What happens when your career takes you far beyond the hospital walls?

In this episode, we sit down with travel occupational therapist Kaylee Earll to talk about her journey from working across the U.S. to serving aboard Mercy Ships, where she helped provide life-changing care to patients in underserved communities.

Kaylee shares how she first discovered Mercy Ships, what it's really like living and working on a hospital ship, and how her experiences have reshaped both her career and her perspective on healthcare. From unforgettable patient stories to practical advice for anyone considering medical missions, this conversation offers an inspiring look at how healthcare professionals can use their skills to make a global impact.

Whether you're a travel healthcare professional, someone interested in humanitarian work, or simply looking for a story that reminds you why you chose healthcare in the first place, this episode is for you.

About Our Guest

Kaylee Earll, OT, is an occupational therapist with a passion for bringing healing to underserved communities around the world. She earned both her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies and her Master of Occupational Therapy from Colorado State University. For the past nine years, she's worked as a traveling occupational therapist, building diverse clinical experience while pursuing opportunities to serve.

Kaylee has volunteered multiple times with Mercy Ships, serving aboard both the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy in the Rehabilitation Department. Outside of healthcare, she enjoys photography, hiking, and exploring new places with friends.

TravCon is often called the traveler’s conference—but it’s just as valuable for recruiters. In this episode, I sit down with Scott Sutarik, an Allied Health Recruiter with TotalMed who’s spent nearly a decade in the industry and attended TravCon six times.

We talk about what makes TravCon unique, why face-to-face connections are so powerful in a virtual industry, and how the event bridges the gap between recruiters and clinicians. You’ll also hear insider tips for first-time attendees, favorite TravCon memories, and what keeps both sides of the travel healthcare world coming back year after year.

Whether you’re a recruiter, clinician, or just curious about the travel healthcare community, this conversation is packed with insights, stories, and reasons why TravCon is the place to be.

👉 Don’t miss out—join us at TravCon 2025! Get your ticket here: https://events.travcon.org/2025/begin?ref=TravSocial

Join Christina Johnson, Division Vice President of Coverage Nursing at AMN Healthcare and TravCon's Online Community Manager Rachel as they dive into all things TravCon 2025—happening September 21–24 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas! From the high-energy Traveler Success Bootcamp and AMN’s 40th anniversary celebration to tips for first-time attendees, keynote highlights, and can’t-miss networking opportunities, this episode is your inside scoop on the ultimate event for travel healthcare professionals. Discover how to make the most of your experience, explore AMN’s booth festivities, and hear why TravCon is more than just a conference—it’s a celebration of you.

Get $75 off your TravCon ticket from your friends at AMN with code AMN75.

https://events.travcon.org/2025/begin?ref=TravSocial

Christina Johnson serves as the Division Vice President of Coverage Nursing, bringing years of leadership experience and a strategic vision to workforce optimization that supports flexible, high-quality coverage within AMN’s nursing division. Based in San Diego, she works closely with high-performing teams across several departments, always focused on delivering exceptional service. Christina is known for her collaborative leadership style, data-driven decision-making and a passion for empowering others. She’s is dedicated to making the travel nursing experience more rewarding, more connected, and consistently excellent—no matter where care is delivered.