3rd Year PT Student Checklist: How to Prepare for Travel PT as a New Grad

If you’re a 3rd year DPT student and your goal is to start travel PT right after graduation, the work needs to start now. Travel physical therapy can be an incredible way to build experience, increase income, and explore new locations early in your career. But you need to prepare during your final year of school to make travel as a new grad a success.

Here’s your step-by-step checklist.

1. Build a Strong Resume During Clinical Rotations

Your clinical experiences matter more than you think.

As a new grad, you won’t have full-time experience yet, so your rotations are your experience. Focus on:

• Performing strongly in diverse settings (outpatient, acute care, SNF, etc.)

• Asking for measurable feedback and improving weaknesses

• Taking initiative with documentation, patient education, and caseload management

• Demonstrating professionalism and strong communication skills

If possible, seek rotations in settings you think you will want to travel in. If you know you want outpatient ortho contracts, prioritize strong orthopedic rotations.

Also include:

• Relevant work experience (tech/aide roles, rehab-related jobs)

• Any job worked during PT school

• Volunteer involvement

• Scholarships or academic recognition

• Leadership roles in your DPT class

Your goal: show recruiters and hiring managers that you’re adaptable, coachable, and clinically competent.

If you’re struggling with putting together your resume, we offer a resume service to help you highlight your experience and skills so you can stand out to recruiters and jobs. Contact us to learn more.

2. Start Building Relationships with Multiple Recruiters

One big mistake students make is waiting until after graduation to talk to recruiters.

We recommend connecting with 2–3 travel PT recruiters about 2–3 months before graduation. This gives you time to:

• Learn how travel contracts work

• Provide them with your possible contract preferences

• Discuss ideal start dates

• Ask about licensing timelines

• Discuss company benefits

• Find a recruiter that you like

• Get comfortable with the job submission process

Why 2–3 recruiters? It allows you to compare communication styles, contracts, and pay rates — without overwhelming yourself with onboarding requirements/paperwork.

This is the time when you should start thinking seriously about:

• What settings you’re open to

• What locations interest you

• What is most important to you in your first contract

Clarity about your preferred settings and locations helps recruiters match you to ideal opportunities efficiently. We offer free recruiter recommendations here to get you started. If you are graduating in May, you should start this now!

3. Research State Licensure

Licensing timelines can make or break your first contract start date.

If your home state is part of the Physical Therapy Compact, the process may be faster and more flexible. If it is not part of the compact, you need to look into application timelines ASAP.

Some states can take:

• 4–6 weeks

• 8–12 weeks

• Or longer

You do not want to pass boards and then sit around waiting months for a license to process.

If you plan to travel out of state for your first contract, research that state’s requirements now:

• Jurisprudence exams?

• Fingerprinting?

Want our full licensing guide? Click here for more details.

4. Prioritize Passing the NPTE

This is the most important step!

You cannot begin applying for travel PT contracts until you:

1. Graduate

2. Pass the NPTE

Everything else is secondary to board preparation. It’s exciting to think about contracts and travel locations, but your primary focus during your final months should be structured NPTE prep. Create a study schedule. Invest in a reputable resource (Final Frontier). Take practice exams (PEAT!). Identify weaknesses early (MSK vs neuro vs cardiopulmonary etc).

Passing on the first attempt keeps your timeline intact and allows you to start earning sooner.

5. Secure Strong Professional References

While you are still in school, ask professors and clinical instructors if they will serve as references.

You should aim for at least three strong references, ideally:

• 2-3 Clinical Instructors

• 1-2 Professors (may include program director)

Ask while your performance is still fresh in their minds. A strong reference should be able to speak about:

• Your clinical reasoning

• Your professionalism

• Your communication skills

• Your ability to manage a caseload

Travel contracts move quickly. Having references ready makes you more competitive and speeds up submissions.

6. Define Your Contract Preferences

Travel PT offers flexibility, but being indecisive can slow you down.

Start thinking about:

• Do you prefer outpatient, acute care, SNF, inpatient rehab, or home health?

• Are you wanting to work in a big city or are you open to rural contracts?

• Is higher pay or specific locations more important to you?

• Are you okay with shorter onboarding and less mentorship or do you want a slower ramp up?

As a new grad traveler, being adaptable increases opportunity. But having a sense of direction makes the process smoother and less stressful.

TL;DR

Starting travel PT as a new grad is very realistic, but preparation is what separates smooth transitions from chaotic ones.

During your 3rd year, focus on:

• Building a competitive resume

• Establishing relationships 2-3 months before graduation

• Researching licensing timelines

• Prioritizing passing the NPTE

• Securing at least three strong references