Savanna Hoffman
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a range of education support programs for students and new graduates, including clinical placements and fellowships. The VA is affiliated with nearly every medical school in the country and offers training programs at 90% of VA facilities, making it the largest provider of healthcare training in the US. The VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) provides nursing and medical laboratory science students who have completed their junior year with paid clinical experience at a local VA facility. The VA also offers scholarships, loan repayment programs, internships, and residency programs to support students and new graduates in their career development and to enhance their clinical skills.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Scholarship programs | Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP), National Nursing Education Initiative (NNEI), VA National Education for Employees Program (VANEEP), Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility Professionals Scholarship Program (VIOMPSP), Employee Incentive Scholarship Program (EISP), Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP), Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP) |
| Internship programs | VANEEP, VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) |
| Loan forgiveness | Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) |
| Training programs | Talent Management System 2.0 (TMS 2.0), Advanced Fellowships Programs, Associated Health Education (AHE) |
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What You'll Learn
- VA hospitals offer scholarships and paid internships to students
- Students can receive a salary and additional funds for education
- VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) offers paid clinical experience
- VA hospitals provide medical training and residency programs
- Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) helps repay student loans
VA hospitals offer scholarships and paid internships to students
VA hospitals offer a range of scholarships and paid internships to students interested in pursuing careers in healthcare. The Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) awards scholarships to students receiving education or training in direct or indirect healthcare services disciplines. In exchange for the scholarship, participants agree to work in a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare facility upon completing their education and obtaining their license or certification.
The VA also offers internships and fellowships at various locations, including New Jersey and Oklahoma City. These programs provide students with the opportunity to gain clinical experience and develop their skills in medical and surgical specialties. For example, the VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) allows outstanding college nursing students to develop clinical competencies under the supervision of a preceptor while caring for veterans. Traditional BSN students can participate in paid, full-time work during the summer months or part-time during the academic year, accumulating 400 clinical practice hours.
Additionally, the VA National Education for Employees Program (VANEEP) supports employees pursuing first-time clinical licensure. Part- and full-time employees enrolled in school can receive a salary and additional tax-free funds for tuition, registration fees, and books.
The VA also offers loan repayment programs for employees in certain occupations, such as the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) and the Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP), which provides up to $40,000 per year for physicians-in-training who commit to working in a VA facility.
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Students can receive a salary and additional funds for education
The VA offers a range of benefits to support students in their clinical education and training. The VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) is one such initiative that provides nursing and medical laboratory science students with the opportunity to gain paid clinical experience at VA facilities. This program allows students to develop clinical competencies, enhance their clinical skills, and build their critical thinking abilities while working with veterans.
VA-STEP participants are employed on an hourly basis and are not eligible for overtime, holiday, or shift differential pay. However, they benefit from a comprehensive program that includes orientation, clinical practice under the guidance of a preceptor, diverse patient experiences, and additional educational opportunities. This well-rounded approach ensures that students not only gain practical skills but also understand the unique culture and needs of the veteran population.
In addition to VA-STEP, the VA offers other scholarship and loan repayment programs to support students financially during their clinical education. The Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) and the Visual Impairment and Orientation and Mobility Professionals Scholarship Program (VIOMPSP) provide scholarships to students pursuing health care-related disciplines. The Employee Incentive Scholarship Program (EISP) offers tax-free scholarships of up to $44,228 for eligible VA employees seeking higher education in clinical occupations.
The VA also assists employees in repaying student loans through programs such as the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) and the Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP). These programs provide substantial financial support, with SLRP offering up to $40,000 per year and SELRP offering up to $40,000 per year specifically for physicians-in-training. Furthermore, the VA's affiliation with over 1,800 health profession schools and colleges enables clinical placements and fellowships for trainees in a wide range of health professions.
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VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) offers paid clinical experience
The VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) offers nursing students the opportunity to gain paid clinical experience at a local VA facility. The program is designed to enhance participants' clinical skills, judgement, and critical thinking while caring for US veterans.
VA-STEP is open to outstanding college nursing students who have completed their junior year in an accredited baccalaureate nursing program. Applicants must be US citizens and provide documentation of immunizations and other application materials, including a letter of recommendation from a junior clinical instructor.
Selected students are required to work 400 hours during the summer months (June-August) and may continue during the senior academic year on a part-time basis, up to 800 hours. The program includes orientation, clinical practice with a qualified RN preceptor, and various patient experiences.
VA-STEP participants are paid as hourly, intermittent employees, with a rate equivalent to 80% of a Nurse I Level I salary. While they are not eligible for overtime, holiday pay, or shift differentials, they may be appointed above the beginning salary rate when employed as an RN after graduation.
Overall, the VA-STEP program provides a valuable opportunity for nursing students to gain clinical experience, develop their skills, and build a strong foundation for their future nursing careers while receiving competitive compensation.
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VA hospitals provide medical training and residency programs
The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a range of medical training and residency programs for students and professionals at its hospitals and medical centers across the country. These programs provide valuable opportunities for individuals to gain clinical experience, develop their skills, and build a career in healthcare while serving the nation's veterans.
One notable example is the VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP), which offers nursing and medical laboratory science students the chance to enhance their clinical competencies and skills through paid internships at approved VA medical centers. Participants in this program work alongside professionals, caring for veterans and gaining valuable hands-on experience. Traditional BSN students, for instance, can opt for ten weeks of paid full-time work during the summer months or distribute their hours between the summer and their senior year. Accelerated baccalaureate nursing students can complete 400 hours of work after their fall semester.
The Baltimore VA Medical Center, ranked among the top VA Medical Centers for research funding, offers an Internal Medicine Residency program. This facility has two large federally funded programs in geriatrics: the Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center (GRECC) and the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center. The residency program provides residents with a comprehensive experience in acute and urgent care, allowing them to treat patients with acute and subacute illnesses and hone their ambulatory medicine skills.
The Dayton VA Medical Center, in collaboration with Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, also offers graduate medical residencies accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Additionally, the VA offers scholarship programs such as the Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) and the National Nursing Education Initiative (NNEI), which provide financial support for students pursuing careers in healthcare services in exchange for service in VA health care facilities.
Furthermore, the VA supports its employees' educational pursuits through initiatives like the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) and the Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP). These programs offer substantial financial assistance to employees in certain occupations, helping them repay student loans of up to $40,000 per year, with a lifetime maximum of $100,000. The VA also pays for full- or part-time college studies for its employees and provides access to the Talent Management System 2.0 (TMS 2.0), an online portal with a wealth of educational resources.
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Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) helps repay student loans
The Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) is a federal initiative that assists employees in certain occupations with their student loan debt. Under this program, eligible individuals can receive up to $40,000 per year, with a lifetime maximum of $100,000, to help repay their student loans. This program is designed as a recruitment and retention incentive for highly qualified personnel.
The SLRP is not limited to VA hospitals or any specific employer. Instead, it is a benefit offered by certain agencies or organizations as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5379 and implemented through 5 CFR part 537. This legislation allows federal agencies to set up their own student loan repayment programs to attract and retain talented employees.
The VA, or Veterans Affairs, does offer various scholarship and education support programs for students and employees in the healthcare field. These include the Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP), National Nursing Education Initiative (NNEI), VA National Education for Employees Program (VANEEP), and VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP).
While the SLRP specifically targets student loan repayment, some of the VA's scholarship programs can also help alleviate student debt. For example, the VANEEP scholarship can provide tax-free funds for tuition, registration fees, and books, while the VA-STEP offers paid clinical experience for nursing and medical laboratory science students. These opportunities can help students finance their education and reduce their reliance on loans.
In addition to these initiatives, the VA also offers part-time and full-time employees enrolled in school a full salary and financial support for higher education expenses. This demonstrates the VA's commitment to both attracting and retaining talented individuals by investing in their education and helping to alleviate their financial burden.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) provides paid clinical work for college nursing students at approved medical centers.
Students are paid as hourly, intermittent employees. They are not eligible for overtime pay, holiday pay or shift differentials.
Students can gain valuable clinical experience and develop their clinical skills, judgement and critical thinking. They can also take advantage of the many scholarships and loan repayment programs offered by VA hospitals, such as the Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) and the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP).
