loan forgiveness

I know a lot of hospitals will help you pay back your loans if you agree to work for them for so many years... I am getting $10,000 to pay my loans back with, and have to work at my hospital in Ohio for 2 years.

When I graduated in 1991, I took part in the Alaska Nurse Internship Program (ANIP). There was a rigorous selection process for new grads. Those who were selected went to Anchorage for an addional 5-6 months of training (ACLS, PALS, EKG Recognition, more extensive OB experience, cultural cross training, etc.). At the end of that extra training, we were sent to our respective sites/ hospitals in the "bush" (rural Alaska) for our two year commitment. All my school loans were paid, I received a very good income for a new grad, and came away with experiences (and tales) that you would not believe.

Unfortunately, it's my understanding that this program no longer exists. Maybe I'm wrong on this. It was funded by the U.S. government, not Alaska.

You may be able to contact some of the hospitals directly and work out an agreement with an individual hospital (and the Native Corporation that owns it) for loan repayment.

Good luck.

www.ihs.gov has information on the loan repayment program. They pay up to a certain amount of the loan for every 2 years you work. It is a good program, mostly if you work in an IHS or IHS eligible facility (usually in the bush parts of Alaska, if you are speaking of Alaska specifically). The downside is if you get on in a position and six months later decide it isn't for you - you have to find another facility that qualifies that will hire you or you have to repay the payment they make to you on your loan.