Pre-Med Contract?

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tylerh87

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Has anyone heard of medical students signing a contract with a hospital BEFORE medical school? For example: you go to medical school, we cover your expenses up to a certain amount (i.e. $200,000), and when you finish medical school you come back and give us so many years of service (i.e. 4 years). Has anyone heard of opportunities like this?

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No. I know they have that with nurses but I've never heard of it for doctors. Wouldn't that be risky? I mean first they have to wait for you to finish med school. Then you have to do residency. That's 8+ years of waiting for you to finish learning a profession. The most I've heard are fellowships but that's signed after residency. I think. Correct me if I'm wrong.
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Has anyone heard of medical students signing a contract with a hospital BEFORE medical school? For example: you go to medical school, we cover your expenses up to a certain amount (i.e. $200,000), and when you finish medical school you come back and give us so many years of service (i.e. 4 years). Has anyone heard of opportunities like this?

Yeah it's called military medicine
 
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Has anyone heard of medical students signing a contract with a hospital BEFORE medical school? For example: you go to medical school, we cover your expenses up to a certain amount (i.e. $200,000), and when you finish medical school you come back and give us so many years of service (i.e. 4 years). Has anyone heard of opportunities like this?

UAMS does this.

http://www.uams.edu/com/ruralprograms/

I would consider, but the only thing is that you have to be a primary care physician.
 
I have heard of this, and I seriously looked into it. However, at least at the hospital I talked to, should for some reason you chose to not fulfill you committment, the interest rate to pay back the money they gave you is outrageous, i.e. I was told 18%. This hospital was a small hospital in what is considered a rural community, so they do not have as wide a range of specialties as in larger cities. I didn't want to make the committment because some of the specialties that I am really interested in are not offered here. If you are interested in a specific hospital, you can contact them and speak with their medical recruiter, or some such similar title. All you can do is ask.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and they prefer you to have been accepted to med school before a contract is signed, so I guess TECHNICALLY its not a pre-med contract, just a pre-practicing physician contract.
 
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Yeah, I forget the organization name off the top of my head though. I went to a pre-med workshop at USF and they talked about it. Basically they pay for tuition and everything as long as you agree to work in an "underserved" area. If you're looking into primary care or family medicine or something along those lines, its a great deal. "Underserved" areas are a lot more common than would be expected. They said something like in all of Florida only like 3 counties AREN'T underserved. Unfortunately I'm looking at surgical subspecialties, so I'm not eligible.
 
Well, I may have an opportunity to sign a contract with a hospital I have worked at for a couple of years where they will pay for my medical school, provided I return here to work for a few years. Its a 120-bed hospital in a rather rural area, but I like it here and know this is where I want to come back to. I already know about the Military and Government Healthcare incentives, and this is not one of those, but thanks to those who answered the post with answers not related to the question.
 
Has anyone heard of medical students signing a contract with a hospital BEFORE medical school? For example: you go to medical school, we cover your expenses up to a certain amount (i.e. $200,000), and when you finish medical school you come back and give us so many years of service (i.e. 4 years). Has anyone heard of opportunities like this?

I've never heard of such a deal with a private entity, but I can promise that if they are going to front you $200k, they are going to make it worth their while on the other end. Meaning you are going to forego better opportunities and specialties at the other end, you are going to be working at below market rates, above market hours (if you have to go to a non-accredited residency program, you aren't going to have protections), and perhaps not get the credentials you'll need to advance your career. Places only make these kinds of deals if (1) it's a big money maker for them, or (2) there are valid reasons why they cannot fill the spots through the regular channels. there are thousands of folks who apply for the match each year who get nothing (mostly non-US educated applicants), so the warm bodies are out there. So I would really watch out for what the catch is here.
 
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I have an offer on the table but it is dependent on the speciality I go for. The hospital has no idea what they will need at that time, so they aren't going to front cash for something they don't need. I grew up in the town. It is a smaller area that has a tougher time recruiting physicians. The cash is good. Hours..depends. They really like locals to return. I suspect they are reallllly going to be hurting for general surgeons by the time I graduate from medical school. I mean, as law2doc said. Its really not a wise decision usually. Some places will make deals with you after your residency.
 
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