Travel Physical Therapy Jobs Earn 35% more Take Home Pay
While the national unemployment rate increased from 7% to 10% in 2009, employment opportunities in allied health careers continued to rise and are projected to increase by at least 20% before 2018. Pay rates for travel Physical Therapy Jobs have never been better.
The salaries and availabilities of rehab jobs depend on the particular type of therapy and on the job setting (hospital, in-home, clinic, etc.). The median salaries permanent full time positions for occupational therapists and physical therapists are $66,000 and $72,000, respectively.
Travel therapists, however, can earn significantly more than the national average.
Therapists working in travel rehab jobs generally take home over 35% more than those in permanent full-time positions. Travel therapists also earn great therapy job benefits, including free private housing and free continuing education classes. Travel rehab jobs are available throughout the country, but the most popular positions for 2009 were respiratory therapy jobs in New York, physical therapy jobs in Arizona and New Mexico, and occupational therapy jobs in Missouri.
Physical therapy is perhaps the most well-known of the rehab jobs. Licensure requirements for physical therapists can be difficult; most states now require a doctoral degree and passing scores on both national and state exams, as well as a number of continuing education credits. Once licensed, however, physical therapists diagnose and treat individuals of all ages to reduce pain and restore function and mobility after any number of illnesses and injuries, from fractures and sprains to strokes and multiple sclerosis. The majority of physical therapy jobs, as with most rehab jobs, are found in hospitals and private physician practices, but jobs are also available in outpatient clinics, nursing homes, schools, and private homes.
Physical therapists often work closely with occupational therapists, who help patients to improve their day-to-day lives by increasing their ability to perform particular functions, from dressing, eating, and using wheelchairs to communicating and decision-making. Occupational therapists work with patients who have some physical, mental, or developmental condition that hinders basic motor or reasoning abilities. Occupational therapy licensure generally requires a master’s degree or higher from an accredited program, a number of supervised clinical hours, and a passing score on a national exam.
The aging baby-boom generation is driving the need for rehabilitation specialists throughout the country, and physical therapists and occupational therapists are all in high demand.
For information about these locations and other travel rehab jobs, visit American Traveler Allied.
