Hospital Contracts for Students

I live in Austin and there are some anesthesia groups in town that will do that. What I would do is talk to some of the CRNA's that have done it that are with the group. I am saying that because here the group that pays for school...the CRNA's run to the hills after their contract is up. Not exactly sure why, but it looks fishy. All I would say is check it out.

How to find out who does it? Just call some anesthesia groups where you are and ask. Good luck!

It's a very common recruiting tool. There are several threads on this forum about the pro's and con's of tuition reimbursement and sign-on bonuses with contractual obligations.

I took one of these scholarship from a big hospital chain, and although the money was to complete my BSN, not to study anesthesia, I think the principle is probably the same whereas they ask you to work for them for a year for each year of financial sponsorship. Maybe a few things in the fine print are different but I doubt it will be too different because many hospitals and private healthcare groups are now doing this to recruit people. For a while I was suspicious about it, too. But this was one of those rare situations where they actually sit down with you and talk about everything in the fine print. The contract I have allows me to back out of the deal without penalty at any time as long as I set up some type of arrangement to pay the money back (at once or in installments). Even so, you have to make sure you understand exactly what the obligations are before you sign.

I think some new grads "run to the hills" after the contract obligations are met, not because the pay or working conditions are bad but because there are lots of places out there luring them away with more money and perks once they gain some experience. Talk to the financial aid office at your school about the availability of hospital scholarships, or call the local hospitals personnel depts or private anesthesia groups to see if they offer these programs.

By and large it depends on the contract. Are you planning to become a CRNA? If so, the FAQ at the top of the CRNA discussion threads has a little information on the topic.

Or, are you considering a contract to work for a certain hospital after getting your BSN? Either way, there are both good and bad to be considered.

Generally speaking, what you will find is that the contract will specify what the hospital will and will not pay for (i.e. tuition, books, clinical fees, etc). Beyond that, I'd look closely at the contract for what the hospital will do after your graduation. Specifically, I'd want to know that my pay would be the same as any other new grad's pay. I'd also check to be sure that I'd be eligible for the same benefits, at the same rates, as all other employees. Finally, I'd want the term of the contract to be pretty specific (one year work for each year of school financed is pretty standard).

If it is your intent to go on to CRNA school, then signing such a contract may look pretty lucrative, but remember, living up to the terms of the contract may delay you from getting into school at the time you want. If you are considering such a contract to pay for anesthesia school, there are still other considerations.

Kevin McHugh

Edited to add: Remember, don't sign ANY contract that you don't first have examined by an attorney. The money you spend will be well worth it.