Thinking ahead about moving to California

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EchoMikeTango

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I have been wanting to make the move to the west coast for years now. I am to start paramedic school here in new jersey , and when I am done, I plan on moving.

Anyone have any advice as far as if this is a good idea, if it will be diffucult.

I love the san fran area, I have visted some friends several times, and I just love the area.

thanks guys!
 
thegreypilgrim

thegreypilgrim

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Well, California is an awesome place to live. Fantastic weather, lots of things to do, beautiful areas. The problem is its EMS system is super lame. So, if you're looking to be a medic out here be prepared for a stripped-down scope of practice, and getting talked down to in an extremely condescending manner by hospital staffs until you show them you're not a moron (and even then, your ego will be subject to periodic decimation for good measure).

There are a few places in California, however, where EMS is well executed and you actually get to be a paramedic. Northern California tends to be better than the southern region (except for ICEMA - click on the link to the policies/protocols to see why), so if you're looking at the Bay Area you should be squared away.
 
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San Fransico EMS is portrayed accurately in the NBC documentary Trauma.

If you can do Robert Wood Johnson for a year before moving, it will be a very good experience.
 
mycrofft

mycrofft

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You and CaptainJonLucPiccard need to talk!

;)
Calfornia is a country and you can find anything you want, most of which pays poorly versus local cost of living.
 
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Spoolin415

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Honestly, it depends on what you value in your life. Yeah, CA has nice weather, but the state is broke, taxes are through the roof, there are new nanny laws every day, you can't do this and you can't do that. Thats not even getting into EMS.

I'm in the Bay Area now and EMT-B is basically patient transport. The pay is better than national average for EMT-B, but the cost of living is quite high. If you are looking to progress to EMT-P or RN then there is decent money to be made, especially if you go the RN route.

AMR is the company to get with as they pay the best and are union. However, their entrance isn't as easy as just showing up. There is a oral interview, written scenario test, etc. Pro Transport is another decent Bay Area company to get on board with.

I'm leaving CA and going back to school to be a RN, hopefully that helps you a bit.
 
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I have thought about moving CA further West. Hollywood already moved to Toronto so why not.
 
guardian528

guardian528

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EMTRob said:
I have been wanting to make the move to the west coast for years now....I love the san fran area, I have visted some friends several times, and I just love the area.
Click to expand...

if you've really wanted to, and you love the area, then do it. sounds like a decision that will make you happy. there will be jobs wherever you go. some will pay more, some will pay less, some will be extremely hard to get, some you can just walk in a sign up. however, at the end of the day, i think its more important to be somewhere that makes you happy, but pays less, than be somewhere you don't enjoy, but you're getting paid more.
 
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atropine

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Well the market out here sucks for now, I mean if you want to make real $$$, and meet hot nurses all the FD's are straped for cash, but can work the privates for peanuts.
 
DV_EMT

DV_EMT

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Don't do it unless your moving for the scenery and weather.

EMS out here is a horrible system. Over-saturated market for EMT's and you cant really use a CC-P because of state law :/
 
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