Why VA is a good place to start your career
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Posted By: Reginald Culpepper on June 10, 2022 As you set foot on the path towards your future, you will be making many important decisions about your career — choices that will define who you are and what you will become. There’s no better partner to walk down that path with you than VA. As a member of our team, you’ll have access to unparalleled benefits, opportunities for advancement, and the chance to work in any of our facilities throughout in the United States and its territories. But, more than that, you’ll join a team that values you and all you bring to the table. We have a unique mission Singular among health care professionals, VA’s mission has always been, and will continue to be, to care for those “who shall have borne the battle” — the men and women who are America’s Veterans, as well as their families, caregivers, and survivors. However, the face of that Veteran community is changing, and we know that we must change with it so we can better serve those who have served. Today, about 27% of Veterans are members of a racial or ethnic minority group, and by 2045 this number is expected to be 39%. This diversity is a positive influence that Veterans bring into their communities, their workplaces, and our VA facilities. As we serve the most diverse group of Veterans in history, VA is committed to building a team reflecting that diversity, making sure our Veterans feel understood and represented when they come through our doors. We offer unique opportunities If you’re just starting out in your career, you can take advantage of health professions training and scholarship programs that are designed to increase job opportunities at VA for minorities and develop VA’s diverse workforce. Our Office of Academic Affiliation (OAA) manages affiliations with more than 1,800 colleges and universities, including nearly 200 minority-serving institutions that provide approximately 20,000 health professions trainees to VA each year. Among our investments is the National Diversity Internship Program (NDIP), a paid internship program offering undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds and cultures the opportunity to explore career options at VA. While you gain valuable work experience, you’ll be helping us with our ongoing mission of serving Veterans. We value your unique experience As a medical professional, you never know what kind of impact you may have on a patient, as Dr. Preston Igwe, M.D., learned during a rotation at VA. In a viral tweet from January 2022, the first-year psychiatry resident shared that he was the first Black physician that his patient, a Black Veteran, had seen in his 50 years coming to VA for medical care. “As a Black medical student, there are times where Black patients see you and their faces light up,” Dr. Igwe explained. “Many times, they tell you that it’s rare to see a Black medical student or doctor, so it’s very refreshing for them. Often, they tell you to keep pushing forward and that they’re proud of you. Those experiences are priceless!” Work at VA With a career at VA, you’ll be part of an organization that is committed to serving our diverse Veteran population and supporting inclusion for both staff and patients.
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Reginald Culpepper
President, Fulfillment and Web Services, HBCUCONNECT Clark Atlanta University class of 1998 Member Since September 2000 |
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