I am writing to find out what are some good places to start out as a new Paramedic? I worked as an EMT in a variety of settings from Wildland Fire to EMS and then the last 2 years I have been working as an ER Tech. I tried AMR Las Vegas but that did not workout ( a lot of politics in play up there right now). Im willing to pretty much move anywhere.
New Paramedic
- Thread starter Tgnome44
- Start date
I'm a medic student but I know In California there is hall ambulance. American Ambulance. They are reputable companies
I heard Texas is good in general. Have you tried REMSA up in Reno area?
Meckenburg (prob spelt wrong) in North Carolina is hiring. Keep seeing things on that. Plus Falk in Northern California (Bay Area) is hiring a bunch due to taking over some 911 area.
I heard Texas is good in general. Have you tried REMSA up in Reno area?
Meckenburg (prob spelt wrong) in North Carolina is hiring. Keep seeing things on that. Plus Falk in Northern California (Bay Area) is hiring a bunch due to taking over some 911 area.
VentMonkey
Family Guy
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Every agency will have its issues and politics. As a new paramedic, I can’t honestly say that this was at the top of my list of concerns or priorities.
It also depends—or should— on what you’re looking to get out of both being a paramedic (short vs. long-term goals), and also where you’re willing to relocate. GL.
Tgnome44, if I were in your situation, I'd probably take VentMonkey's advice and first make a short list of where I was willing to go. Climate, geography, culture -- those things would be more important to me than, say, a $.25 difference in pay. Also, there are differences in reciprocity state-to-state. While you're making that short list of destinations, consider how many hoops you'd have to jump through for each.
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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A couple of questions: Are you currently a certified paramedic? how old are you? do you have anything holding you down to your current location (wife, kids, house/mortgage, etc)?
Where do you WANT to live? anywhere? King County Medic One pays really well, but you have to go back through their medic program, which is a deal breaker for many. Do you want a job (ie, a starting point to gain experience before you move onto something else) or a career, where you can be at for the next 20 years? You want to work in the big cities, or in the rural areas? what about the suburbs? how busy do you want to be? As a new medic, how slow can you tolerate?
https://www.medic911.com/ is Mecklenburg EMS in Charlotte NC. Busy system, Charlotte is a big city, and it's a great place to gain experience. But they have major turnover problems as a result, with people leaving for other agencies.
http://wakeems.com is Wake County EMS in Raleigh NC. Busy system, Raleigh is a big city, but outside of downtown, it retains its feel as a large town. Great place for new medics. But recently they have experienced major turnover problems, with people leaving for other agencies, or going on to other careers.
Those are the two big ones I know of in NC, but there are plenty of smaller agencies that are as good or better (but the pay might not be as good as in the large metro areas). But it also depends on what you are looking for
I've heard great things about some of the EMS agencies in Texas, and spend 15 years working EMS in NJ (hard to match the experience of working on a 911 ambulance doing 6-12 runs in a 12 hour shift, or in a paramedic flycar where you intubate someone every other week because you only see sick patients).
Cost of living is also a factor, so while the North East and north West US might have better salaries, how much is housing and other expenses?
Assuming you relocate for a job, if it doesn't work out, then what? what other options do you have? are their other jobs you can do in that area, or will you need to move again?
Most large agencies are always hiring. They hire every year, or every 3-6 months. small agencies don't, but that doesn't mean the smaller agencies aren't better places to work. And take every recommendation or horror story with a grain of salt; just because it didn't work out for one person, doesn't mean the system sucks, only that the system and that person were not a good fit.
So the real question is, where do you want end up in 5 year?
Where do you WANT to live? anywhere? King County Medic One pays really well, but you have to go back through their medic program, which is a deal breaker for many. Do you want a job (ie, a starting point to gain experience before you move onto something else) or a career, where you can be at for the next 20 years? You want to work in the big cities, or in the rural areas? what about the suburbs? how busy do you want to be? As a new medic, how slow can you tolerate?
https://www.medic911.com/ is Mecklenburg EMS in Charlotte NC. Busy system, Charlotte is a big city, and it's a great place to gain experience. But they have major turnover problems as a result, with people leaving for other agencies.
http://wakeems.com is Wake County EMS in Raleigh NC. Busy system, Raleigh is a big city, but outside of downtown, it retains its feel as a large town. Great place for new medics. But recently they have experienced major turnover problems, with people leaving for other agencies, or going on to other careers.
Those are the two big ones I know of in NC, but there are plenty of smaller agencies that are as good or better (but the pay might not be as good as in the large metro areas). But it also depends on what you are looking for
I've heard great things about some of the EMS agencies in Texas, and spend 15 years working EMS in NJ (hard to match the experience of working on a 911 ambulance doing 6-12 runs in a 12 hour shift, or in a paramedic flycar where you intubate someone every other week because you only see sick patients).
Cost of living is also a factor, so while the North East and north West US might have better salaries, how much is housing and other expenses?
Assuming you relocate for a job, if it doesn't work out, then what? what other options do you have? are their other jobs you can do in that area, or will you need to move again?
Most large agencies are always hiring. They hire every year, or every 3-6 months. small agencies don't, but that doesn't mean the smaller agencies aren't better places to work. And take every recommendation or horror story with a grain of salt; just because it didn't work out for one person, doesn't mean the system sucks, only that the system and that person were not a good fit.
So the real question is, where do you want end up in 5 year?
Thanks for the replies. I actually grew up in Seattle and have some neighbors back home that worked for KCM1 so I am familiar with that system and honestly don't have an interest in it. Fortunately I am only 27 with no attachments to where I am at now.
I have been looking at a lot of the 3rd party agencies in the SE such as Texas. Im just wanting to get on with an agency that is a lot better fit as far as protocols and overall EMS systems vs what I had experienced in LV. Looking at reciprocity has been a huge factor as well, fortunately having my NRP makes a little easier from what I have found so far.
Lastly the more time I'm at my current job in the ER I am leaning more towards the nursing route sooner than later.
I have been looking at a lot of the 3rd party agencies in the SE such as Texas. Im just wanting to get on with an agency that is a lot better fit as far as protocols and overall EMS systems vs what I had experienced in LV. Looking at reciprocity has been a huge factor as well, fortunately having my NRP makes a little easier from what I have found so far.
Lastly the more time I'm at my current job in the ER I am leaning more towards the nursing route sooner than later.