As PTs, OTs & SLPs, we have a lot of options for our careers. Travel therapy can be a great option for many therapists, at various points in their lives. However, there are times where travel therapy may not be the best fit. For some therapists, the options may seem limited. Either settle down permanently for the long-term at a regular job, or travel, no in-between. However, there can actually be a lot of in-between.
We do know many therapists who have started their careers with travel therapy, then settled into a permanent position long-term when they get done traveling. Or, vice versa, they worked a perm job for a while, then switched to travel therapy. But we also know therapists who go back and forth, between travel jobs and local jobs, utilizing PRN jobs or taking “permanent jobs” knowing they’ll only be there for a year or two while it suits their needs.
Personally, over the years, we have transitioned back and forth between working travel therapy jobs around the country, to taking PRN jobs locally at home. After nearly a decade as PTs, we have never worked a permanent, full-time job, and we don’t ever plan on it since we are now semi-retired and only work part time as clinicians.
In this guest post, we’ll share Morgan’s story, an Occupational Therapist who has transitioned between travel therapy and PRN, along with her reasoning and advice for others.
Guest Post by Morgan Lauchnor, OTR/L
Travel therapy can be an addicting way to live once you start, and many healthcare professionals end up doing it for multiple years, sometimes with no end date in sight. But for others, there are certain instances where it might be beneficial to break away from travel therapy to take on local therapy jobs. And if you’re like me and aren’t quite ready to take on a full-time gig, a PRN (“as needed”) job may be the way to go.
There are many similarities between travel therapy jobs and PRN therapy jobs, like the freedom to choose your own hours and not having to deal with workplace politics, but there are also some big differences to consider. In this article, I’m going to talk about my experience with transitioning from travel to PRN and back again, reasons why one might consider this option, and offer helpful tips for making these changes.
My Story
When I started travel therapy back in 2019 as a new grad occupational therapist, I was hooked from the start. Getting to explore the country; living like a local in places I might never have visited otherwise; being able to pay down my student loans and make good money; and meeting amazing people along the way— I had no intention of stopping for a longgg time.
However, part of the reason I wanted to travel was to gain experience working in multiple settings. I had done an inpatient fieldwork internship on a spinal cord unit at a VA hospital, and I was excited to get back to working in a hospital. But since a skilled nursing (SNF) travel therapy contract was what got my foot in the door, I initially stuck with that setting because it was what became familiar. When the time came though that I was ready to branch out into inpatient/acute/LTAC, no one would give me an interview. While there are some facilities that are willing to train new grads/therapists with no prior experience, it just so happened that all of the ones I was applying for wanted me to have at least 1-2 years of experience in the setting first. It got to the point where I waited almost 3 months in between contracts trying to land a hospital contract with no luck, that I was forced to go with another SNF contract which completely burned me out.
So because the travel therapy market wasn’t catering to my path, I paved a new one. While I never planned to stop traveling after only 2.5 years, an opportunity came along to take a PRN position in Asheville, NC that allowed me to get my foot in the door with a variety of settings, from acute care, to inpatient, to LTAC, home health, and PACE. I knew that this way, when I decided to go back to travel, I would no longer have the limitation of ‘needs prior experience’ holding me back. I spent another almost 2.5 years with that PRN job, gaining so much clinical experience and growth.
Once I was ready to make the transition back to travel therapy and started talking to recruiters again, I was able to find an acute care travel contract at a level 1 trauma hospital that checked every box I was looking for. For me, this break from travel therapy was one hundred percent worth it to me to help me reach my goals.
Reasons for Transitioning Between Travel & PRN
Gaining Clinical Experience
As I said in my case, one reason for taking a local job somewhere is to gain clinical experience in settings with specific requirements. There are cases where facilities are willing to train new grads/therapists with no prior experience, and while I always recommend still applying to these contracts on the off chance that they say yes (worst case they say no), if you’re not having luck, PRN may be the way to go.
Being Close to Family and Friends
One challenge with travel therapy can be constantly moving and being away from family and friends. At different points in life, it may suit therapists to return home for a while to be closer to family and friends. Or, similarly, if they happen to meet a partner while on contract in a new place, they may consider settling down in that area for a while (or forever) to pursue the relationship.
Maintaining Tax Home
For some therapists, returning to their tax home location and taking contract work that is fully taxed, or a PRN job, is a way to help maintain their tax home requirements in between travel contracts.
Making Money Between Contracts
Sometimes it takes more time than anticipated to find the right travel therapy contract. Rather than rushing into something out of desperation and time constraints, it may be beneficial to pick up a local job in the meantime to take the pressure off while you find what you’re looking for.
Finding a Great Facility
Sometimes as a travel therapist, you may end up at a facility that you absolutely love, and they make an offer for you to stay there full time. In some cases, this can lead to finding your new permanent home and permanent job for the long term. But, quite often, therapists may be enticed to stay at a location for a year or so, without wanting to make it their forever home. Many therapists will take a “permanent” job temporarily, with plans to leave and go elsewhere after a certain amount of time.
Helpful Tips for Transitioning Between Travel and Local Jobs
Remember the big differences from travel: weekly vs. biweekly pay, no stipends, guaranteed monthly hours minimum, and making your own schedule but having to rely on the facility’s needs.
Getting back into the mindset of a regular, non-travel job can be tough after travel, and it is important to prepare. Know that you will most likely not be paid as frequently, and may be taking a pay cut without the tax free stipends. You will also need to look into the positions you are considering and how much they will need you at their facility. Some PRN jobs are able to offer a lot of hours, where some may not have the staffing need for a lot of hours. This will help you determine if a PRN position will be able to provide you with enough hours for your situation and financial needs, or if you may need to take on multiple PRN positions or go full-time.
Consider your health insurance options.
While a lot of healthcare travelers use their company’s health insurance while they’re traveling, it sometimes gets tricky between contracts, or if you decide to take local contracts or a PRN job. If you take a full time local job, you’ll likely be offered benefits, but most PRN jobs do not offer benefits. Going with a private health insurance plan, or another type of plan that you maintain independent of your employer, allows you to have health insurance throughout the year without having to worry about this. I switched to private insurance when I went PRN. In some cases, signing on for more of a permanent/full time job that offers benefits may be a better option for you depending on your healthcare insurance needs. This post goes over different health insurance options to consider.
Know that you can always transition back to travel therapy at any time!
Travel therapy job options and permanent job options will always be available. Taking a break from one or the other won’t limit your job options when you decide to transition again. I guarantee if you put word out to get back into travel therapy, you’ll have multiple travel therapy recruiters immediately itching to get you set up with another travel contract.
Take Aways
Ultimately, there are a number of reasons why it may be beneficial to stop traveling and pursue a local contract if it aligns with your goals and/or life circumstances at that time. Fortunately, as healthcare providers, we have a lot of different job options available to us at any given time, both for travel jobs and local jobs. We can design our lives to be flexible and pursue the opportunities that fit us best depending on the current stage of life. We don’t have to feel stuck in one type of job or another if it’s not working for us.
I hope these tips are helpful in making that transition between travel therapy and local therapy jobs more seamless. And if/when the time comes that you decide to go back to travel, it’s always an available option. After all, once a traveler, always a traveler.
Thank you, Morgan, for sharing your experiences and insights with us. Learn more about Morgan below.
You can also watch the video we made discussing this topic further here.
About the Author: Morgan Lauchnor, OTR/L
I started travel occupational therapy back in 2019, beginning as a new grad and moving from Pennsylvania to the west coast, so I could live out my dream of seeing the country and all that it has to offer, while working my dream job. I’ve taken five different travel therapy assignments in SNFs, from OR, to CA, to TX, and NC. A little over 2 years ago, I planted some temporary roots in Asheville, NC to get some inpatient/acute/LTAC/home health experience, working PRN for a hospital network, before returning to travel therapy this year. I travel with my mini-Aussie pup Zoey who has been the best adventure buddy, and we are now currently in Indianapolis, IN where I am working an acute care travel therapy contract at a level 1 trauma hospital. We love exploring new cities, getting outside any chance we can, and meeting the best people along the way! If you’d like to connect, the best way to contact me is through social media: Instagram: @zoandmo_onthego or through email at mlauchnor@gmail.com.
If you’re looking for additional resources for your travel therapy career, check out Travel Therapy Mentor’s Traveler Resource Hub. If you’re ready to get started with travel therapy and want to connect with vetted travel therapy recruiters, fill out our Recruiter Recommendations Form. Feel free to message us with any questions!
