Specialized Education and Funding Opportunities
Lucas Parrish, BSN, RN
STEPS in Nursing Scholar
鈥�I would 100% recommend doing the OR Scholars program because you learn so much, you
work at a different pace than on the floor, and you get to feel more confident in
what you are doing as a nurse.鈥�
Baptist Scholars Program
This program is open to students in the accelerated (12-month) Bachelor of Science
in Nursing (BSN) program. Participating students have a workforce opportunity with
Baptist Memorial Health Care, which requires the student to sign a one-year contract
to work for Baptist upon graduation. In return, Baptist will pay the student鈥檚 in-state
tuition and fees for the 12-month nursing program. Contracts will only be available
for positions at Baptist-Memphis, Baptist-Collierville, and Baptist-DeSoto. Positions
in ICU and Labor/Delivery are not part of the program. Baptist requires applicants
to be U.S. citizens. 听For more information, please contact Dr. Laura Reed at lreed@uthsc.edu.
STEPS in Nursing Scholars
This program is open to students in the traditional (four-semester) BSN program. Participating students receive a paid summer internship in the operating room, catheterization lab, or emergency department at Baptist Memorial Health Care. 听After the internship, the student works 16 hours per month in the specific unit at Baptist while finishing nursing school. In return, Baptist pays the in-state tuition and fees for the student鈥檚 last year of nursing school. For more information, please contact Dr. Laura Reed at lreed@uthsc.edu.
Oncology Nursing Scholars
The Oncology Nurse Scholars Program is open to traditional BSN students. These students will complete additional training in an oncology setting and additional didactic education in oncology. They will also complete clinical rotations in oncology during the summer. In addition, the students agree to work in an oncology clinic upon graduation. In return, the student鈥檚 in-state tuition and fees are paid for the last year of nursing school. Both oncology nursing opportunities are made possible thanks to a grant from West Cancer Foundation.听For more information, please contact Dr. Laura Reed at lreed@uthsc.edu.
Oncology Clinical Trial Nurse Scholars Program
This program is open to traditional BSN students. Participating students will complete additional didactic education in oncology research and clinical education in an oncology research setting. Students agree to work in an oncology setting upon graduation. In return, the student鈥檚 in-state tuition/tuition and fees are paid for the last year of nursing school. Both oncology nursing opportunities are made possible thanks to a grant from West Cancer Foundation.听For more information, please contact Dr. Laura Reed at lreed@uthsc.edu.
Delta Nurse Scholars Program
This program seeks to improve the transition and retention of BSN graduates to rural hospitals. It is open to students in the traditional BSN program. Participating students receive additional training in caring for people living with sickle cell disease, managing aggressive patient situations, and social drivers of health. A micro-credentialing process will be used to award medallions for completed work in specific concepts.
The Delta Scholars project team will work with representatives from the hospitals to help student nurses obtain a paid nurse internship during their summer break and continuing through the final semesters of their nursing program. For senior nursing students in this program, in-state tuition, books, and fees will be covered. The program will also assist the new nurse graduates鈥� transition to practice. For more information about the Delta Nurse Scholars program, please contact Dr. Randy Johnson at rjohn181@uthsc.edu.