Rad Tech (RT) jobs in Baldwin County? pay scale? (Mobile: insurance, condo)

[digs5446]

I'm a radiology tech w/ 3+ years experience at Mass General Hospital in Boston, and I am almost done with a Masters in Healthcare Management (I hope to get into management after a few more years at least in a tech role). My wife and I are hoping to relocate to the eastern shore of Mobile Bay (preferably Daphne/Fairhope) in the summer or fall. I do general x-ray and have no experience in CT, MRI etc so I will be looking for either a general x-ray job or a place that would hire and train me in CT.

I've searched the job postings at the few hospitals in the county and all I found was a per diem contract position and an overnight position at the medical center in Foley. Are RT jobs hard to come by in the area? Do they tend to only hire from within, or might they be impressed that I've worked at one of the nation's top hospitals? I know the market for RT's nationwide has slumped lately but I'm really hoping I can find something either before we move or within a couple months of moving. We will be fortunate in having a temporary place to live rent-free (in-laws' waterfront condo in Gulf Shores) while we search for a house and save up for a downpayment, but I will go crazy if I don't start working down there within a couple months tops.

Also, what is the average starting pay down there for RTs? I'm sure it will be much less than Boston (lowest paying places start around $23 an hour for day shift), but living costs and taxes are sooooo much lower than eastern Mass that I'll probably make out well in the end. Anyone know if the hospitals down there only hire at their bottom rate, regardless of whether you have experience and are currently making a few bucks an hour over starting pay?

Any advice or info regarding the hospitals in Baldwin County would be much appreciated. I'm hoping not to commute to Bay Minette if at all possible and will not consider commuting to Mobile. Thanks.

[southernnaturelover]

I you lived in eastern Baldwin County (Elberta, Lillian) the commute wouldn't be that bad to Pensacola. It wouldn't hurt to check the big hospitals there like Sacred Heart or Baptist Hospital.

[digs5446]

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

I you lived in eastern Baldwin County (Elberta, Lillian) the commute wouldn't be that bad to Pensacola. It wouldn't hurt to check the big hospitals there like Sacred Heart or Baptist Hospital.

We're trying to stick closer to the northern part of the eastern Bay shore because we have family in Mobile and would like to be able to scoot back and forth quickly...in other words be within a 10-15 minute drive south of I-10, within a few miles of 98/42. I'm thinking that could be a long commute to Pensacola, especially in rush hour. Lots of gas, too.

[brescott]

I actually worked as an RT at North Baldwin Infirmary.
Jobs are pretty hard to come by in the Mobile/Baldwin area due to the high volume of graduates from USA's program. All the students do clinical rotations at most of the big hospitals. As a result, they usually fill their 2nd shift and prn spots with 'student techs' at a reduced rate. Also, any time a job is about to come available, they typically give it to 1) a current 2nd or 3rd shift employee 2) a student that is about to graduate
I cross trained in CT at USA Medical Center(Mobile). They would probably let you do that at NBI as well.
At Springhill Medical Center (Mobile), it's a little harder to get a cross training CT spot.
Basically, unless you get a job at NBI, you're going to have to drive to Mobile or P'cola to find work.
The supervisor at NBI is Jack Lastorka. I'd call him instead of looking at the HR site. He'll have a better idea of what's going on. I'm pretty sure they'd crosstrain. PM me if you have any other questions.
Good luck!

[brescott]

Oh yeah, base salary is going to be a shocker! Expect 17 (ortho clinic) to 23 (3rd shift at big hospital) around Mobile County. There are a handful of folks making more, but the local college and the lack of state lic. requirements keeps hourly wages fairly low.

[digs5446]

Originally Posted by brescott

I actually worked as an RT at North Baldwin Infirmary.
Jobs are pretty hard to come by in the Mobile/Baldwin area due to the high volume of graduates from USA's program. All the students do clinical rotations at most of the big hospitals. As a result, they usually fill their 2nd shift and prn spots with 'student techs' at a reduced rate. Also, any time a job is about to come available, they typically give it to 1) a current 2nd or 3rd shift employee 2) a student that is about to graduate
I cross trained in CT at USA Medical Center(Mobile). They would probably let you do that at NBI as well.
At Springhill Medical Center (Mobile), it's a little harder to get a cross training CT spot.
Basically, unless you get a job at NBI, you're going to have to drive to Mobile or P'cola to find work.
The supervisor at NBI is Jack Lastorka. I'd call him instead of looking at the HR site. He'll have a better idea of what's going on. I'm pretty sure they'd crosstrain. PM me if you have any other questions.
Good luck!

Thanks very much for the info. That's not very encouraging about having to drive into Mobile or Pensacola. I guess I was hoping I could find something at a smaller place like South Baldwin Med Ctr in Foley, Thomas Mercy in Fairhope...I also heard about a couple satellite imaging centers in Gulf Shores. I guess they probably keep a small number of long-time employees that never leave, so it would have to be a matter of timing and desperation on their parts.

It also sounds like my best bet is to apply for a 2nd or 3rd shift and then hope to move into a day shift at some point. what about random schedules like three 12's? or a combination of every other weekend and a couple evenings? I guess I'm spoiled at my big hospital in Boston, we pretty much have endless schedule permutations. Things open up, they get filled, they open up, etc.

[digs5446]

Originally Posted by brescott

Oh yeah, base salary is going to be a shocker! Expect 17 (ortho clinic) to 23 (3rd shift at big hospital) around Mobile County. There are a handful of folks making more, but the local college and the lack of state lic. requirements keeps hourly wages fairly low.

Wow. $17/hr truly is a shocker. I mean, I knew wages would be considerably lower than Boston, but not that low. I was hoping $18 or $19 as a bottom rate. If you're an experienced tech with several years of raises, i.e. are getting paid considerably more than a new grad, would employers take that into consideration or does every new hire have to start at the bottom of the scale? That would really suck. I've worked too hard to get up to my current wage, which is $4/hr more than our new grads make.

I know the cost of living is way lower down there, which will help, but from what it sounds like the rad tech profession down your way has a professionally lower stature than up here. Of course the MD's and the NP's will always take the cake, but RT's are fairly respected as a bunch up here and can make as much as (if not more than) RN's...we certainly don't have "student techs" doing actual exams under their own names and billing the patient's insurance. I would be pissed if I was the patient! This is why the CARE bill needs to be passed, so there's a national liscensure requirement.