# King County (WA) Medic One



## NJmedic3250 (Aug 10, 2011)

I know there have been plenty of posts that have mentioned the deal with Medic One employment. However, I need a little more information (So if your just going to tell me to look at the other posts, SAVE IT!). There is a possibility I will be relocating to the Seattle area. Does anyone have experience going to Washington with an NREMT-P or outside state Paramedic certification and obtaining a job with Medic One? Do you have to go through the University of Washington medic program anyways? If so, is it abbreviated/accelerated if you already have your cert.? Also, is there alternative jobs in the area for medics to work in (i.e. ED based medic positions, critical care transport, flight jobs etc.). If someone could either post some more info than what's on their website that would be great. Personal experiences would be excellent also! Thanks guys


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## DrParasite (Aug 11, 2011)

no 1st hand experience but.....

http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ems/MedicOne/careers.aspx


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## NJmedic3250 (Aug 24, 2011)

Hey dr parasite. Thanks for the info. I have checked out the site already. But it seems to be vague on what the ACTUAL stipulations are to be employed by them.


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## Handsome Robb (Aug 24, 2011)

I don't know for a fact but what I have gathered and have been told by people is that even if your a Medic to work for Medic One you have to go through the UW program.


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## SanDiegoEmt7 (Aug 25, 2011)

I was told that it has to deal with the system you've worked in, your experience, and their ability to track that.

I know someone who is looking that route, and we work in a system that electronically tracks everything from total personal call volume, to IVs, chest decompress, you name it.  Your entire career is a a computer file.  

Medic one was willing to look at this 5 year medic (completely tracked career) and weigh their ability


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## NomadicMedic (Aug 25, 2011)

Negative. 

Even if you've been a medic for 10 years, every candidate attends Harborview's medic program. No exceptions. 

I just left Washington. 

The testing for their medic positions is tough and is extremely competitive. 


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- Sent from my iPhone.


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## NomadicMedic (Aug 25, 2011)

Also, there are no additional jobs for medics in the Seattle area. In King County, all CCT and flight is done by nurses. 

There is opportunity outside the county. If you do wind up moving  there, pm me and I'll fill you in. 


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- Sent from my iPhone.


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## mrswicknick (Aug 30, 2011)

No matter your experience, you must go through the UW Medic program. Also, most counties in the surrounding area (Mine, Kitsap, included) are the same way. If your not from the UW program, your not getting hired as a medic. Had a friend who is a medic try to apply to BIFD, a Kitsap County Fire Dept, and they wouldn't let him without going through the program. They even tried to see if he could test against that, but the board wouldn't let him.

My credibility: Undergrad at UW, took my EMT-B, in King County, now work in Kitsap.


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## NJmedic3250 (Aug 30, 2011)

Wow. Sounds ridiculous...


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## NomadicMedic (Aug 30, 2011)

Interesting. I know several medics from Kitsap county that went through the Central Washington in Ellensberg or the TCC program. In fact, many of the Bremerton Fire Medics went to TCC. Same with North Kitsap, CK, Mason County, Thurston County, Pierce County and more. 

Bainbridge Island and Jefferson County District 1 are a few of the brainwashed departments that only hire Harborview medics. 





Sent from my iPhone.


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## KingCountyMedic (Sep 4, 2011)

I work at Medic One. Was employed a county or two south for over 15 years and had to go to Paramedic Training all over again. No reciprocity period. It is very hard to get into our program and we like it that way. Every single Medic that sucks it up and goes through our program and makes it (many don't, they quit or get kicked out) will tell you that they learned a ton and come out a better Paramedic. The clinical/field experience is exceptional. When you attend your cardiac lectures you aren't taught by a nurse or senior paramedic, the Chief of Cardiology for UW Hospital comes and teaches you! All classroom lectures are presented by Physicians. You do more field time and see more patients, start more IV's, get more tubes, central lines, run codes.....than any other program around. 

We are not perfect, we don't walk on water. It's not for everyone for sure. I joined up here really just so I could post because I see so many people trash talk my system I just figured you might like to hear from someone that actually works there.  We test every year, we are very well paid and we are for the most part FF/Paramedics although we do have 3rd service in the south end that are Paramedic only but still members of the IAFF and have been since the 70's.

It's the best place in the world to be a Medic in my opinion but that is just my own opinion. I have no issue with any other service, public, private, or fire. We are all in this business to help right? :beerchug:


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## MrBrown (Sep 4, 2011)

Is it a pre-req that Seattle Paramedics be part of the Fire Department like (for example) Whatcom Medic One?

King County has the highest education requirements outside a Commonwealth nation that Brown is aware of; by comparison Australia/New Zealand require a Masters Degree, Canada requires three years education and South Africa requires a Bachelors Degree.


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## KingCountyMedic (Sep 4, 2011)

MrBrown said:


> Is it a pre-req that Seattle Paramedics be part of the Fire Department like (for example) Whatcom Medic One?
> 
> King County has the highest education requirements outside a Commonwealth nation that Brown is aware of; by comparison Australia/New Zealand require a Masters Degree, Canada requires three years education and South Africa requires a Bachelors Degree.



Depends on the provider. Most Paramedic students are current firefighters with their own departments. South King County Medic One is not fire department based, they are in the firefighters Union with their own local (IAFF #2595)

You have to apply for employment at South King County M1 and get hired to go to school. All students are employed at their various department and are paid to go to school. The big difference being if you are a firefighter and you don't make it through training you go back to being a firefighter. If you don't make it through school and you were hired by South King County you just become unemployed so it's a BIG risky commitment. Our program is moving to the 2 year degree thing more than likely. There are many agencies and fire departments in Washington State that have MEDIC ONE all over their rigs and patches but very few are actually Seattle/Harborview trained official Medic One Paramedics.


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## MrBrown (Sep 4, 2011)

Interesting.

You know Seattle/Medic One was mentioned down here as far back as 1992 during Stage 1 of Mobile Intensive Care Officer (Advaced Life Support) training in the context of (at the time) providing a large number of fire stations with Firefighter/EMTs who could rapidly defibrillate but only a very small number (about 10) ALS ambulances and still having extraordinary survival rates.

Oh, Brown's crewmate Black has an old "EMT-Defibrllator" book from Seattle c. mid 1980s it's a whoot to read


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## KingCountyMedic (Sep 4, 2011)

Yea, we have folk from all over the world come ride with us on a regular basis. Our system isn't perfect but it works pretty darn good most days.

Our firefighters are all EMT's and we have several private ambulance services that are also staffed by EMT's. Our BLS companies can get to you very quickly and are all equipped with defib units. We expect a lot from our basic EMT and they deliver! A King County FF/EMT can check your blood glucose and pulse ox, shock your VF or VT. They also carry Epi Pens, give ASA to cardiac chest pain patients, assist patients with their own nitro or nebulizers and have basic training in ECG interpretation. 

We believe having less Medics is better, you see a lot of sick people and you don't have to see a lot of turkeys which really cuts down on the burn out factor. Our CE requirements are tough, 12 ET tubes a year for life, 36 documented IV starts a year for life, 2 central lines a year, 50 hours of CE and we have a recert test every two years.


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