Orlando Area

badphish · Feb 17, 2009

I'm a paramedic in Orlando, so maybe I can help.

Orlando is a very busy, noisy, traffic jammed filled place. It is no Disney World that is for sure. Lucky for you we are suffering the worst of the housing slump, and really nice home can be had cheap.

ORMC is our trauma center, and it is downtown in the dirty crime filled underbelly of O-town. It is a very busy place and you will have plenty of cases. ORMC also encompasses several other hospitals two major ones right next door. Winnie Palmer the womens/OB hospital where they crank out the newborns. Arnold Palmer is the Childrens hospital. they do their own trauma cases and have their own ER, ORMC is kinda dingy in appearance but very busy and motivated.

Florida Hospital - Orlando/South just finished a HUGE tower that triples their capacity so they are probably begging for staff. they are similar to ORMC in that they are downtown and very busy. (all area hospitals are very busy, :) )

My hospital of choice would be Dr. P. Phillips, it is part of the ORMC group. It is in a nicer area, just as busy though. they also just expanded. The nursing staff seem a lil friendlier. you are right next to the tourist area. You also have some of the nicest communities right behind you on the other side of the lake, and up the road in the windermere area.

Where do you live now?

Most everyone here are transplants, so know really stands out . There is plenty to do out here if you are willing to brave traffic at all hours of the day. Locals generally avoid the restaurants and attractions during the weekends. Im not an amusement park kinda guy so dont ask me about the big 3. but those that are here go to the parks often especially in the off season. If you do plan on living here. I reccommend that you visit, and try driving from where you want to work to where you want to live about 6pm on a weekday. this will give you worst-case scenario about your commute.

btw -- the Dr phillips area has tons of great reastaurants minutes from International Drive (tourist land) that are for the most part not known to the tourists.

we have plenty of violent crime so tat means plenty of trauma patients yay.

Putu2Sleep · Feb 17, 2009

Sorry but the traffic can't be no where near what I'm dealing with in D.C. But yea I want a busy hospital so that does sound good. Thanks for the info.

Happy Halothane · Feb 22, 2009

Congrats on starting your anesthesia education...perhaps I can give you a more positive insight on Orlando.

Orlando is considered a decent sized metropolitan area. Like any large city, there are wonderful areas and also areas you wouldn't want to be in after dark. Overall, it's a pretty safe city; but it does see daily drama that's publicized because it's not commonplace yet.

There are 3 major anesthesia groups inside Orlando, with several more on its outskirts.

The largest being JLR, contracted for many of the Florida Hospital/Adventist facilities.
Wolverine Anesthesia is contracted to most of the ORMC facilities, including the Level-1 trauma center ORMC. Dr. P.Philips Hospital is with this group.
Anesthesiologists of Greater Orlando has 2 ORMC hospitals and several outpatient sites. Winnie Palmer, the mother-baby hospital uses them for their approx 15,000 births annually.
Arnold Palmer, the children's hospital, is next door to Winnie Palmer and ORMC. They employ their own anesthesia staff.

Orlando is a great place to live...plenty of lakes, close to the beach, and accessible to anywhere in Florida. As an anesthesia provider, you will need to find ways to communicate with spanish/creole speaking patients...in addition to foreigner tourists visiting the attractions.

Best of luck to you.

ECU_CRNA2B · Mar 2, 2009

Just wanted to say thanks for all the great info here... I graduated last May and have been working in NC since. I am considering move to central florida and have been doing the best i can just searching the internet randomly for information (and gaswork).

Badphish and happy halothane any other info you may have on the conditions of CRNA practice there would be helpful. I am lucky to have a very autonomous practice here and wonder what it is like there....

thanks!!!

badphish · Mar 4, 2009

Did you have to give up work to get your CRNA just curious i have always been interested in that career path.

Happy Halothane · Mar 5, 2009

Full Time work, absolutely must be put aside. These programs are heavily didactic in the front part, and heavily clinical after that (50+hrs/week). Any free time should be spent with friends/family. If you approach it like a full-time job itself, it's not that bad.

I've kept a very part-time job as a medic, but only in between semesters...and sporadic at that. It allows for a change of scenery, and a decent time to study.

ECU_CRNA2B · Mar 5, 2009

Oh yes. I don't know how i could have done both, b/w the homework, careplans, OR time and shear mental/physical exhaustion. Most programs make sure your days are pretty full and when they aren't there is ALWAYS something you should be reading, studying or writing...