The Life of a Travel Therapist
Life as a travel therapist means a new clinic, city and home with each contract, and a pay package whose housing and meal stipends are non-taxable only when the IRS tax-home rules are met. Travel Therapist Life collects first-hand articles by travel PTs, OTs and SLPs on how that works day to day, from the first contract to the weeks between them.
Every listing shows its weekly pay: see open travel therapy contracts.
Advice from the road, not the conference room.
Travel Therapist Life is for PTs, OTs, SLPs, and assistants doing — or thinking about — travel work. It is published by ProTherapy Staffing, a travel therapy agency owned and run by licensed physical therapists. Every article here comes from clinicians who have lived it: the 13-week rhythm, the tax-home math, the housing scramble, the quiet week two in a new city. The stuff worth knowing before a first contract — written the way a colleague would tell you. When you're ready to try it yourself, tell a recruiter what kind of contract you're after: Find my next contract.
Latest Articles →
A Day in the Life of a Travel PT in Denver
From morning clinic to post-work hikes in the Rockies. A full day breakdown of what travel physical therapy really looks like when you're living and working in Denver.
Read Article →Example: How a Travel PT Could Pay Down Student Loans
A hypothetical example: how travel pay, stipends and budgeting could speed up payoff.
Read Article →Travel Therapy vs. Permanent Position: An Honest Comparison
An unbiased comparison of travel therapy versus permanent positions. Covering pay, benefits, career growth, lifestyle, relationships, and who each path is actually best for.
Read Article →The Ultimate Travel Therapist Packing List (2026)
What to bring, what to leave behind, and the gear that makes 13-week travel therapy assignments easier. A comprehensive, field-tested packing list.
Read Article →Travel Therapy as a Couple: How to Make It Work
How to do travel therapy as a couple. Finding dual contracts, sharing housing stipends, budgeting together, and keeping your relationship strong while moving every 13 weeks.
Read Article →What I Wish I Knew Before My First Travel Therapy Contract
10 hard-won lessons from a travel therapist's first contract. Tax homes, agency selection, contract questions, housing mistakes, licensure timelines, and the emotional reality nobody warns you about.
Read Article →Travel Therapy Settings Compared: SNF vs. Acute Care vs. Outpatient
An honest comparison of every major travel therapy setting. Which pays the most, which offers the best clinical growth, and how to choose strategically.
Read Article →Travel Therapy with Pets: A Complete Guide
A complete guide to traveling with your pet on therapy assignments. Pet-friendly housing, vet care logistics, road trip tips, budgeting for pet costs, and making it work long-term.
Read Article →Is Travel Therapy Worth It? An Honest Take
An unfiltered assessment of the financial gains, clinical growth, lifestyle rewards, and the personal costs.
Read Article →How to Handle the Emotional Side of Travel Therapy
The emotional side of travel therapy that social media doesn't show. Practical strategies for handling loneliness, building connections in new cities, and maintaining relationships.
Read Article →Travel Therapy Health Insurance: What You Actually Need to Know
The real story on travel therapy health insurance. Agency plans, marketplace alternatives, avoiding coverage gaps between contracts, and what to do if your plan is terrible.
Read Article →The Weeks Between Contracts: Planning the Gap Nobody Plans For
Gaps between assignments are structural, not a failure. What creates them, why insurance breaks first, the housing overlap problem, and a plan working backwards from your end date.
Read Article →Frequently asked questions
Does federal law require paid sick leave?
The U.S. Department of Labor says: “Currently, there are no federal legal requirements for paid sick leave.” Source: U.S. Department of Labor: Sick Leave, read October 10, 2026.
Can I enroll in Marketplace coverage before my contract coverage ends?
HealthCare.gov says: “You may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period if you or anyone in your household lost qualifying health coverage in the past 60 days OR expects to lose coverage in the next 60 days .” Source: HealthCare.gov: Special Enrollment Period, read October 10, 2026.
If I take COBRA and end it early, can I switch to the Marketplace?
HealthCare.gov says: “If you choose to end COBRA coverage early, you’ll have to wait until next Open Enrollment to get Marketplace coverage” Source: HealthCare.gov: COBRA coverage, read October 10, 2026.
Can I keep my health coverage between contracts?
HealthCare.gov says: “When you lose job-based coverage, your former employer may offer you COBRA continuation coverage.” “This may allow you to temporarily keep health coverage until you get other health coverage, whether through a new job or another source.” Source: HealthCare.gov: COBRA coverage, read October 24, 2026.
Am I still away from home when I go home on days off?
The IRS says: “If you go back to your tax home from a temporary assignment on your days off, you aren’t considered away from home while you are in your hometown.” Source: IRS Publication 463 (2025), Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses, read October 24, 2026.
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