Purpose:

The Allied Health Tuition Assistance Program is designed to address the staffing needs of the Cleveland Clinic as well as provide allied health students with monetary support while they are enrolled in their program of study. This assistance results in a work commitment to the Cleveland Clinic upon graduation.

Eligibility:

Students must be enrolled full time in an accredited certificate, Associate, Baccalaureate, or graduate degree allied health program. The student must have a minimum G.P.A. of 2.5 to apply. Students enrolled in an associate degree or two year certificate program may apply only for their second year. Baccalaureate students are eligible for the award for their senior year.

Listed below are those degreed programs that are eligible to apply for the 2009 tuition assistance program:

Eligible Degree Programs

  Physical Therapist
  Occupational Therapist
  Physician Assistant
  Respiratory Therapist
  Medical Lab Tech
  Medical Technologist
  Surgical Technologist
  Cardiovascular Technologist
  Pharmacist
  Pharmacy Technologist
  Health Information Management

An application must be completed. The following items are to be returned with the application:

• One page written statement from the student addressing their career goals and why they should be selected as a recipient of this award.
• Two completed recommendation forms.
• A current official transcript sent by the college or university.

The Allied Health Education Council will review all completed applications. The process will be as follows:

• An open application period will run August 1st through April 30th. The review process will begin in May and final decisions will be made by early June.
• Applicants will be notified in early June regarding the status of their application. Award recipients will receive instruction regarding the disbursement of the award.
• Awards will be made payable to the student, and will be issued following receipt of the students signed loan agreement.
• Awards will be made for a maximum of $5,000. Students may be eligible for a maximum of $10,000 in a two-year period (4 year degree or higher).
• Each $5,000 award will result in the recipient incurring a one-year full time work commitment to the Cleveland Clinic (main campus or regional medical practice site). This full time employment must begin within 90 days of graduation.
• Award recipients must sit for any specialty licensing or certification exam within 8 weeks of graduation, if applicable.
• If the recipient does not pass their licensing exam on the first try, he/she may retake the exam once. If unable to pass the exam on the second try, the entire award must be repaid to the Cleveland Clinic.
• Each new employee is subject to a 90 day probationary period. If the recipient were discharged for poor performance prior to the full-year work commitment being served, the balance would still be due.
• The loan will be forgiven at the rate of $416.67 for each month of full time employment. Thus, at the end of one year of continuous full time employment, $5,000 will be forgiven. The forgiveness of the loan will be taxable to you, and will be included as gross wages each month on the payroll statements until the work commitment is fulfilled.
• If within 90 days of graduation a position does not exist, the tuition will be forgiven, and a release letter will be issued to the student.

For questions or further information please contact: 216-444-5678

Application and recommendation form available at:
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/education/allied

Applications must be postmarked
by April 30th, 2009