UNC Health Appalachian Launches Student Loan Repayment Program
UNC Health Appalachian recently announced the launch of a new Student Loan Repayment Program designed to attract early-career healthcare professionals to North Carolina’s High Country. The program, developed in partnership with Clasp, an education-to-employment platform that helps healthcare organizations build sustainable talent pipelines, will offer up to $30,000 in student loan repayment for professionals entering nursing, physical therapy, and imaging roles who commit to working in the region.
Healthcare providers across the country face mounting workforce shortages while student debt continues to rise for healthcare graduates. For many early-career clinicians, the cost of education can shape where they work, or whether they enter certain fields at all. UNC Health Appalachian’s new program addresses both challenges at once: supporting clinicians with meaningful student loan repayment while strengthening the local healthcare workforce that serves communities throughout North Carolina’s mountain region.
“UNC Health Appalachian is deeply committed to investing in the people who care for our unique mountain communities,” said Nathan Nipper, President and CEO, UNC Health Appalachian. “By offering student loan repayment for nurses, physical therapists, and imaging professionals, we are making it easier for talented clinicians to choose careers here in the High Country. This program reflects our belief that when we support healthcare professionals, we strengthen the care our patients receive every day.”
The program is designed to help clinicians begin their careers in a community known for both its healthcare excellence and quality of life. The High Country region, anchored by Boone, offers a unique combination of natural beauty, vibrant cultural life, and close-knit communities — an environment where healthcare professionals can build meaningful careers while enjoying the lifestyle the Blue Ridge Mountains offer.
How the program works:
● Eligible clinicians in nursing, physical therapy, and imaging roles can receive up to $30,000 in student loan repayment
● Repayment is provided over a 2–3 year employment commitment
● The program is designed to attract new healthcare talent while strengthening UNC Health Appalachian’s workforce across its hospitals and clinical sites
UNC Health Appalachian includes three hospitals, 13 medical practices, Seby B. Jones Regional Cancer Center, a Rehabilitation Center, and the Appalachian Healthcare Foundation, and is home to more than 1,600 healthcare professionals dedicated to serving patients throughout the region.
“This program represents exactly the kind of forward-looking leadership healthcare needs right now,” said Tess Michaels, CEO and Founder of Clasp. “UNC Health Appalachian is recognizing that student debt and workforce shortages are deeply connected. By investing directly in early-career clinicians, they’re not just filling roles — they’re building a long-term healthcare workforce for the High Country.”
Programs like this are part of a growing national shift toward education-to-employment pathways that help healthcare systems compete for talent while reducing financial barriers for new clinicians. As healthcare demand continues to rise — particularly in rural and regional communities — innovative workforce investments are becoming critical to ensuring patients have access to high-quality care.
For UNC Health Appalachian, the goal is clear: create opportunities for healthcare professionals to start and grow their careers in a place where community, professional development, and patient care all intersect.
