advice, but they will be providing professional references for you in the future; employers will want a minimum of two references from your clinical experience.

So, while you’re working with them:

everything they are willing to teach you

first impression

staff members

honest question

2. Understand Employment Timelines

If you are committed to starting your therapy

career as a traveler, do not allow yourself to

get stressed as you see your peers securing

permanent positions. Individuals who start

a permanent job after graduation can often

secure their position several months before

they graduate. The travel market does not

work this way; in a typical scenario, a traveler

is likely to secure a travel position within a month or less of passing their board exam.

Many clients will gladly accept new graduates

as travelers, but they also need to make

sure that you will be able to start on time.

Passing your board exam is critical to the

facility’s strategy to ensure full staffing

coverage for their patients; otherwise they

will need to continue their search or resort

to local resources until you are able to start

your assignment. Although some clients are

willing to confirm you into an assignment

prior to taking the boards, this is not “the

your exam date due to the requirement of

reporting your scores to the board. Please

see licensing section for more information.

Should I travel immediately after graduation?

time to become a traveler is right after

graduation and through the first few years

into your career. However, many factors

play a role in determining the best time for

just a few years of experience and seasoned

professionals who no longer have children

at home seem to particularly appreciate the

opportunity to move around the country.

for their clinicals will find it easy to adjust to the travel lifestyle. And if you’re working with Med Travelers, you can be sure that your recruiter will be there to support and guide you throughout your assignment.

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3. FAQs about Traveler Pay, Reimbursements and Benefits

Working as a traveler has great advantages… including high

pay and potential tax free allowances! The following provides

answers to the most frequently asked questions about how

your pay and reimbursements would work as a travel therapist.

How can a portion of your income be tax-free?

their permanent tax-home residence.

your job assignment.

and meals and incidentals allowance (the last two are often referred to as “per diem”).

What is a permanent tax residence?

you contribute rent, mortgage, or costs associated with maintaining that residence.

of your permanent residence and if you are eligible for the tax exemption.

recommend that you seek the advice of a tax professional accustomed to working with individuals who earn these tax-free allowances. This is the best way to ensure that you

What is a “meals and incidental allowance,” a.k.a. “per diem”?

including (but not limited to) gas, car maintenance, and food.

your assignment.

What is a housing allowance or “subsidy”?

which also includes utilities and furnishings.

your assignment.

normal pay cycle (weekly or bi-weekly).

What if I want to my company to house me?

housing for you. In most cases, you will be housed in an apartment, but this is dependent on availability in the area of your assignment.

provisions needed for the duration of your assignment: furniture, pots/pans, and linens.

In some cases, especially with short-term assignments,you may be housed in an extended stay hotel for the duration of your assignment, or temporarily housed there with a short term lease until an apartment is located and secured.

decide to bring your pet along, make sure your recruiter is aware; oftentimes apartment complexes have restrictions or additional deposits for your furry friends.

will not be eligible for the housing allowance.

How can I choose (housing subsidy vs. housing provided)?

control of your living arrangements: where it’s located, property amenities, and overall cost.

take the housing allowance.

Tips for finding your own housing:

of any penalties you might incur in the event you have to vacate your housing earlier than anticipated.

the local papers and rental sites for listings.

are coming to town (to help their community), and ask for help or suggestions of other properties if they are not able to meet your needs.

Does Med Travelers help out with the costs to relocate to each assignment?

of relocation. This is referred to as “travel reimbursement.”

will be driving to get to your assignment location, or the cost of your flight.

your flight for you. Talk to your recruiter about this option for more information.

Could you get me a car rental?

Travelers can absolutely provide you with a rental car.

on your own, and if we provide the rental car for you, it will reduce the amount of money available for your overall pay package.

What can I be reimbursed for?

work as a travel therapist; talk to your recruiter for complete details.

means more money in your bank account!), but some reimbursements are taxable.

What does this all mean for me?

- Tax-free allowance caps are set by the governmentbased on the location of your assignment. For more information, please go to www.gsa.gov.

-negotiated with the facility.

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The bottom line:

Our excellent pay rates and travel reimbursements give you the financial freedom to start paying off those school loans, lower your credit card debt, and start making great money while gaining invaluable experience!

What is the Process to Work with Med Travelers?Follow these steps to obtain a travel assignment with Med Travelers

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Step 1

Complete and submit the following three forms to Med Travelers:

1) Online Application

2)

3) Professional Reference Requests Form

Upon acceptance of your application and

skills checklist, a professional recruiter will be

you your career goals, location preferences,

work experience and choice of setting.

Step 2

opportunities that align with your interests and

goals, and will inform you of the jobs available.

As a team, you will decide which opportunities

your profile will be submitted to.

Before we submit your profile to a potential

employer, make sure your recruiter is aware of

the following:

expect to have your license

travel companions and pets

If you have applied to other positionsoutside of Med Travelers (permanent or travel)

receiving an offer

After we submit you to the selected jobs, our placement team will work with the facility contacts to schedule interviews and obtain feedback from the managers regarding your profile.

At this point, you could encounter many possible scenarios. A client facility might be ready to schedule an interview immediately, or they might have encountered a delay.

already be filled, or a location may not able to take on a new graduate after all. These are completely normal occurrences which reinforce the importance of putting in multiple applications and being open to any and all

opportunities available to you.

Interviews:

Most interviews take place via phone, usually

at a scheduled time. If you somehow miss the

manager’s phone call, it is imperative that you

call them back as soon as you are able to do

minutes, and provide your best opportunity

to learn exactly what will be expected of you

able to ask questions related to the position,

but questions regarding pay are not to be

discussed; those are handled by your travel

staffing company.

(See Appendix B: Tips for Acing Your Phone

Interview for more information to help you

pass this step with flying colors!)

Following the interview, your recruitment

consultant should have a response from the

they would like to offer you the position or not.

Step 3

Accept a Job Assignment. As part of the

decision process, your recruiter can help you

be completely clear about the vital aspects of

the assignment, including:

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if applicable

At Med Travelers, we honor our word and expect our providers to do the same, so please ask any necessary questions before accepting an offer; your verbal acceptance is binding. What that means is, as soon as you tell your recruiter “I accept,” you are expected to fulfill that commitment.

The Compliance Process:

After you accept a position with Med

Travelers, you will be introduced to our

team. They will work diligently to assist

you in getting any and all pre-employment

requirements completed in time for your

anticipated start date. Please note that this

step is not just “doing the paperwork”; we

consider this one of the most important parts

of the entire placement process, and the

reason we continue to be a leader in the allied

staffing industry.

Because we’re Joint Commission-certified,

our compliance process is thorough, to say

the least. Being “compliant” means that

you have completed our organization’s

requirements, as well as any additional

to start your job if these requirements are

not met, which can cause a delay in your

start time. Clients have cancelled travelers

for non-compliance before, so it is important

things done quickly.

But rest assured—we’ll tell you everything

you need, and make your part of the process

as convenient and efficient as possible. In

fact, more than half of our pre-employment

requirements are available online and can be

completed electronically. And the compliance

process will be significantly streamlined

after your first assignment because most of

the documentation we need will be kept on

file for you.

Remember that good communication is essential throughout the compliance process, and if you ever have any concerns about

getting things completed on time, you should

Step 4

Submit your information and documentation.

Begin gathering or obtaining the documents

License/Credentials

A current, signed copy of your license or

certification for your discipline is required for

all states in which you hold a license. If your

signature appears on the back of the license,

please provide a copy of both the front

and the back. Check our website for more

licensing information, or ask your recruiter

about the specific licensing requirements

in the state of your assignment. For more

information, visit our medical licensure

page or see the section on licensing in the

Appendix. We’re here to assist you and make

this part of the process easy.

CPR Card

if your card is accepted, or if you need to

online CPR courses, while others do not.

Medical documentation

We have listed the most frequently required

medical documentation below. Of course,

some facilities have more stringent

to ensure you are doing everything possible

to get compliant as soon as possible.

a declination, completed series or a positive titer.

Completed within 365 days prior to your assignment start date.

of two (2) MMRs, two (2) vaccines or a positive titer.

of a written history, physician’s statement, vaccine or positive titer.

Other Important forms

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf for instructions and acceptable documentation.

forms: Prior to your first assignment, you will receive a login to our travelers-only site,

you will need will be available there and can be filled out online.

Real Travelers’ Perspectives

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1. Tips and Advice from MedTravelers Therapists

Who better to tell you about travel healthcare

than allied health professionals like yourself

who have experienced it? We surveyed

several of our Med Travelers professionals

and have provided their answers to some

frequently asked questions.

What do you feel any new grad should know about traveling, before they start or make the decision to travel?

“My advice: Just do it! All new grads will have the same experience and be equally scared on your first day -- no matter if you’re a traveler or a perm employee. The only difference is in a traveling job you will have a day or two at most of orientation. In a perm job you’ll most likely have a week of reading policies and procedures,

amount of experience and skills as a traveler because you are exposed to a lot of different people, new techniques, different types of patients, cultures, etc. It’s a wonderful

you make double the salary!” – E.D., Occupational Therapist

What are the greatest advantages to being a travel therapist?

you get to see parts of the country and do

things you probably wouldn’t have done

[otherwise].”

– A.C., Speech Language Pathologist

What has made you successful in working as a new grad travel therapist?

have the ability to get along with co-workers

and ask for help when you need it.”

– J.R., Occupational Therapist

How did you know that travel therapy was for you?

“I knew I wanted to explore the country, meet

new people, and gain experience in different

therapy settings…. now I have done all three

in only three months.”

– K.Z., Occupational Therapist

Why would you recommend traveling to someone?

“It’s fun, always new and continuously

challenging! Traveling helps build your

résumé, and by the time you start looking for

a permanent job, your résumé already is full!”

– J.R., Occupational Therapist

Any additional feedback or advice for new grads considering travel healthcare?

“I’ve traveled all over the country for the past

six years with my best friend and I wouldn’t

change a thing! I have a perm job now, and

as I reflect back on those six years, they

were the best six years of my life! Traveling

afforded me the opportunity to do things I

created 2 OT programs from scratch, visited

states, been to the Olympics, snorkeled the

on camels and hot air balloons, made friends

all over the country, and gained a tremendous

amount of skills: both in OT and in life. I’m

so happy I decided to travel. I’m considering

going back on the road because I had such a

great experience!”

– E.D., Occupational Therapist

“Don’t let others tell you to wait until you

have more experience. I worked two years

before traveling and feel that I learned

a million times more on my traveling

assignments!!”

– M.H., Occupational Therapist

2. “Things I Wish I Had Known When I Was

a New Grad...”

The following principles provide a summary

of reflections from Med Travelers therapists

who have been in your shoes, but have since

learned a thing or two about travel healthcare.

1) Before anything else, determine yourmain motivation to travel.

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Clarifying what is most important to you is the first step

in ensuring your relationship with your travel company is

successful, as well as ensuring your personal satisfaction

throughout your traveling career.

The most common examples of traveler’s motives: high pay (someone has to pay off those student loans, right?), preferred work setting, desired location, and licensure. Concentrating on one primary motive is the best way to secure the right position and reduce your feelings of stress throughout your time as a traveling therapist.

Be cautious about defining too many variables that must be

met, or you will limit the job opportunities available to you.

Example of a challenging expectation: Outpatient only setting

within 35 miles of Atlanta, GA.

Example of a more reasonable expectation: Any setting within

a 4-hour drive of Atlanta, GA.

If you decide you are financially motivated, but you also want certain desirable locations, consider this hypothetical question: Would you rather go to Hawaii and earn $25 per

2) It’s OK to accept less-than-perfect.

Just like permanent jobs, employment as a traveler isn’t

perfect, and it isn’t about finding the perfect position that

meets every expectation of both facilities and therapists

alike. It’s often about compromise, and accepting “less than

perfect” for 13 weeks at a time. At the end of the day, the

patients need services that you can provide, and you will gain

great experience and be substantially rewarded for your work.

And sometimes an assignment ends up being much more

rewarding than you ever imagined.

To be successful as a traveler, you’ll need to maintain

reasonable expectations and be willing to work with your

recruitment consultant; he or she can share industry

knowledge, help you recognize good opportunities, and

guide you in making the best choices for your travel

healthcare career.

If you try to hold out for the “perfect” travel job, the process of

traveling is going to be much more convoluted and complicated,

and selecting jobs one by one will hinder the progress Med

Travelers can make on your behalf.

Think about it this way: if you are given one chance to hit a

99 miles-per-hour fastball, your odds of actually hitting that

swing the bat, your odds of making contact are much greater.

As a traveling therapist, if you choose to be submitted to jobs

one by one, you limit yourself to only one swing of the bat—

odds of receiving at least one, if not multiple offers.

3) Don’t be fooled by the “bells and whistles” offered

by some companies.

As a new grad entering the travel market, remain skeptical of

those seemingly “awesome” offerings. There are agencies

out there that will prey upon therapists who are not savvy to

the business side of traveling, especially new graduates who

don’t know what questions to ask or may not understand the

performance expectations and exceptions buried in the fine

print. There are many unfortunate stories about travelers who

were swayed by an enticing loan reimbursement or sign on

bonus, but, despite doing everything they could, missed out

on the promised reward because they fell one work hour short,

they did not stay with that agency for the minimum length of

time, or they missed some other requirement that they didn’t

fully understand.

Make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into before

making a commitment that could lead to disappointment.

pay package?” Challenge the recruiter to explain their

business processes and how these offerings impact your

bottom line. A reputable company should take the time to

answer your questions or explain their offerings in great

detail, so that you are fully educated and aware.

Med Travelers can build customized compensation packages

that are flexible from assignment to assignment. For

reimbursement on your next assignment.

4) Corporate housing is becoming easier to find acrossthe country, in large part due to the economy.

Finding your own housing allows you to use the housing

allowance or subsidy the way you want to, which can save you

money and ensure you will be completely satisfied with your

different in terms of their needs, which is why the large majority

of allied healthcare travelers opt to secure their own housing.

15

16

Check Craigslist and the local newspaper ads for temporary housing or sublet opportunities, consider camp grounds with cottages as a nice, affordable option, or work with a third-party housing company that specializes in setting up housing for short-term leases. Contact your recruiter to see if they have any additional suggestions or if they know of someone who might be interested in partnering with you to share housing in your assignment location.

Key things to discuss when shopping for housing:landlord know that you are a therapist coming to work for a local facility for X number of weeks. Ask: Is the rental unit furnished? Are utilities included? Are they pet-friendly (if traveling with pet)? Can they match your cancellation notice policy?

If a client hires a permanent employee or if

census drops significantly, the facility could

possibly issue notice to end your contract

early. Although this situation is rare, you

still want to be prepared, so make sure your

housing lease matches the notice policy

with the facility

If you are in housing provided by your

travel company, there may be additional

vacancy fees if you miss work or if you

give your notice, but you should never be

penalized for company-provided housing

if the facility sends you home from work

early, calls you off, or issues notice to end

your contract early.

Housing charges and the guaranteed work week: The vast majority of Med Travelers’

clients guarantee some number of hours

per week. This means that if the facility

you home a few hours early on Friday because

they don’t have anything for you to do, you

this case, housing charges should not apply.

However, if you opt to take time off, you will

not be paid the guaranteed hours and some

housing charges will apply.

If you are considering a facility that does not

guarantee any number of hours per week,

you will still receive your weekly meals and

incidental allowance (per diem) and housing

allowance in full. This is a tremendous

advantage to having a large portion of your

overall compensation package allocated to

these allowances.

17

AppendicesA: Taking the Board Exam and Obtaining Licenses by Examination

B: State Licensure Timeframes (Approximate)

C: Tips for Acing Your Phone Interview

D: Insurance and Retirement Benefits: FAQs

Appendix A Taking the Board Exam and Obtaining State Licenses by Examination

If you aren’t planning to work in the state where you graduated,

you can opt to take your board exam for another state. This is

often referred to as being “licensed by examination.”

Many individuals looking to travel right out of college elect

board’s requirements vary, so we recommend checking the board website or calling them directly if you have any specific questions. They are there to help ensure that you get things done correctly.

How do you apply for another state license by examination?

Please note: These are general guidelines only. Again, each

state is different, so please verify what is required by the

board for that prospective state.

to pay any costs and submit all documents for the boards

various requirements.

The most common requirements are:

exam or state law exam results

2. Once the board requirements for “licensure by

examination” are met, the board will send the national board

an “authorization to test” letter, which then enables you to

register and pay for the national board exam.

3. As soon as you complete the test, the scores will be

transferred electronically to the board you have chosen for

the results being posted.

“by examination” but there are a few states that will allow

it. We encourage you to contact the boards to verify their

individual policies.

change, which is why Med Travelers advises all therapists to

contact the board(s) directly with any questions.

Appendix BState Licensure Timeframes (Approximate)

Here are approximate licensure timeframes, to give you a

general idea of how long it takes to obtain a license in various

states. These get updated frequently, so please check each

state board’s website for the most current data.

18

State

AL

AK

AZ

AR

CA

CO

CT

DC

DE

FL

GA

HI

ID

IL

IN

IA

KS

KY

LA

ME

MD

MA

MI

MN

MS

MO

MT

NE

NV

NH

NJ

NM

NY

NC

ND

OH

OK

OR

PA

RI

SC

SD

TN

TX

UT

VT

VA

WA

WV

WI

WY

PT

2-3 W

4-6 W

3-4 M

2-3 W

6-8 W

4 W

4-6 W

5-6 W

4-5 W

5-6 W

6-8 W

2-3 W

3-5 W

6-8 W

4-6 W

4-5 W

4-6 W

4-5 W

4 W

4-5 W

2-3 W

5-6 W

6-8 W

6-8 W

4 W

30 D

4 W

4 W

6-8 W

4-8 W

8 W

2-4 W

3-4 W

4 W

6-8 W

3-4 M

4 M

2-3 W

2-3 W

3-4 W

4-6 W

6 W

8-10 W

3 W

2-3 W

2 W

4-5 W

8-12 W

4-6 W

2-3 M

4-6 W

PTA

2-3 W

4-6 W

3-4 M

2-3 W

6-8 W

Not Required

4-6 W

5-6 W

4-5 W

5-6 W

5-6 W

Not Required

3-5 W

6-8 W

4-6 W

4-5 W

4-6 W

4-5 W

4 W

4-5 W

2-3 W

5-6 W

6-8 W

6-8 W

4 W

30 D

4 W

4 W

4-5 W

4-8 W

8 W

2-4 W

2-3 W

4 W

6-8 W

3-4 M

4 M

2-3 W

2-3 W

3-4 W

2-4 W

6 W

8-10 W

3 W

1-2 W

2 W

4-5 W

8-12 W

4-6 W

2-3 M

4-6 W

OT

3-4 W

5-7 W

3-4 M

5-6 W

6-8 W

3-4 W

5-10 BD

6-8 W

4-5 W

6 W

5 W

3 W

2-4 W

6-8 W

4-6 W

4-5 W

4-6 W

1-4 M

3 M

2-4 W

4-5 W

4-6 W

6-8 W

1-4 M

3-4 W

3 W

3-4 W

4 W

3-4 W

3-4 M

6-8 W

4 W

2-3 W

4-5 W

4-6 W

3-4 M

3 M

2-3 W

2-3 W

5-7 W

4-6 W

6-8 W

6 W

2-3 W

2-3 W

2 W

6-8 W

8-12 W

2-3 W

2-3 M

2-3 W

COTA

3-4 W

5-7 W

3-4 M

5-6 W

6-8 W

Not Required

5-10 BD

4-6 W

4-6 W

6 W

5 W

Not Required

2-4 W

6-8 W

4-6 W

4-5 W

4-6 W

1-4 M

3 M

2-4 W

4-5 W

4-6 W

6-8 W

2-4 W

7-10 BD

3 W

3-4 W

4 W

3-4 W

4-6 W

6-8 W

4 W

2-3 W

3 W

4-6 W

3-4 M

3 M

2-3 W

2-3 W

5-7 W

4-6 W

6-8 W

6 W

2 W

2-3 W

2 W

6-8 W

8-12 W

2-3 W

2-3 M

2-3 W

SLP

6-8 W

5-6 W

60 BD

30-60 BD

7-9 W

Facility Dependent

3-4 W

6 WK

5-10 W

5-7 W

2-3 W

3 W

6-8 W

4-6 W

6-8 W

4-6 W

4-6 W

4-5 W

30-60 BD

2-4 W

4-6 W

4 W

Not Required

4-6 W

3-4 W

6-8 W

4 W

4 W

2-5 W

1-3 M

4-6 W

4 W

3-4 W

4-8 W

3-5 W

2-4 W

1 W

1 wk

3-4 W

4-6 W

4-6 W

Not Required

6-8 W

4-5 W

2-3 W

4-5 M

3 W

8-12 W

5-10 BD

2-3 M

2-3 W

Temp

4-5 W

60 BD

30-60 BD

4-6 W

1 W

2 W

4-6 W

2 W

4 W

1 W

1 W

Temp.

4-6 W

2-3 W

1 W

2 W

1-5 BD

same

5 BD

2 W

1 W

2-3 W

1-2 W

1-3 BD

Temp.

3-4 W

30 BD

7-10 BD

2-3 W

4 W

3-4 W

1-2 W

1 W

1-2 BD

Temp.

4-6 W

2-3 W

1 W

2 W

3-7 BD

5 BD

1-2 W

1 W

2-3 W

1-2 W

1-3 BD

Temp.

3-4 W

30 BD

7-10 BD

2-3 W

4 W

3-4 W

1-2 W

2-4 W

1-2 BD

Appendix C Tips for Acing Your Phone Interview

securing the position. Here are some expert tips to see you from start to finish.

Preparing for the Call

of other people and extraneou noise, such as radios,

reference.

positions prior to starting the call, if applicable. Know the specifics that you want to highlight.

the facility and position. Ask whether mentorship is available, if you are interested (this is especially valuable for new grads).

Prepare questions based on the position’s responsibilities,goals and expectations of the facility and department manager, if you know them, as well as your skills and specialties.

facility’s website.

Getting Started

and reflecting interest in your voice is a key part of making the right impression on a potential employer. Answer the phone in a friendly, professional manner, and continue to speak clearly and distinctly.

experience with the facility; mention something you know

pace of the interview, but be ready to ask questions or expand on pertinent points.

comfortable,ask the interviewer about the specific goals and expectations of a traveler in this position. If they offer mentorship, be sure to ask how that will work throughout your assignment.

19

Closing the Call

sure to ask for the interviewer’s full name and title.

interested in the opportunity. If the interviewer has not asked you about your schedule or availability, it is a good idea to ask, “What will be the next step in the process?”

or account representative to discuss the interview.

During the Call

other end of the phone knows your background or unique skill set.

you turned into a positive situation; help the interviewer understand the problem, your specific role, what path you took to resolve it, and the final result. Quantify your accomplishments and results.

procedures similar to those that will be used in this position.

illustrates that you are already thinking seriously about the position and the assignment. Potential employers expect to be asked questions and welcome opportunities to talk about their companies and/or their own backgrounds. Be sure to ask important questions such as:

What is the typical schedule?

Is there an “on call” requirement?

What is the provider: patient ratio?

Is there a specific productivity expectation?

What support will help me achieve these metrics?

Will I be expected to “float” to other areas?

How much and what type of orientation will be provided?

20

Appendix D Insurance and Retirement Benefits:* Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does Med Travelers offer medical coverage?

Who does Med Travelers use for medical coverage?

Why Cigna?

We use Cigna because they are a nationally recognized

insurance company with a large “in-network” coverage

area.

Do I have to take the insurance offered or is there a reimbursement available?

get your own plan, talk to your recruiter about a potential

reimbursement.

Does Med Travelers offer “day one” insurance?

Does Med Travelers have a variety of medical plans available?

Can dependents or a spouse be added to the plan?

How long could I be covered in between assignments?

started working at your next assignment by the 31st day.

Is there a dental plan offered?

Is there a vision plan offered?

Does Med Travelers have a 401k program?

recruiter for more details.

Who does Med Travelers use for the 401k program?

Principal Financial.

Why Principal?

They are a large, nationally operating company with a great

reputation for ethics and integrity.

Does Med Travelers have short-term/critical illness disability coverage?

Who supplies your disability coverage?

Why UNUM?

They are a large, national company with a great reputation

and competitive rates.

*Please note that all insurance and benefit provider plans may be subject to change, based on annual contract negotiations, etc.

Med Travelers always makes it a priority to maintain relationships with reputable firms that offer the best range of benefits for

our allied healthcare professionals.

21

Physical

Don’t just work. Travel. Play. Enjoy!

www.medtravelers.com