A licensed therapy professional—like a PT, OT, SLP, PTA, or COTA—who takes on temporary assignments in healthcare facilities across the country. Instead of working in one location long-term, they work short-term contracts usually for 13-weeks.
Travel therapy contracts are traditionally for 3 months at a time, but can go as long as 10 months in education settings. While most healthcare facilities prefer 13-week (3 month) contracts, schools frequently offer contracts for the school year (up to 10 months). Employers in any setting may offer contracts for longer or shorter periods of time, it depends entirely on the needs and preferences of the individual employers. It's not uncommon for an employer to also offer a temp-to-hire contract, for travelers hoping to land a permanent, full-time job.
Once an assignment (or contract) is completed, it's very common for employers to offer an "extension" to our travelers when they've been unable to find a permanent employee for your position. In those cases, a traveler can choose to remain at an assignment for another 13 weeks or a total of 6 months. Many of our travelers are happy to extend, especially when they're really enjoying a location or employer.
The requirements to start work as a traveling therapist are no different than the requirements for taking a staff position.