Finding a job in the San Francisco / San Jose Bay Area

Sitting down to write this article, the song “Sittin’ by the dock of the bay” began to (involuntarily) invade my thoughts—which can probably be attributed to a local deejay’s obsession with the song.  Nonetheless, the song does sort of get you in that sunshine, crystal waters, California kind of mood.  Well, hopefully this article will do the same.  If you’re a doctor looking to move to the San Francisco Bay or Sacramento area, you can read through the various sections below to better ascertain if practicing medicine by the bay, or near the bay, is indeed for you.

Climate

For many, California’s sunny, mild winters and sunny, mild summers are enough to lure them to this palm-tree speckled area.  Akin to a Mediterranean climate, California’s weather varies little from season to season, as it is moderated by the Pacific Ocean.  Typically you can expect dry summers, wetter winters, and plenty of ocean breezes.

Culture

The San Francisco Bay area, particularly San Francisco itself, caters to the affluent like few other cities.  After the internet boom, plenty of highly educated, highly paid people flocked to the Bay area.  As a result many neighborhoods experienced gentrification, which basically means the wealthy seeped into all sorts of areas, renovating and upgrading older houses.  Boutiques, like those found on Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights, and fine dining restaurants are nestled within walking distance of many of these chic neighborhoods.

Sacramento’s culture is similar to the Bay area’s in many ways, for example both boast an extremely diverse population.  Sacramento also has a rich history, which is beautifully displayed in its appropriately named historical district.  Cobbled streets and old brick buildings have been renovated, making the district a huge tourist destination complete with old-fashioned train rides and paddle streamers.

Fine Arts

There’s no business like show business and no place like California, well, place.  The San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento are both bustling with entertainment venues.  Here are some of the Bay area venues: San Francisco's War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, the U.S. The War Memorial Opera House, the San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Ballet, the Davies Symphony Hall, and the Fillmore.  Furthermore the area hosts touring productions of Broadway shows in a number of vintage venues (think 1920s) in the Theater District such as the Curran, Orpheum, and Golden Gate Theatres.  Meanwhile, Sacramento is also home to such production sites as the Sacramento Convention Center’s Community Center Theatre, Memorial Auditorium, and Wells Fargo Pavilion, the California Musical Theatre and its Summer stock theatre, and the Sacramento Theatre Company performing in the McClatchy Main stage.  There’s also the Sacramento Shakespeare Festival which provides outdoor entertainment every summer in William Land Park.

Sports

For the sporting enthusiasts there is the famous San Francisco 49ers of the NFL, the oldest major professional sports franchise in the area. The team began playing in 1946 and has since won five Super Bowl titles with the help of pro-athletes like Joe Montana, Steve Young, Ronnie Lott, and Jerry Rice.  Now, if your taste runs more towards baseball, the Major League San Francisco Giants now call California home and has boasted such stars as Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and Barry Bonds.  And what about basketball, you ask?  Nearby Sacramento is home to the NBA’s Sacramento Kings who play in the ARCO Arena.

Well, hopefully this brief overview has helped illuminate the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Areas.  You should also know that both metros host international airports, which makes overseas travel a convenient, smooth process (well, as smooth as international travel goes anyway).  And hey, a locale that inspires a classic song—the kind of song that stays in your head regardless of how many times you try and rid yourself of its stubborn presence—must be a site to behold indeed.