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Top 5 reasons residents choose VA

VA resident talks to a patient.

Nearly 70% of all U.S. physicians complete some or all of their training at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facility. Many of them choose to stay with VA, building a long and rewarding career serving Veterans. In fact, nearly 78% of students who completed a clinical training experience at VA said that they would be likely or very likely to return to VA after their studies.

So why do residents choose VA? Read on to learn about some of the top benefits for early career physicians.

  1. Mobility – Having the freedom to live where you want is paramount for budding professionals. One single VA license allows clinical professionals to work at over 1,300 facilities across the country without needing additional certifications. These facilities include VA medical centers and outpatient clinics in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
  2. Innovation – From robotics to virtual reality and artificial intelligence, VA offers clinicians across specialties the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology. Our Innovation Ecosystem is a catalyst for health care discovery that advances care delivery and service. At VA, you will have the opportunity to train with tools that support advanced telehealth, electronic health record modernization, clinical research, and more.
  3. Loan Repayment – The path to a clinical career can be costly, and VA aims to ease that burden through loan repayment programs. Programs like the Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program, the Education Debt Reduction Program, and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program offer VA employees the opportunity to find freedom from student debt while serving Veterans.
  4. Work/Life Balance – At VA, we believe that your home life is just as important as your work life. Our employees enjoy flexible schedules, and sometimes even remote work options, to accommodate their needs and lifestyle. Employees receive generous vacation, personal, and parental leave. And as a federal employee, you will enjoy regular hours and a guaranteed salary – no more worrying about hitting certain metrics or performance goals.
  5. Mission – There is nothing like serving Veterans. Improving the quality of life for our Nation’s heroes and their families comes with a great deal of pride and fulfillment. But don’t just take our word for it – click here to listen to VA employees discuss what our mission means to them.

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