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Ochsner Health To Pay Tuition Costs For Med Students

Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News

HELP FOR MED STUDENTS AND NURSES - The head of Ochsner Health System says the company will start paying the medical school education of students who commit to work with Ochsner in Louisiana for five years.    Ochsner’s CEO & President Warner Thomas made this announcement during a meeting at the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge last Wednesday.   He says the health system also will pay for current employees who want to advance in their career from a licensed practical nurse to a registered nurse or from a medical assistant to an LPN.  

Credit Courtesy: Rotary Club of Baton Rouge
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Courtesy: Rotary Club of Baton Rouge
Warner Thomas, President & CEO for Ochsner Health System

"This is an investment in our own future and an investment in our state," Thomas said. "And so we're excited to launch this program, we'll start the physician program this summer with the first folks that go into medical school this summer. And we'll start the employee program later this summer as well."

The program will start with 30 medical  students this summer.  The company has set aside about $10 million for the tuition-paying programs.  Ochsner Health is  Louisiana’s largest non-profit, academic healthcare system.

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.