OMG CANADA!

I've been communicating regularly with the department manager at a hospital outside Vancouver BC.

I got an email from her today. She wants to interview me in the next couple weeks, so that when I pass the CAMRT exam in May, everything will be in place for me to start working ASAP!

This is rather convenient, since Paul will be on Spring Break, and I'll be off from the 22nd-27th.

Update

I still haven't heard back from that local clinic where my friend/coworker works. The last I heard from them, about a month ago, was that they were still checking my references, and not to worry. I've all but given up hope on getting that job. Oh well. My friend/coworker says they kinda suck anyway.

I didn't get that VA job in Oklahoma City, although I was one of the short-listed candidates. I guess they had enough local applicants who didn't require relocation assistance. Oh well. Oklahoma sucks anyway.

The CEO of a little hospital in Idaho called me a couple weeks ago...I'd applied for a job there back in November, it's a full-time, benefitted combined lab/x-ray position which means I'd be drawing blood AND taking x-rays. It's 7 days on, 7 days off, which is an interesting schedule. He said he's had a hard time finding people interested in the position because it's in a rather remote location, and that he wanted to do a face-to-face interview, but I'm not sure I feel like flying out to frickin' Boise and then renting a car and driving two hours just for an interview, when I've got plans to sit for the CAMRT in May. Oh well. Idaho sucks anyway.

I get to have a chat with my boss sometime this week regarding CT training. Apparently she doesn't want to give me official CT training because she isn't sure of my "commitment to this hospital". I kinda want to tell her, "Look, I've been at this hospital for the better part of a year, despite the fact that I had another unscheduled position that paid $5 more an hour and I quit after one day because I didn't feel comfortable there like I do here. You'll also notice that when I was teaching, I worked around my schedule here, instead of the other way around. How's THAT for commitment?" Besides, the only reason I'm even looking for another job is for healthcare benefits. I don't want to leave this place, I love it, the people are nice, and we have a really well-run department. But I just got a bill from the ER at my own hospital, and it was over $600, on top of the $400+ bill that Paul got when I had to take HIM to my hospital's ER last month. How the hell am I supposed to pay all that when I'm the only one working and I only get scheduled two or three days a week? All I really need is a part-time position WITH BENEFITS. Is that honestly too much to ask for?

On a related note, today I applied for a full-time, benefitted CT tech position at a hospital about half an hour away. They only require an associate's degree, and I not only have a bachelor's degree with an entire term of CT, I also have about 10 full months of CT experience. I interviewed there for a position in their cardiac cath lab last year, like 2 days after I applied, so I know those guys are on the ball when it comes to HR stuff.

I got all my CAMRT application materials together and mailed them in on Feb. 13th, they arrived in Ottawa on the 17th, a day before the deadline. Now comes the fun part: waiting. I hope they decide that my curriculum is substantially similar to a Canadian program. I wonder how long it takes. Maybe I'll call them in a couple hours, since they're on Eastern time and it's not like I'm even doing anything at work tonight. Good news, though: I've got a couple hospitals in the Vancouver, BC area already interested in hiring me once I pass the CAMRT exam, which I've found is similar to the ARRT exam that I passed with an 88%, two years ago. Woohoo!

I need to call the hospital business office when I get home from work, and see if we can qualify for financial assistance with those ER bills. The last thing I need on my credit record is YET ANOTHER blemish, it's utterly destroyed as it is. Ugh.

Interviews

I had an interview on Monday at a local clinic, where my friend/co-worker KN works. It's a part-time weekend position, and although they don't know if they'll be able to give it enough hours to get benefits, it'll be good to have a regular scheduled weekend position to count on when I'm not scheduled much at the hospital. It turns out I know another person who works there, too, who also worked at the clinic where I did my externship. She's in the mammography department. I hope she will put in a good word for me as well...she knows I'm a good tech, after all, and two recommendations from current employees would certainly convince ME to hire someone if I were a manager-type-person. I would like this job very much.

*sigh* Today I had a phone interview for an x-ray/CT position at the VA hospital...in Oklahoma City. It sounds like a fantastic opportunity, and one with absolutely no pediatrics. The starting pay and benefits are fantastic ($45k/year STARTING, with 4 hours each of sick time and vacation accrued every pay period and a raise after 6 months...FUCK YEAH), and working for the gubmint means that I can transfer damn near anywhere I want in the world if I get sick of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. I'm not sure I want to move all that way, though, especially when I'm planning to sit for the Canadian x-ray registry exam in Burnaby May 19th. I've got a good chance at this job though, as they are hiring four people. It's a night shift position with a Saturday to Wednesday schedule. It sounds awesome...but...MOVING SUCKS! And I don't know if they'd offer relocation assistance. *sigh*