Official Therapist Blog

Physical Therapist Licensing Between States

Author Healthcare Jobs Blogger | 09.29.2009 | Category Allied Healthcare, Certifications, Continuing Education Units (CEU), Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Therapist Jobs, Therapy Jobs, Travel Therapist, Traveling Therapist, physical therapist licensing, physical therapy, rehabilitation therapy

The nature of the travel therapist job is to move around and work in a number of sites and states. It’s the perfect job for an adventurer: see the country, meet new people, and get great benefits like a competitive salary, free private housing, and free continuing education classes.

“It is important to be aware of the process of licensure and to plan for it; it should never be seen as a hindrance, just a necessity that needs to be taken care of for all allied professionals. Travel Therapists who keep good records, applications updated and who work closely with their Recruiters and licensing boards to follow up on their application status find the process to be painless,” said Vice President of Recruitment , Mary Kay Hull, of Travel Force Staffing.

Most states do not offer reciprocity for those already licensed in another area of the country. Each state has different physical therapy licensing requirements, and applicants must meet the specific requirements of each state in which they’d like to be licensed. States do have an endorsement policy, which generally means that applicants must meet the state physical therapy licensing requirements, but they might not need to take the National Physical Therapy Examination again if they can provide the correct documentation.

A representative from the Colorado Physical Therapy Licensure Division of Registrations gave details about the endorsement process. All applicants must submit an application and fee, along with verification from all states in which they have been registered, including proof of at least one active license. Applicants who have been practicing for fewer than two years must have test scores sent in, and applicants with more than two years of experience must provide documentation that they have practiced for two of the previous five years.

While the lack of reciprocity makes licensing a bit more taxing than most physical therapists and travel therapists would like, rest assured that there are resources out there.  Travel Force Staffing  representatives walk you through the licensing process as you begin your travel therapy career, and Travel Force reimburses clients for their licensing and credentialing fees. Apply now to work with a Travel Force recruiter.

To find out about physical therapy licensing requirements in a specific state, visit The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy for a complete list of websites and phone numbers for every U.S. state.

Travel Force Staffing Offers Innovative Search Tool for Finding Therapy Jobs Nationwide

Author Healthcare Jobs Blogger | 09.24.2009 | Category Allied Healthcare, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Therapist Jobs, Therapy Jobs, Travel Therapist, Traveling Therapist, physical therapy, rehabilitation therapy

Travel Force Staffing, a leader travel therapy jobs’ recruiting agency, announced its innovative resource for finding the most desirable jobs in the market for allied health care professionals. Therapy job seekers can visit the company’s new Therapy Job Board with real-time job posts and view job requirements, facility descriptions, and a brief synopsis of the area where the permanent or travel physical therapy jobs are located.

A new employment report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, showed that the health care industry has remained strong, adding 20,000 jobs in July; and Travel Force has more physical therapy jobs and occupational therapy jobs listed nationwide!

In addition, Travel Force Staffing offers a quick and easy way for therapists to find these new job postings. Now, more than ever, therapy jobs are a terrific way to triumph in today’s tough economy; financially and career-wise. Plus, Travel Force travel therapy job benefits like free private housing, free health insurance, our tax advantage plan, and free unlimited online CE will all improve your financial position.

To learn more about Travel Force and its benefits read entire press release .

$500K Genius Award Given to Researcher of Falls Among the Elderly

Author Healthcare Jobs Blogger | 09.24.2009 | Category physical therapy, rehabilitation therapy

Just what is a “Genius Award” and how can you get one?

A MacArthur Fellowship, often informally called a “Genius Award”, is a five year grant of $500,000 given to individuals who show exceptional creativity in their work. Winners can be U.S. residents of any age, working in any field. And, no, you can’t nominate yourself. You’ll have to count on one of the MacArthur’s Foundation’s consulting experts to do that.

Every year the Foundation selects 20-25 people, many of them from the arts and –not suprisingly– from the scientific and healthcare research fields.

One of this year’s winners is Mary Tinetti, a geriatrician at Yale medical school, who has researched falls among the elderly. Rehabilitation therapists and physicians who work with seniors know that the risk of serious disability from a fall can be just as high as that caused by a stroke. But the healthcare field often regards the possibility of falling among seniors as an inevitability.

Dr. Tinetti and her colleagues have demonstrated that there are distinct factors that increase the risk of falls among the elderly — things like muscle weakness, balance problems and multiple medications. They also found that by screening for and addressing these issues, doctors can reduce seniors’ risk of falls by about 30%.

The physical therapy community has long advocated increasing activity, flexibility and strength in the elderly population as a form of prevention as well as rehabilitation. It will be interesting to see if a new focus on screening and prevention (coupled with the potential financial impact of reduced incidences of falling injuries among seniors) will affect the treatment outcomes of seniors overall.

Other grant winners in the healthcare field:

Lin He - Molecular Biologist, researching the role of microRNAs in the development of cancer and laying the groundwork for future cancer treatments.

Rebecca Onie - Health Services Innovator, building a program that connects college students with health care institutions to address the link between poverty and poor health.

Jill Seaman - Infectious Disease Physician, adapting 21st-century medicine to treat infectious diseases endemic to Southern Sudan and other war-torn regions.

Learn more about the 2009 winners and the MacArthur Foundation here: http://www.macfound.org/site/c.lkLXJ8MQKrH/b.5410503/k.11CB/Meet_the_2009_Fellows.htm

Becoming a Physical Therapist: Common Questions and Answers about Travel Therapy Jobs

Author Healthcare Jobs Blogger | 09.21.2009 | Category Allied Healthcare, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Therapist Jobs, Therapy Jobs, Travel Therapist, physical therapy, rehabilitation therapy

Do you have specific questions about physical therapy schools and travel therapy benefits? Travel Force Staffing provides answers and resources for frequently asked questions that may help you start a physical therapy career. Visit the travel therapy career center for informative links on how to become a physical therapist.

Learn more about this great career: what is a travel therapist?

Can I work as a travel therapist and get free housing while I am in school?
Travel therapy jobs have education and certification requirements, so you must have your physical therapy degree before becoming a travel therapist; therefore, free housing would not yet be available to you while you are in school. Travel Force does offer free continuing education classes, however, so if you are already a certified therapist, you could earn both free housing and free professional development by becoming a travel therapist.

Where can I get information about state accredited physical therapy programs?
The American Physical Therapy Association has a comprehensive list of all accredited physical therapy programs. You can download a list of prerequisite courses required for each school, and get more information about each school’s curriculum, clinical opportunities, tuition, and admissions requirements. For a complete list of accredited physical therapy schools near you, visit APTA.

How much do travel therapists get paid?
This answer depends on the specific job or jobs you take, but it is generally agreed that travel therapists are among the highest paid in the physical therapy field. On top of salary, if you consider the free housing, travel reimbursement, state licensure reimbursement, free health, life, and dental insurance, and free continuing education classes, your earning potential as a travel therapist is extraordinarily high. Check the salary calculator at our therapy career resources page for more information on physical therapist salaries.

What would my schedule be like?
This answer, too, depends on your particular situation, but most travel therapists work eight-hour shifts, five days a week. You can request extra shifts or time off, but these requests, as with any other job, will be granted based on hospital/facility need. If you’d like time off between travel therapy jobs, that can be arranged by contacting Travel Force.

What kind of support does Travel Force offer its clients?
When you apply for healthcare travel jobs with Travel Force, you will be assigned a recruiter with whom you will work on-on-one. You can expect to hear from your recruiter often, as he or she will check-in with you weekly to make sure everything is satisfactory. Your recruiter will walk you through all licensing and credentialing processes to make sure that everything goes smoothly. On top of that, Travel Force has an emergency hotline that is open for clients 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.

How do I get started on my travel therapy career?
You can start right away by contacting Travel Force at 1-800-617-0608 or by visiting the Travel Force website to apply online now.

HIPAA Regulations to Require Notification of Patient Record Security Breach

Author Healthcare Jobs Blogger | 09.17.2009 | Category Allied Healthcare, Therapy Jobs, physical therapy

The US Health and Human Services Department recently updated HIPAA regulations to require that healthcare providers  notify patients if the confidentiality of patient health records is breached. The update  is designed to strengthen consumer confidence in the personal security of digital record keeping, as the healthcare industry moves toward electronic medical records.

We all know that the (seemingly ancient) file folder system of record-keeping can occasionally negatively impact the quality of patient care. But it must also be said that online systems aren’t perfect either.  Conversion to an EMR system can be costly, technologically challenging, and there are privacy issues.

Not only are more patient records moving online, so too are the employment records of  medical professionals. Traveling physical therapy jobs may trigger a special interest in online record keeping; the nature of a travel therapy job means it is likely that your records and those of your patients are likely to be online already. The various organizations with which you work should be taking measures to ensure the privacy of patient and staff information.

You can learn more about HHS privacy regulations here: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/

How to become a Physical Therapist

Author Healthcare Jobs Blogger | 09.14.2009 | Category Allied Healthcare, Therapist Jobs, Therapy Jobs, Travel Therapist, Videos, physical therapy, rehabilitation therapy

Physical therapy is one of the highest rated professions in national job satisfaction surveys, and U.S. News and World Report listed it as of the 30 Best Careers of 2009, but how does one become a physical therapist exactly?

How do I know physical therapy is right for me?

Physical therapists deal with a wide range of patients for any number of issues. Every patient is unique, and every day offers new and exciting challenges. Physical therapy allows you to work hands-on with patients and to see the difference that you can make in a person’s life. You may choose to work with geriatric patients, amputees, children with birth abnormalities, athletes, or any other of a range of populations, but whatever group of people you choose to work with, you will be making a direct impact on their lives.

Physical therapists must have a strong interest in the human body and how it works, but a love of anatomy and physiology isn’t enough. They must also have a love of people, a desire to help others, and a strong set of communication skills. Physical therapists don’t just treat injuries; they educate their patients about their own bodies and how to make those bodies work best for them.

If you are a student interested in physical therapy, spend some time shadowing or volunteering at a local hospital or clinic to see if physical therapy really appeals to you. Talk to physical therapists and their assistants to get their perspectives and advice.

Physical Therapy career video

How do I become a physical therapist?

To become a physical therapist, you must have graduated from an accredited physical therapy program and passed a state licensure exam. Physical therapy programs are primarily post-baccalaureate doctor of physical therapy programs (DPT) that generally take 3 years to complete.

To be accepted into a physical therapy school, you must have earned a bachelor degree. Most schools do not have a specific required undergraduate major, but most physical therapists major in the biological sciences. No matter what your major, however, DPT programs do have a number of prerequisite undergraduate courses that you must have taken by the time you apply for admission. These courses usually include biology, chemistry, physics, and anatomy, among others, but each school’s requirements differ slightly. Admission into physical therapy doctoral programs is competitive, so be sure to work hard in your undergraduate classes. Find a volunteer position in a hospital or clinic to help show schools that you are serious about your career decision. While there is no specific physical therapy entrance exam, most schools do require that applicants take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), so start to prepare for that early to make it one more selling point on your application.

Choosing a school for your physical therapy doctoral degree is not unlike choosing an undergraduate college. The American Physical Therapy Association maintains a list of all DPT schools, with descriptions of curricula, course requirements, clinical opportunities, and admissions information. As you make your decision, think about what is important to you, including location, class size, tuition cost, clinical opportunities, and social activities. Do your research and apply to a number of schools. Most programs will require interviews as part of the admissions process; prepare for those by making sure you can explain why it is that you want to be a physical therapist. What led you to that decision? What qualities do you have that will make a strong physical therapist? Also be sure to know why you are interested in each school and to prepare specific questions that you can ask about the school and the program. While you are on campus for your interview, try to talk to current students to get their take on the program.

Once you start a program, continue working hard to get the grades you deserve and to prepare for the state licensure exam. Take advantage of all of your clinical opportunities, and keep an open mind as you decide what aspect of physical therapy is right for you. Continue to talk to current physical therapists, asking questions and gathering advice for your future.

For more information about physical therapy jobs, visit the Travel Force website.

Physical Therapist Career Video

Author Healthcare Jobs Blogger | 09.11.2009 | Category Allied Healthcare, Therapist Jobs, Therapy Jobs, Travel Therapist, Traveling Therapist, Videos, physical therapy

Do you want to become a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant? Then you must watch this video with  several physical therapists talking about their job and why they chose a physical therapist career.  In addition, the physical therapist career video shows physical therapists on site with rehab patients.

For additional information on physical therapy jobs and a career in physical therapy, please contact Travel Force Staffing

Click here to view additional physical therapist career videos

Student Loans and Travel Therapy

Author Healthcare Jobs Blogger | 09.08.2009 | Category Allied Healthcare, Occupational Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Therapist Jobs, Therapy Jobs, Travel Therapist, Traveling Therapist, physical therapy, rehabilitation therapy

Physical therapists are in high demand, but as educational requirements have gotten more stringent, it has become harder for young people to make the financial commitment to becoming a physical therapist. Most Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs are three-year post-baccalaureate programs, costing between $20,000 and $35,000 each year. Most students considering a DPT program also have undergraduate loans to pay, and taking out additional loans of more than $100,000 may seem out of the question.

There is hope, however; some states already offer loan forgiveness programs, and current legislation is seeking to add physical therapists to the National Health Service Corps, which would allow physical therapists working in underserved areas of the country to have portions of their loans repaid in return for their service.

Beyond that, however, travel therapy jobs offer great benefits that can help to ease the financial burden. Some of the financial benefits of travel therapy include free private housing; free health, dental, and life insurance; 401K retirement plans; malpractice insurance; free online professional development courses; and reimbursement for state licensing. Travel therapists can also qualify for tax benefits and referral bonuses. On top of that, travel therapists are among the highest paid physical therapists in the occupation.

Travel therapy is obviously not for everyone. Some physical therapists may have families and do not have the luxury of moving around the country whenever necessary, but for young graduates looking not only to ease the burden of their loans but also to find some adventure and excitement, travel therapy is a great option.

To get started on your travel therapy career, apply online now or visit Travel Force for more information.