# Paramedic jobs in Washington?



## MichaelG (Oct 2, 2014)

Hello,

Does anyone know of any services that are hiring paramedics in Washington?  I am in Puyallup but will practically travel anywhere.  I have been a medic 12 years and am really taken back by how few jobs there are.  Maybe everyone is happy in their jobs here? I just moved from Georgia.  I am so tempted to try and work as a basic. ha

Thank you


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## PotatoMedic (Oct 2, 2014)

Rural Metro, Falck, AMR, Olympic Ambulance, ALS in Yakama, Lifeline (i think) That is the short list.


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## PotatoMedic (Oct 2, 2014)

Also look up prosser memorial hospital.  They are currently hiring medics


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## MichaelG (Oct 3, 2014)

Thank you, I have applied at most of those.


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## Grozler (Oct 4, 2014)

AMR in Spokane is great. I did my internship there, you don't run second fiddle to fire like on the west side and decent people seem to be running the joint. Good rigs, equipment, protocols.


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## NomadicMedic (Oct 5, 2014)

Be prepared for lousy pay, unless you are a fire medic. For example, ALS in Yakima starts their paramedics at 10.50 an hour.

On the contrary, per diem ALS at Olympic in Bremerton pays $22 an hour.


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## MichaelG (Oct 5, 2014)

Thank you...I am definitely going to check out Olympic.


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## jayfus (Oct 18, 2014)

What you want is Mason County Medic One. BETTER than olympic altho they are sister companies. At MCMO you are actually part of the 911 system


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## NomadicMedic (Oct 18, 2014)

Landing a job at Mason County Medic One is VERY difficult. The medical director prefers to have paramedics that are homegrown from that system and it's difficult to get cleared otherwise. Medics seldom leave... And the pay, well... It just sucks. 

I worked some per diem shifts there, just before I left, and had a great time. RSIed a patient, transported to the ED and a few hours later did the IFT to Harborview.


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## Emergency Metaphysics (Mar 9, 2015)

I'm going to resurrect this thread for just a bit and ask those with experience in Washington to list from best pay to worst pay those services likely to hire freshly-minted paramedics from out of state. Also, any advice for those of us applying to the Washington job market?

As always, thanks.
M.


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 9, 2015)

Best pay? King County Medic One. 
Next best? Any west side fire medic job
Worst pay? Any private company paramedic job.

Advice? Work in a different state, unless you plan to work as a firemedic or for KCM1.


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## Emergency Metaphysics (Mar 9, 2015)

DEmedic said:


> Best pay? King County Medic One.
> Next best? Any west side fire medic job
> Worst pay? Any private company paramedic job.
> 
> Advice? Work in a different state, unless you plan to work as a firemedic or for KCM1.




Thanks for this. But let me press you on why to work in another state? What makes Washington a place to avoid?


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## gotbeerz001 (Mar 9, 2015)

Emergency Metaphysics said:


> Thanks for this. But let me press you on why to work in another state? What makes Washington a place to avoid?


Seemed like he spelled it out rather clearly... If you do not work as one of the top two options listed, the job will suck.


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 9, 2015)

gotshirtz001 said:


> Seemed like he spelled it out rather clearly... If you do not work as one of the top two options listed, the job will suck.



That really sums it up. If you want to work as a firefighter paramedic, you will eventually get hired (it may take a while) and you'll make a lot of money, have great benefits and and a killer retirement. If you don't want to be a fire medic or work for KCM1, you will make lousy money, work for a bottom feeder company and have crummy benefits and, at best a 401k with a minimal match. There's better options out there.

There are other decent places to work in WA, like Island EMS, Skagit Medic One and a few others, but those jobs are very rare. I'd KILL to work at Cascade in Leavenworth, but they never hire.


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## COmedic17 (Mar 9, 2015)

If you lived in Vancouver Washington you could easily work in Portland Oregon or somewhere in Oregon that's decently close. Oregon pays a little bit better, but for out of state reciprocity they require you to have an Associates degree. Or you can have an active job offer and agree to obtain the Associates degree within the first couple years of hire. However no one will give you a job offer unless you have a state license......so basically you need an associates.


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 9, 2015)

I know you're interested in Washington, but if you're a freshly minted paramedic, looking to flex those new medical muscles, I'd suggest Texas. Physician directed protocols, pretty progressive medicine, relatively easy to find a job… 

I'd also throw Acadian out there as an option. They're always looking, pay a 10K sign on bonus for medics and you only have to stay for two years. Go work in Louisiana, get a couple years experience as a medic, pay off your bills, then go somewhere and land your career job or finish school and become an RN or something. 

Before I found Sussex in Delaware, I was seriously looking at REMSA. Reno isn't that bad.


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## Emergency Metaphysics (Mar 10, 2015)

DEmedic said:


> I know you're interested in Washington, but if you're a freshly minted paramedic, looking to flex those new medical muscles, I'd suggest Texas. Physician directed protocols, pretty progressive medicine, relatively easy to find a job…
> 
> I'd also throw Acadian out there as an option. They're always looking, pay a 10K sign on bonus for medics and you only have to stay for two years. Go work in Louisiana, get a couple years experience as a medic, pay off your bills, then go somewhere and land your career job or finish school and become an RN or something.
> 
> Before I found Sussex in Delaware, I was seriously looking at REMSA. Reno isn't that bad.




Thanks again. It's sometimes difficult for someone who's still new to the field to wade through what are legitimate critiques of an employer and what are simply whinging and complaining from disgruntled workers. Know what I mean? I'll look elsewhere other than Washington. It's funny you should mention Texas, as it was in my Top 3 places to apply for jobs.

Anywhere is better (I think) than South Dakota and its 8 months of winter.

Cheers.


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 10, 2015)

Yeah... I hear that. I love living in the sun. And no, I'm not disgruntled, just a realist.  I loved living in WA. I would have loved to stay in Seattle, but I couldn't see myself working for KCM1 or as a fireman.


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## MichaelG (Mar 10, 2015)

I have been a medic for 11 years.  I moved to Seattle, WA to get away from the south. I lived in Atlanta, GA.  I moved here in August and I just finally got a job in February with an Ambulance service.  I have been working as a telemetry/monitor tech at a Seattle hospital. The struggle to find a job has definitely encouraged me to go back to school.


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## RocketMedic (Mar 11, 2015)

I would sooner ram spikes through my hands than work Acadian in a decent part of Texas, and I'd rather work minimum-wage AMR than live in the Beaumont area. 

If you're new, you should look at a decently busy ssm outfit.


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 11, 2015)

Not for nothing Rocket, but I think you would be the last person to trust on the opinion and merits of a system. 

The EMS job you want doesn't exist. Or maybe it does, in Oz. (The imaginary land, not Australia.)


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## MedicWoman (Aug 22, 2015)

Ok, I've read through this thread and have some questions:

I'm not sure I'm firefighter material, but I'd like to try to pursue a Paramedic career in WA (possibly Clark or Snohomish County). My family is here and it would be difficult to move them too far away. Plus, my husband needs to be in a tech city for his career. KCMO is currently out of reach for me, but I've heard Clark County hires Paramedics that aren't fire. I know the consensus is to not try to work in Washington, but I'm wondering about Clark County and if anyone has experience there, or anywhere near Portland.

Thanks.


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## Parameduck (Sep 20, 2015)

MedicWoman said:


> Ok, I've read through this thread and have some questions:
> 
> I'm not sure I'm firefighter material, but I'd like to try to pursue a Paramedic career in WA (possibly Clark or Snohomish County). My family is here and it would be difficult to move them too far away. Plus, my husband needs to be in a tech city for his career. KCMO is currently out of reach for me, but I've heard Clark County hires Paramedics that aren't fire. I know the consensus is to not try to work in Washington, but I'm wondering about Clark County and if anyone has experience there, or anywhere near Portland.
> 
> Thanks.


  I've looked into KCMO. Why is it out of reach for you?  I still need one more year experience to apply but it seems they're hiring.


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## waaaemt (Sep 21, 2015)

MedicWoman said:


> Ok, I've read through this thread and have some questions:
> 
> I'm not sure I'm firefighter material, but I'd like to try to pursue a Paramedic career in WA (possibly Clark or Snohomish County). My family is here and it would be difficult to move them too far away. Plus, my husband needs to be in a tech city for his career. KCMO is currently out of reach for me, but I've heard Clark County hires Paramedics that aren't fire. I know the consensus is to not try to work in Washington, but I'm wondering about Clark County and if anyone has experience there, or anywhere near Portland.
> 
> Thanks.



I know for Clark County,  AMR in Vancouver is the non fire service.  I hear the pay isn't too terrible , and they are primary.
Try north country ems near mt st Helens which is the county run service . They usually are always  hiring part time medics and pay $18 an hour. You could work both!


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## Grozler (Sep 24, 2015)

Sorry to report Snohomish County is all fire based EMS and very competitive but not impossible. But I will bang the drum all day for AMR in Spokane if you are open to the eastern part of the state.


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## PotatoMedic (Sep 24, 2015)

Heck AMR Spokane will even give you a 5k signing bonus since they are so short staffed.


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## coloradoskiguy (Sep 25, 2015)

Apply for the Medic One program!


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## TransportJockey (Sep 25, 2015)

coloradoskiguy said:


> Apply for the Medic One program!


Don't you have to redo medic school if you go that route?


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## Grozler (Sep 25, 2015)

You get paid to go through the arguably best training a paramedic can get and have a guaranteed job when you're done. If you're a practicing lawyer from Joe schmoe law school and you get offered one of the best jobs out there but you have to go to Harvard Law school in order to get it, would you?


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## TransportJockey (Sep 25, 2015)

Grozler said:


> You get paid to go through the arguably best training a paramedic can get and have a guaranteed job when you're done. If you're a practicing lawyer from Joe schmoe law school and you get offered one of the best jobs out there but you have to go to Harvard Law school in order to get it, would you?


If i wouldnt take too much of a pay cut to do that i would do it. Qt the very least i wouldnt have to pay to do ce hours for my current cards and certs


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## Grozler (Sep 25, 2015)

The pay, working conditions, continuing education, benefits, et al are very niiiiiiiiiice. 

The biggest thing has already been mentioned is that it's kind of a mother may I system. Having done a handful ride along there, the medics don't call for orders as much as they call to tell the doc what they are going to do to which the reply is something along the lines of "ok, see you in 5." Granted I haven't seen a super sick patient or something that stumped the medics I was with but that's how I understand the system to run.


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## Parameduck (Oct 2, 2015)

TransportJockey said:


> If i wouldnt take too much of a pay cut to do that i would do it. Qt the very least i wouldnt have to pay to do ce hours for my current cards and certs



according to their website you make about $50k while you are in school at UW Harborview.  a great portion of your training is in the field as well.  South King County looks like a great place to work, all  ALS.


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## waaaemt (Oct 8, 2015)

If you go to amr.net and look at jobs in Washington,  they have quite a few paramedic openings and about half a dozen with 5000 sign on bonuses. Just throwing that out there.


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## Vegasmedic (Nov 8, 2015)

I work for AMR Spokane. We do have the hiring bonus of 5k, about 3500 after taxes. We are actually starting to fill up on medics thanks to this bonus. Our relationship with spokane fire sucks. There arrogant and terrible for the most part at there jobs. They have scene control and can chose to ride in if they want to. It's a good stepping stone to something else. Pay is good for the area and our union isn't terrible. If I can tell you anything else let me know.


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## NomadicMedic (Nov 8, 2015)

OIF3vet said:


> I work for AMR Spokane. We do have the hiring bonus of 5k, about 3500 after taxes. We are actually starting to fill up on medics thanks to this bonus. Our relationship with spokane fire sucks. There arrogant and terrible for the most part at there jobs. They have scene control and can chose to ride in if they want to. It's a good stepping stone to something else. Pay is good for the area and our union isn't terrible. If I can tell you anything else let me know.




Eh, you're not exactly selling it. Sounds like an AWFUL system ... And a paramedic job that offers a sign on bonus immediately throws up a red flag to me.


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