PT Traveler Recognized for ‘Best’ Outlook, Work Ethic
When Johnny L. isn’t at work as a traveling physical therapist, there’s a good chance that he’s out on the golf course. Or he might be on a hike. Or eating out with friends. Like many allied health travelers, he likes to make the most of the opportunity to live and work in a new, exciting place.
He’s also really good at his job. According to Johnny’s recruiter Kristi K., he has at least five glowing references on file, and he’s known for being dedicated, supportive, and reliable. No wonder he was named AMN Healthcare’s Allied Traveler of the Month for January.
“Wherever he is on assignment, they all love him and never want him to leave!” Kristi says.
Says Johnny, “I’m just trying to be the best physical therapist that I can be—and in life in general. I was always taught to work hard and just do your best.”
Why Johnny Travels
Growing up in Stockton, California, Johnny was very active and played a lot of sports, including football and basketball. He was fortunate that he never needed to undergo physical therapy himself, but he saw how it helped other people. He even developed a habit of giving massages to his grateful parents, and he liked the idea of a career where he could help people feel better.
“I could see myself doing this,” he remembers thinking.
Johnny graduated from the University of the Pacific and took a job as a physical therapist in an outpatient setting. After nearly two years of working full-time, he started to think about working as an allied health traveler. He was especially intrigued by the prospect of landing a travel physical therapist assignment in a warm weather location.
“I wanted to see new places and meet new people,” he says. “The main goal was to go to Hawaii and to San Diego. I’ve done half of that, and now I’m more open to going to even more new places.”
Johnny’s first PT traveler job took him to Silicon Valley, in the southern part the San Francisco Bay Area, where he worked for about six months. It was faster-paced than his first regular job, but he caught on quickly. He took a few more contracts at various places, before landing in beautiful Oahu, Hawaii, last August, where he’s currently on assignment with Kaiser Permanente in home health.
“I finally got the opportunity to come work here,” he says. “And it’s awesome.”
Advice for Future Allied Travelers
Johnny’s advice for anyone who’s considering allied health travel assignments is to give the lifestyle a try. It’s a great opportunity to see new parts of the country, test out different workplaces, and meet new people—all while building your resume.
“You can choose where you want to go,” he says. “And you get that flexibility.”
Johnny has made new friends everywhere that he’s worked. He’s even made friends when booking a tee time on his day off and playing a round of golf with whoever shows up. Afterward, they exchange contact information and go from there. He’ll go out for sushi or poke on his own—“you can’t beat the fish here”—but he always seems to connect with people, wherever he goes.
Want to know how to have a good professional experience as an allied health traveler? Johnny suggests that you think about what you value. He strives to be the kind of colleague that he likes to work with: easy-going, competent and helpful. He is known for being a great team player, and he values that quality in others, too.
“Johnny really is a team player,” says Kristi. “I mean, you look up the words ‘team player’ and you’ll see a picture of him.”
You can have a great experience, too, if you’re open to traveling and perhaps a challenge or two along the way. Don’t worry about all those unknowns; Johnny is confident that you’ll catch on to the new-to-you charting system after you’ve used it for a week or so. And you can—and should—always ask for help if you need it. Your new colleagues also want you to succeed.
“As long as you work hard, and you get your job done, you’ll be fine,” says Johnny.
What’s Next for This PT Taveler?
What’s next for this hardworking physical therapist? Johnny’s current assignment in the paradise that is Oahu will end in mid-February, and he’s hoping to take a little time off then. But then he’ll be eager to find a new allied travel assignment.
“Hopefully someplace warm,” he says.
AMN Healthcare has thousands of allied travel assignments around the country, in a variety of disciplines.
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