mecklenburg (medic) testing

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jthadu4u09

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I am trying to find out more about how I should prepare to test as a paramedic for mecklenburg/charlotte ems agency aka Medic. I understand they have quite the process and would appreciate any feedback you may have whether u have tested with them or work for them. Thank you
 
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marshmallow22

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Mecklenburg EMS

This looks like an awesome place to work for someone like myself who enjoys being a single function medic. With that said, I have a few questions for anyone that has 1st hand knowledge of the agency:

1) What kind of pay scale do they have, and are they commensurate with experience and higher education?

2) Is there a lot of overtime possibilities, and is overtime paid at time and a half after 40 in a week?

3) Do you work with the same partner?

4) Do the paramedics also run IFT's or just 911 calls?

5) Is there a lot of room for growth/promotional opportunities?

I tried calling Charvetta, but she was out of the office.

Thanks for your responses,
AS
 
NomadicMedic

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I was looking closely at MEDIC, personal reasons are keeping me from Charlotte, but here are a few answers.

Pay starts in the mid 30s. Not great money. You do some IFT, but most of the transfers are done by the NET (non emergency transfer) trucks. It's SSM, no quarters. Most shifts are 12s. There was a ton of OT due to understaffing. The medics I talked to really liked it there, but they were busy as hell. You have different partners each shift.

Seemed like a good service, but typical PUM. There are otters that pay better.
 
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jthadu4u09

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Here is what I have heard about them and from what I can find on their site. I had a buddy of mine tell me about them when I was in paramedic school and I went to college in NC so I would not mind going back. Florida is not hiring firefighter/medics anytime soon and if they do open up there is a LOOOOONNNNG line of applicants that are waiting. Here are my sources:

Website: Medic911

Sign on bonus: 3,000 (unsure of how long your contract is)
Relocation: 3,000 (again, unsure of circumstances)
State retirement, 401K and 457
Health Benefits
Tuition Reimbursement (amazing perk if they allow you to progress into RN/BSN which is something I am looking to do as well)
Paid training
Awesome trucks and not to mention they have their own cadaver lab and simulation center. I have used the iSTAN mannequins for ACLS certification here in Florida and I can tell you from first hand experience that they are great to practice with! They talk to you through a mic in their mouth and tell you SAMPLE history (obviously someone in another room is doing the talking behind a one way mirror) but its a great experience.
I also like that they have onsite fitness facility since I am leaving my gym here if I do move.

My medic friend told me that the pay is not so bad. He had a friend that was offered a position with them but was already hired somewhere else by the time it was offered. From what I hear they start medics out at $20.00 an hour. I also am told that overtime is not uncommon. If you work 4x12 hour shifts a week then you are +8OT at time and a half. $20.00x40 hours = 800.00/week 800.00x52 weeks= 41,600 as your base salary. Add 160/week in OT (8 hours) and you have an extra $8320 in OT (Assuming this is possible). Total=$49,920/year which is not shabby at all considering you live in Charlotte where cost of living is alot less than most places. I see mid 30's if you only hit 36 hours/week which will come out to about 37,440. This is all my theory and calculations based upon hearsay so do not take this as fact. I hope that this is a possible number but I would be happy to make over 40,000 starting since here in South Florida they start medics between 48,000 and 58,000 depending on how far south you go. I think Miami may even be 60,000+. Then again you have to be fire/medic certified, they have to be hiring and you have to factor in cost of living as being extremely higher (cannot find a place 1/1 less than 750.00 in a good area of town and that is about the lowest you can find if it is a GOOD day and you are super lucky).

This is the information I have gathered but I really would love to talk to someone about working conditions, employee support, growth opportunities and call volume as far as the burnout rate and turnover rate. I do see that on their site they have their annual report and 2010 Pillar goals where they scored a 76% of employee satisfaction. I am not sure if that means that 76% of the employees are satisfied with their position in every aspect or how that number has been calculated. I just know they did not meet the number they were looking to exceed. One of the instructors at my school that has been in the biz for a very long time and is an Fire/Medic and BSN has told me that NC is the best state for Emergency Medicine because they write the best protocols and do more research in the field than most states. He is a very intelligent man and I trust he knows what he is talking about. He likes the NC state protocols (especially the I.C.E protocol for cardiac arrest which Florida is now using but was implemented in NC) I have heard nothing but good things about NC and EMS. Pay is relative to the job. I guess if I wanted to make more money I would have become a Doctor, PA or specialty nurse :p
 
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marshmallow22

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Great post, thanks for the info. I'm going to try to get in contact with Charvetta this week to ascertain a ballpark figure on the pay rates and answers to ?'s I have. Right now I'm looking at submitting apps. for Austin EMS and Charlotte. I would also like to submit an app. to Wake County EMS, but apparently I just missed the window for that opportunity. All seem to have very respected and highly talked about systems so it would be great to be part of one of those systems.

AS
 
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jthadu4u09

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Yeah, I applied to Wake but never heard back from them. Oh well, not meant to be. If you speak with Charvetta and she gives you a strait answer as to what you can expect let me know.
 
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jthadu4u09

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Job offered

I was offered a position with Medic but they started me out less than what I could move up there for. 14.50 + benefits, signon and relocation. For me living in South Florida I would take a $10,000 paycut. I am bummed out because I have my BA and AA in EMS but no experience. I am sure they pay better for people with the experience. It was a nice place to visit and they have state of the art facilities and very nice employees. I like that they are not just IFT and slinging lizards all day. :) They know their medicine and threw some crazy questions at me. It seems a good place to work but I am going to pursue a different route in Trauma Nursing. 3 more years of school...HELL I should have gone for my PhD in medicine! :rolleyes: Oh well...Career Profile for me = Professional Student. Two BA degrees and my paramedic certification with a possible MA in nursing! Go me! Good luck in your endeavours!
 
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HatchetHarry

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How difficult was the testing center? Ive worked for a non-emergency ambulance company in South Fl for the past 2 years but have not had much luck finding a job. I am probably going to test with Mecklenberg and hope the 2 years exp will bump up that starting pay to a decent salary.
 
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jthadu4u09

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It was not too bad. The medical questions were the most difficult in my opinion. It seems to be an awesome place to work. I declined the job but was told that if I am interested to contact them. I may still do so. My first medical question was "what is the difference between DKA and HHNK?" so know your stuff. It was a really long day so be prepared to stay for about 6-8 hours. You will be alright. Good luck and keep me posted.
 
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HatchetHarry

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jthadu4u09 said:
It was not too bad. The medical questions were the most difficult in my opinion. It seems to be an awesome place to work. I declined the job but was told that if I am interested to contact them. I may still do so. My first medical question was "what is the difference between DKA and HHNK?" so know your stuff. It was a really long day so be prepared to stay for about 6-8 hours. You will be alright. Good luck and keep me posted.
Click to expand...

Damn medical questions sound tough. Definitely need to study for that especially since its been awhile since I got out of school. Thanks for the heads up
 
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jthadu4u09

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Yes, For sure. Go over your EKG strips as well. I am still unsure if I answered one right or wrong. I think it was a LBB but idk. You just need to brush up on all of that stuff. S/S and tx of CP from the beginning of the call to the end. They do not run you through a medical scenario or ACLS i dont think but they run you through a trauma scenario and ask you a lot of verbal scenario medical questions. 3-4 EKG strips or so. One is Vfib so you do run a verbal acls so know your doses. I am trying to recall it all. The medpat is a joke. The interview is a panel of 2-3 people with typical questions. Research the company and know why you want to work for them. The written is 200 questions, almost like a state test. You will be fine. Just brush up medically, know your doses, run through some scenarios with a friend or old instructor that you still keep in touch with.
 
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DGreno

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Sorry to resurrect an older thread but I didn't want to start a new one for the same questions. I am potentially moving to Charlotte/Mecklenburg soon and am looking at Medic for possible employment. Does anyone have any pros or cons to add for this company? By the time I move, I will have finished paramedic school. Does anyone have a definitive answer to the salary questions for paramedics? FWIW, I have just over 5 years of street experience and a little over 1 year dispatch/EMD experience. Do you think this would help me out? Thanks everyone!
 
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Kpedigo

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grenoble!

hey man been awhile, hope all is well! im looking at mecklenburg as well, pretty excited as its my first chioce after researching them, got my assessment center for them on the 4th so afterwards hopefully maybe i can fill ya in a little more.
 
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Fish

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Kpedigo said:
hey man been awhile, hope all is well! im looking at mecklenburg as well, pretty excited as its my first chioce after researching them, got my assessment center for them on the 4th so afterwards hopefully maybe i can fill ya in a little more.
Click to expand...

Please do
 
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DGreno

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Kelly, Good to see you on here. Hopefully, It will work out for you.
I actually called HR the other day for Medic and got a few answers. They said base for a paramedic is ~34-37K. They also said that you have the same partner every shift and they do posting around town rather than assigned stations. Each shift starts and ends at HQ.
I was actually in Charlotte last weekend to check out the area. My wife and I are really considering moving there in the next year or so. We both have a lot to wrap up in Savannah first.
 
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