This has probably been asked already, sorry, I am new around here :) I will be graduating soon and I am weighing all my options. What are my best options? I really need to be paid, but I want to apply to FNP program after a year or two of experience. Some of these residency programs look very impressive, as they are attached to big University Hospitals in big metropolitan areas. I'm sure they look good on a resume and provide valuable experience for a newbie, but many also come with commitments and I am not sure about the pay. Is all this really needed? Some have told it's not necessary and that any place I hire out at will show me the ropes. For those that have done it, why? For those that have not done it, why not? How did it go either way?