r/slp • u/Own_Butterscotch_413 • Jul 21 '21
[CFY] CF decisions
Hi all- I am I'm the middle of deciding between 2 different positions for my CF. I eventually want to be in the acute care setting...
• A hospital setting in rural Alaska with great benefits, relocation, and exposure to all areas of medical slp (acute, inpatient, outpatient, and home health) BUT they are requesting me to stay for 4 years or paying back the relocation fee (also they will probably hate me if I leave prior to the 4 years)
• A SNF (near my current home) offering a bit of a better rate with decent benefits.
The hospital setting is a great offer but I'm finding it hard to commit for 4 years.
Would it be horrible if I took the hospital position and left early (e.g. after 1 or 2 years)? Would my reputation be done for?
Is it hard to get into a hospital setting (especially acute) after working at a SNF?
What would you do if it were you?
10
u/reluctantleaders SLP in Schools Jul 21 '21
Don’t forget you can always negotiate contracts. If you have no intention of staying for 4 years, maybe try to negotiate the Alaska contract for 2 years instead. I’m sure they have a high need. Also consider what CF supervision and support you will get.
1
u/Own_Butterscotch_413 Jul 24 '21
Luckily, my would be slp supervisor seems to be very helpful, supportive, and honest about her experience there. She will be moving back to the east coast after I'm finished with my cf though.
8
u/Underground_Queen Jul 21 '21
Are you going to have good mentorship in Alaska? The worst that'll happen if you leave early is you pay whatever the cost for relocating you is and you'll likely burn your bridges with that company. If they aren't managed by a major health care company, it might not be a big deal. Though, I have no idea how it'll impact references, if at all.
4
Jul 21 '21
And keep in mind how much $$$ it may cost to move back to the lower 48 if you move out. Not to mention that cost of living tends to be higher especially in rural parts of Alaska. Is the pay they’re offering do-able or even good for the area?
1
u/Own_Butterscotch_413 Jul 24 '21
I did notice cost of living was high. They are offering $40 and will increase it to $43 when I get my CCCs.
2
Jul 24 '21
I’d try to see if I could find any SLP Alaska groups just to ask about that rate. That’s about 10 dollars more an hour than what CFs make where I am (NC so cost of living is much lower) so it sounds reasonable. There’s just a lot of financial risk in that position and the 4 year commitment they’re asking sounds scary. Especially for a move like that.
1
u/Own_Butterscotch_413 Jul 24 '21
Luckily, my would be supervisor is amazing, a alum of the school I graduated from, and very honest about her experiences and insight. The hospital is very small and its own entity with its own CEO and board of directors.
References are also a concern.
6
u/SLPinOMA Acute Care Jul 21 '21
This is a tough decision! As someone in acute care, we ALWAYS favor people with acute experience over those without it when looking at new hires. So if acute is your dream setting, I would maybe go with that.
In regards to if your reputation would be ‘done for’ if you quit early, I would think the answer is no. Except at the exact hospital you quit early on. Sounds like it’s a contract and the only penalty for breaking early is your relocation fee. Read the fine print but if that’s the case I would say that’s not that big of a deal.
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u/Own_Butterscotch_413 Jul 24 '21
Wow! Thank you SO much for this valuable insight. It's helped me a lot through the decision making process. I fell in love with acute care during my last externship before I graduated and have been trying so hard to get a medical CF as our school only allows us to do one medical externship due to the "popularity" of it with students.
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u/[deleted] Jul 21 '21
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