The Healthcare Professional’s Guide to Atlanta

Atlanta has a reputation as a huge place, so you might be surprised to learn that only about 500,000 people live in the actual city. But when most people talk about Atlanta, they’re referring to the sprawling metropolitan Atlanta area, which is home to about 6 million people. And it could be 6 million plus one if you take a healthcare job in the capital of Georgia.

And why not? What could be better than taking a job in your chosen profession that lets you live in one of the most vibrant metropolitan areas in the country? With a wide array of healthcare facilities and countless opportunities for fun, Atlanta is a fantastic destination for healthcare professionals. And AMN Healthcare can help you land a job in this exciting city.

Lifestyle benefits

Of course, a competitive salary is one of everyone’s favorite benefits of working as a healthcare professional. You can make an excellent living working with AMN Healthcare while maintaining a flexible schedule.

Other benefits of working in Atlanta:

• You’ll never run out of opportunities to enjoy yourself. Atlanta and the greater metropolitan area offer a nearly endless array of ways to pass the time. Museums, sporting events, festivals, fine dining…you name it, Atlanta has it.
• You can set your schedule. Once you know your work schedule, you can plan the rest of your time accordingly. Want to spend an entire day, leisurely wandering in and out of shops? You can do that. Want to plan a weekend at a music festival? You can do that, too. Some healthcare professionals ask to stack their workdays together, so they’ll have blocks of time so they can travel more extensively during their downtime. Others just go with the flow.
• You can plan future vacations around your job. Did you leave your friends and family at home to take a job in Atlanta? No worries. You can arrange to take a week, a few weeks, or even a few months off in between jobs so you can return home. Or you could travel around the country--or the world!
• You can return to Atlanta for future jobs. Once you’re licensed to work in Georgia, you can easily take future jobs in the state--without having to go through the process of getting another license.

Let your recruiter know your career goals and ideal lifestyle so they can help you determine what kind of housing you’ll need to book to accommodate your support system.

Facilities

Working with a staffing company like AMN Healthcare is a great way to find out what it’s like to work in a particular kind of healthcare facility.

What kind of healthcare facility do you have in mind when you envision yourself working in? Do you want to work in a large urban medical center, or do you prefer a smaller hospital in the suburbs? Are you eager to work in a teaching hospital, or do you prefer a community hospital model?

It's important to start thinking about the facility that works best for your career growth and goals. With the wide array of healthcare jobs that we offer in Atlanta, this foresight will help you narrow down your options.

We typically have openings in the following types of facilities:

• Large academic medical centers
• Mid-size and smaller hospitals
• Magnet facilities
• Clinics
• Rehabilitation/Skilled nursing facilities
• Home health companies

You can also search our job database for jobs for specialty roles. If you have a specialty certification or training under your belt, your experience is sure to be in demand.

Taking a job in Atlanta is a terrific opportunity to boost your career, too. When you list that job on your resumé, that experience will make you a more desirable candidate for future jobs, wherever you go.

Things to do

We know you’ll work hard when you’re on the job. But we hope you’ll devote just as much energy to enjoying your time off, too. To that end, we’ve put together a diverse list of activities and places to visit in Atlanta to get you started.

Atlanta Botanical Garden

You can’t go wrong with an outing to the Atlanta Botanical Garden, especially in the warm-weather months when you can sip on drinks and enjoy live entertainment during the popular Cocktails in the Garden events in the evenings. But at any hour, you’ll enjoy the 30 acres of gardens, along with an award-winning Children’s Garden, in the heart of Midtown.

Atlanta History Center

If this is your first visit to Atlanta, you may be interested in learning more about your new home-away-from home. Your first stop should be the Atlanta History Center. Founded in 1926, the museum is in the upscale neighborhood of Buckhead. You can learn about how railroads contributed to the growth of Atlanta, the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta, the state of Georgia’s original Native American inhabitants, and more.

Atlanta’s Professional Sports Teams

Each one of Atlanta’s five (yes, five) professional sports teams really deserves its own category, but we’re going lump them all in together here, so you can figure out which ones you want to check out. You’ve got the Atlanta Braves (Major League Baseball), the Atlanta Hawks (National Basketball Association), the Atlanta Falcons (National Football League), the Atlanta Dream (Women's National Basketball Association), and Atlanta United FC (Major League Soccer). Pick your favorite sport and go cheer for the home team. Bonus points if you also visit the College Football Hall of Fame in downtown Atlanta.

Concert Series at Chastain Park

If you love listening to live music under the stars—and how could you not? —be sure to buy tickets to a concert at Cadence Bank Amphitheatre in historic Chastain Park. The outdoor amphitheater, which is considered one of the city’s premier concert venues, has been declared Atlanta’s oldest outdoor music venue by virtue of its opening date in 1944.

Georgia Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium is one of those attractions that people will definitely ask you about: “Oh, you’re going to Atlanta? You are going to the aquarium, right?” The Georgia Aquarium is home to beluga whales, tiger sharks, manta rays, sea lions, whale sharks, and more. Book a Behind the Seas Tour to get a little closer to the animals and learn more about them.  And if you’re adventurous and want to get really up close and personal with some of those sea creatures, you can book a Shark Cage Dive or a Journey with Gentle Giants.

Little 5 Points

Visit Little 5 Points on the east side of Atlanta, about two-and-a-half miles out of downtown. Browse for retro clothing and other treasures at the Junkman’s Daughter. Spend some money at Criminal Records, Pink Zebra boutique, Outback Bikes and other local shops. Grab some coffee at Aurora Coffee or grab drinks at The Vortex Bar & Grill or the Porter Beer Bar. Listen to live music and chow down on a po’boy sandwich at Front Page News or eat something healthy at Arden’s Garden. Now that we think about it, you’ll probably need to make multiple trips.

National Center for Civil and Human Rights

A visit to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is an absolute must during your stay in Atlanta. Learn more about the history of the civil rights movement in the United State and find out how it’s still relevant to the current day’s events. The center, which opened in 2014, also houses papers and artifacts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Oakland Cemetery

If the idea of visiting a cemetery for fun seems a little weird to you, this might be your first visit to the south. Atlantans love Oakland Cemetery, and you will, too. Oakland Cemetery is the oldest public park in Atlanta and 48 manicured acres of green space, beautiful gardens, sculptures, and artwork. Yes, you can visit the final resting places of some of Atlanta’s most famous former residents. After you’ve wandered around and enjoyed the sights, venture across the street to eat at the well-named Six Feet Under Pub and Fish House.

Ponce City Market

Food halls are popping up all over, and Ponce City Market is Atlanta’s biggest and perhaps best-known food hall. An old, converted Sears building is home to the trendy food hall. What do you feel like eating? Indian food? Iranian cuisine?  Hot chicken? Vietnamese pho? Gourmet doughnuts? It’s all there–and more. Be sure to go up and check out the views from The Roof while you’re there!

Street Art Tours

Looking for something a little more off-the-beaten-path? Try a self-tour of Atlanta’s Street Art.  One favorite: make a trip around the city to see the Atlanta United FC – Spirit of 17 Murals. A great walking tour to try: the Edgewood Avenue Walking Tour, which features dozens of examples of eye-catching street art.

The Varsity

California has In-N-Out Burger. Texas has Whataburger. Atlanta has The Varsity. If you haven’t had a Varsity hot dog and a frosted orange shake, have you even really been to Atlanta? This local fast-food chain got its start in 1928 and quickly became an Atlanta institution. Today the Varsity Downtown bills itself as the World’s Largest Drive-In Restaurant, and it’s a must-visit, even if you normally gravitate to healthier fare.

World of Coca-Cola

The World of Coca-Cola Museum is one of Atlanta’s most famous attractions. Here’s your chance to learn the history behind this iconic beverage, tour the vault where the famous secret formula is stored–and sample a dizzying array of carbonated soft drinks from around the world in the Taste It! exhibit. (Pro tip: watch out for the soda flavor named Beverly.)

Why work for AMN Healthcare?

We proudly offer an incredible array of well-paying healthcare jobs, including many in Atlanta.  We’re also proud of our dedicated staff of recruiters, our clinical experts and other support teams for healthcare professionals, the excellent benefits, and all the other opportunities that we can offer.

Here are a few key reasons to consider signing on with us:

• We make it easy for you. We designed the AMN Passport app to make it easy to search for jobs and book assignments. You can also use the app to manage your assignments, connect with like-minded professionals, and much more.
• You’ll gain access to our database of healthcare jobs. We have the largest, most comprehensive database of healthcare jobs in the industry, including exclusive contracts with several leading healthcare organizations, including prestigious magnet hospitals.
• We offer full-time support. Our team wants you to succeed, so we offer support and make sure you get everything that you need. Your recruiter is always available to talk with you about current or future jobs. We also have dedicated team members to answer questions and troubleshoot problems if you have need help with housing, credentialing, or payroll, too.
• We offer round-the-clock clinical support. If you run into a question about a clinical matter on the job, you can call our clinical team and receive urgent assistance at any time of day or night.
• We offer licensure assistance. Depending on your role and location, we offer various levels of licensure support to help you work as soon as possible.

AMN Healthcare also offers some of the best benefits in the healthcare industry.

• Premium health benefits. Perhaps more important than ever before, our health benefits will give you the peace of mind to know that you have access to healthcare when you need it, too. Our options include PPO and HMO health benefits, as well as life insurance, vision insurance, and disability insurance – for you and your family. Plus, you don’t have to wait a month or three for these benefits to kick in. Coverage starts on Day One.
• Retirement savings. We offer a generous 401(k) matching program that will help you save money for your retirement.
• Free continuing education. To make it easier for you to stay updated on the latest evidence-based research and developments in your profession, we offer free continuing education unit (CEU) courses.
• Complimentary Employee Assistance Program. Your well-being matters. That's why we provide you and your family with resources for healthcare, mental health, financial health, and other support. Learn more about this robust support program here.

Interested in working in Atlanta? Contact an AMN Healthcare recruiter to start the application process or visit our job search page to find a job that’s a great fit for you!