Taking the plunge

[nremtp]

Thanks for your reply fiz, I am considering Florida and according to the AMR website they have quite a few vacancies which appear to have been advertised for several months which means I will almost certainly get a visa.

How short of Paramedics is the USA? Is there enough of a shortage for AMR (or any other company) to pay the $2190 fee to get my visa? Or are paramedics ten a penny? My instructor said that EMT-Bs are plentiful but there is a major shortage of Paramedics, how true is this?

[fiznat]

I'm not sure about this on a national scale, but I know that my division is always running just a tad light on medics. When I finished medic school and called our HR lady, she seemed excited to hear we'd be getting another medic and told me I'd have "absolutely no problem" finding a full time position.

I wouldnt say that medics are rare, but they are definitely in demand here.

If you're worried about spending on the visa and not finding a job, wouldnt it be possible to arrange your employment first before you shell out money?

EDIT: also FYI a lot of AMR divisions pay sign-on bonuses for medics. I know my division does, and it is somewhere to the tune of a few thousand dollars. Ask about that.

[emt-b_wa]

I cant speak for scope of practice but AMR is advertising a $5000 sign on bonus for paramedics, however this is payed out over five years. This offer is primarly in the southeast operations

[678 Responding]

IF you want to go to Florida, most of the ALS systems down there are run by the fire departments. That means that more than likely you'll be made to cross train in fire fighting as well if you go that route. AMR around me, which is the Philadelphia area doesn't do 9-1-1 emergency responses, only transports. As i've heard from others, thats pretty much how it is in FL also, most of the emergency calls are handled by the fire departments as AMR does a lot of non-emergent transports, but this isn't everywhere. They're big, they cover from Hawaii to Connecticut, and as stated before, your experience will differ from place to place. Also, pay varies on what part of the country you are in. You'll be making less in FL then lets say in the north east. Medics are in need, but there are way too many EMTs. For example, in NJ, where I live, for a population of about 9 million people, there are over 22,000 EMTs, but only about 1,500 medics. Just to put it in perspective.

As for the U.S. being ahead of MOST of the countries in EMS, I have to agree and disagree. For the most part, id much rather be sick here than any other place, but they are definitely NOT the most educated and advanced. For example, the Netherlands, requires a Bachelors degree in Nursing with specialty in Cardiac or Anesthesia, several years experience and then go through a 2 year pre-hospital education program. Pretty intense, where as many medics in the U.S. can be out the door in as little as 6 months to as long as 2 years. SO thats a pretty grey area.

If you need anymore info, just let me know. Take Care.

[nremtp]

Thanks for your replies, I am not the one who pays for the visa it is the employer who does that.

I'm not interested in transport it's 911 I want to do as that is what I do in the UK and I love it. I can't even do transport and then change jobs because my visa ties me to one job and one employer for the duration of it.

What states do AMR do 911 in?

A golden handshake is common in the UK as well it can often be up to £8000 tax free depending upon how desperate the trust are and how long you sign up for (if you leave you have to pay it back!)

[678 Responding]

Thanks for your replies, I am not the one who pays for the visa it is the employer who does that.

I'm not interested in transport it's 911 I want to do as that is what I do in the UK and I love it. I can't even do transport and then change jobs because my visa ties me to one job and one employer for the duration of it.

What states do AMR do 911 in?

A golden handshake is common in the UK as well it can often be up to £8000 tax free depending upon how desperate the trust are and how long you sign up for (if you leave you have to pay it back!)

I couldn't tell you exactly for sure what states they do 9-1-1 in. There are others in here that work for them that could answer that question better. The nice thing about AMR is that you can work for them in one state, do one thing, and transfer to another state or different job title without a glitch because its all the same company, just for the info. Try not to limit yourself to just one company, even though they are the biggest. What I would do is pick a particular part of the country you would like to live. Do some research, and see who runs the EMS systems in that area. For example, AMR is in Hawaii, and I belive does 911. But also, in Honolulu they have their own city EMS system. Cities like San Francisco, LA, Philadelphia and NYC. are fire based. Here in NJ, we are hospital based, and have a tiered system. (You ride in Medic chase trucks, and ride in with the BLS ambulance) Look around, see whats the most attractive, do some research and jump into it. If there is anything else you'd like to know, let us know.

[nremtp]

I am looking into other companies as well and have listed about 40 that I am going to approach and according to their websites they are 911 companies not transport/transfer companies.

I asked about AMR because I know they are so big and the bigger the company the bigger the staffing requirements and therefore the more likely they are to shell out $2000 for a work visa for a qualified paramedic.

I am going to offer to forefit my golden handshake if they pay for my visa instead i.e. instead of $5000 over 5 years for example I will forefit this in return for visa sponsorship. What company would possibly turn this down? They are guaranteed a qualified paramedic for the duration of the visa who can't leave and it is costing them $3000 less!!!

Just waiting for my instructor to authorise me to take them CBT exam and then I'm on the next flight over. I would love to work in California actually too much baywatch I guess lol

I can't move to another part of the company acutally as my visa would specify my place of work and to move would mean another visa application. So if I was based in Florida I would need a new visa to work in Hawaii for example. Unless the company was very clever in how they worded my employment contract and then the Department of Labor would have to agree to it anyway.

Thanks for all your help guys, I have no interest in becoming a US citizen or anything like that I just want to work and experience other EMS systems and I know where I would rather wake up every morning expecially in the Winter!!! Florida/Cali or England?

England is a fantastic country in the Summer but our winters are cold and wet.

[678 Responding]

Southern Florida my man, can't beat it. lol

[baseflight]

Hi nremtp,

I'm a British and Canadian citizen living in the US as a permanent resident. I would contact potential employers directly to see if they understand what is involved in sponsoring you. It may be more of a challenge to them dealing with the USCIS than just $$$ to land you a work visa.

I live in the Pacific Northwest and love it here. America is a great country to live in if you have drive and motivation. Good luck on your move.

base