I found out our coastal area is considered rural which explains why we have to drive into Salem or Corvallis for any treatment considered more advanced or specialized. I suppose there is less money to be made here and so a less desirable place to live and set up clinics. It sounds like you are looking to work in a hospital setting though, so that shouldn't discourage you.

Living here is mostly great. The beach is everything you can hope for. Make sure you suss out the tides and local warnings about sneaker waves. And there is a lot of rain in the winters. Be sure to really know that.

I don't find the coast overly conservative. It would be different if you were thinking about living in the eastern part.

What surprised me when we moved here four years ago was how poor it is. The coast gets a lot of tourists, but the service industry doesn't pay well. It also means housing can be difficult. People would rather rent short term.

All this sounds bad as I read it over, but honestly, it's really a great place to live. You probably aren't going to buy a house right away. I could say some things about that too. As to which town and which hospital, I think a road trip would help you decide. Take some time to drive 101 and visit the hospitals, see for yourself which looks good to you. Good luck