On a train from Dublin to Galway, Ireland, Cassandra, one of CompHealth’s traveling therapists, shared her reasons for her love of travel and why she intends to continue doing so as long as possible. “Being interviewed while exploring Ireland? This is why I love what I do,” she says.

The beginnings of a great partnership

Cassandra began her travel therapy career soon after graduating. She was contacted by one of CompHealth’s recruiters, and he found her a position perfectly tailored to meet her needs. “My recruiter is wonderful, someone I can be very honest with,” she shares. “He checks in regularly and is quick to respond, yet I’m not inundated by his calls.” Cassandra says she and her recruiter have formed a great partnership, and not only does she trust him, she trusts that he’ll be honest with her, regardless of the circumstances.

New practice settings lead to professional growth

The ability to explore new locations and practice in different work settings is a large part of the reason Cassandra loves being a traveling physical therapist. She feels this type of work exposes her to varying modalities and patient populations. “I enjoy learning from new people and working in new and varying settings because it allows me to grow much faster than if I were in a permanent job,” Cassandra says. “I learn the right and wrong ways of doing things from experienced PTs, and my communication skills only get better because I’m interacting with new clients and coworkers from every part of the country.” She felt her assignment in Oregon was the ideal setting for a new graduate like her. “I was able to slowly ramp up my caseload, I had great mentors, and everyone made themselves available in case I needed support.” She continues: “I was pushed beyond my comfort zone, yet I had coworkers around to help me through any difficulties I had; I even was able to take an amazing CEU course taught by the PT I was working closely with.” The patient population and practice setting in her New Mexico assignment also added to her professional growth as a PT. “The patients I worked with there and the skills I learned only reaffirmed the type of PT – and person – I wanted to be,” she shares.

Opportunities to explore new locations

Cassandra says that the ability to travel and visit new places while working is a major draw to being a travel therapist, but the ability to control her schedule and travel for pleasure when she wants is probably one of the biggest perks. “I love visiting new places, trying new food, immersing myself in a new culture,” she says. “My husband and I like to travel internationally, and my job has always allowed us to do this. I don’t have to worry about requesting time off or catching up on paperwork on my off hours.” Her favorite locations run the gamut from the northwest to the southeast. Not only do these practice settings help her grow professionally, but she and her husband – who travels with her on assignments – are able to meet new people, eat fantastic food, and take in the beautiful surrounding geography. “My husband and I just love exploring new places, and on weekends we take advantage of the time we can spend hiking and camping,” she says. “I scope out the best yoga studios, I’ve taken pottery classes, and my husband has even found the local basketball league.” Medford, Oregon, topped the list of the most beautiful locales. “The landscape was breathtaking, we were close to the ocean and only a short road-trip away from Portland and Bend. We were also close to Seattle,” Cassandra shares. “This assignment put us near Crater Lake, which is one of the most breathtaking sites I’ve ever visited.” Las Cruces, New Mexico, offered the best in food, and her assignment was situated near several National Parks, allowing for extensive exploration. “My advice for others who are thinking about traveling is: just do it! There are challenges, but be kind and open, and you will learn more than you could ever imagine – and have the time of your life.”