COURTESY OF CHAD JOHNSON, RN, INPATIENT NURSE MANAGER AT CARY MEDICAL CENTER

After working as an ICU nurse in New Mexico, my wife and I felt it was time for a change. We were both born and raised in the desert, and we dreamed of a place with trees and lakes, a place where we could experience all four seasons, as well as a different pace of life for our kids. That dream led us to move across the country to Aroostook County.

Moving to a place we’d never visited was intimidating, but the moment I connected with staff at Cary Medical Center, I knew we were making the right decision. I had seen an advertisement that the hospital was one of the Best Places to Work in Maine, so I applied for a job as an ICU nurse.

The hospital felt like family from the start. During my interview process, I met with the department manager over Zoom, received photos from Human Resources of the snowy Maine winters to share with our kids, and even got a personal call from the CEO, Kris Doody.

I had to ask her probably three or four times who she was because a CEO calling a staff nurse usually isn’t a thing. Once all that happened I was like, you know what? I think this is the place.

There were plenty of unknowns traveling to a corner of the country we had never visited, let alone lived in. 

The culture is extremely different, so that’s something we had to adjust to. We had never visited Maine in our whole life, or ever even been in New England before, so just to move up here and do something completely different and meet all kinds of new people was the hardest part.

That was nearly three years ago. Now, we’re fully settled in. Our kids are thriving in school. My wife, who was a stay-at-home mom during our transition, has taken on a part-time job she enjoys. We spend evenings by the fire and weekends in our backyard surrounded by trees — something we never could have done in the heat of the Southwest.

Sure, the move came as a culture shock, but the people here are incredibly welcoming, and the support we’ve received both at Cary and in the community has made all the difference. Cary Medical Center truly is one of the best places to work, and Northern Maine is one of the best places to live. We love exploring and finding hidden gems throughout the region.

We came for a fresh start. We stayed because it feels like home.

Looking for a workplace that feels like home?

Cary Medical Center is hiring for a variety of roles. From clinical positions to jobs supporting our medical staff in IT, Nutritional Services, Patient Registration, and Administration, there’s an opportunity for you to come home to Cary no matter where you are in your career.

Visit www.carymedicalcenter.org/employment to learn more.