October is National Physical Therapy Month!
During the month of October, there are many healthcare-related observances. Breast Cancer Awareness is usually the first thing that comes to mind for many, but October also celebrates Emergency Room nurses, Respiratory Care, and of course, Physical Therapists. Physical Therapy is celebrated all October long, and it’s a time where we can thank the healthcare professionals for the incredible work they do.
Our Allied division staffs several PTs and PTAs, so this month we wanted to reach out to a few of them to learn about their journey as therapists and as travelers.
Meet Brian and Meghan! This traveling duo has been on the road in their RV for the past 7 months. They both have a deep love for their patients and the work they do. Their recruiter, Mary Springer, helped us get connected with them to dive deeper into their profession and their travel careers.
Why did you get started in this profession?
Brian and Meghan are both athletes. In high school, Meghan hurt herself playing volleyball and required physical therapy to heal. She said, “My PT gave me my senior year of volleyball back and ever since I knew I wanted to become a PT myself.” As for Brian, he has always wanted to be able to help people return to the sport they love.
What is the best part of being a physical therapist?
For this answer, Brian and Meghan both agreed that helping their patients reach their physical goals is what makes their job so rewarding.
“The best part of being a physical therapist is seeing patients reach their goals and the impact we have on that aspect of their lives as PTs.” – Brian
Brian and Meghan were both working full-time as therapists for about 2 years before making the decision to travel. Everyone has a “why”, so what was theirs?
Why did you decide to start traveling?
Both Brian and Meghan wanted to see all the country had to offer while working. The financial perks of traveling were pretty enticing as well!
What’s the best part of traveling?
The best part of traveling for many healthcare professionals is the ability to go all of the places they never had before. Brian personally loves trying new foods, meeting new people, and immersing himself into new cultures. Meghan has loved the ability to see the country while doing what she loves.
“We’ve been able to see more of the country in the past 6 months than we ever have working full time.” – Meghan
For some, the idea of making the switch to a travel career can be scary and overwhelming. It helps to hear first hand from a traveler what their experience has been like and if they’d recommend it to someone else.
Would you recommend travel to someone who is on the fence about it and why?
Both Brian and Meghan responded with a resounding “Yes!” Here are their reasons why:
“Traveling has been one of the best decisions we have ever made together. You get to meet new people and learn new techniques from PTs all over the country. You get to see new places every 3 months and you get a pretty significant pay increase while doing it. It’s the best!” – Meghan
“Traveling opened my mind to different ways of therapy practice and forced me out of my comfort zone. Seeing different parts of the world while getting paid to do so makes it an easy decision for me.” – Brian
Thanks, Brian and Meghan for sharing your journey with us! We wish all of our Physical Therapists a Happy Physical Therapy Month!