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, Physical Therapist Licensing, Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Therapist Jobs, Therapy Jobs, Travel Therapist, Traveling Therapist

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.