Starting as a new graduate
Key facts
- Nurse residency
- 12 months, cohort-based
- Allied health
- Paid apprenticeships
- Preceptor
- Dedicated, through your first year
- Benefits
- From day one
Programs built for your first year
New-grad RNs join a 12-month nurse residency: a cohort that starts together, a dedicated preceptor and protected learning time. Allied health graduates can start through a paid apprenticeship.
If you are not licensed yet
Patient care support roles are a way in while you study. Schedules flex around school, and tuition support helps pay for the degree.
What happens after the first year
Every career area has a published ladder with the criteria and pay step for each level, so you can see where the next move is and what it takes.
Questions people ask
Do you hire new graduates?
Absolutely. Our nurse residency, allied health apprenticeships and patient-care-support pathways are built for people starting out — many leaders here began in entry roles.
Is there a nurse residency program?
Yes — a 12-month, accredited residency for new-grad RNs with dedicated preceptors, simulation labs and a cohort that starts together.
Is there a path from entry roles to clinical careers?
Our patient-care-support roles feed directly into nursing and allied pipelines, with tuition support and schedules that flex around school.
In their words
People who did this
I started at the bedside. Pepper grew me into leadership — a residency year, tuition support, and a manager who asked "what's next for you?" every single year.
Maya S.Director of Nursing — started as a new-grad RN 
The fellowship paired me with preceptors who had decades on the unit. A year in, I was confident taking the sickest patients on the floor.
Rosa M.Surgical Trauma RN · Clinician Fellow alum 
I came in as a PCT with zero healthcare experience. Two years later Pepper is paying for my nursing degree while I work the schedule school needs.
Sam T.Patient Care Technician · RN student on tuition support 
A memorable moment for me was standing up the night-shift residency I wished I'd had — and watching the first cohort become charge nurses.
Naomi B.Director of Nursing
Ways in
Programs
New graduate
Nurse Residency Program
A twelve-month, cohort-based transition into practice for new-graduate RNs — structured clinical rotations, a dedicated preceptor, and protected learning time, benefits-eligible from day one.
Student & intern
Allied Health Apprenticeship
An earn-while-you-learn path into imaging, respiratory, and laboratory roles: paid on-the-job hours, sponsored coursework, and a schedule built around your classes.
Just exploring
Explore Pepper Days
A one-day virtual experience where you'll meet teams from across Pepper Health, hear how care actually gets delivered, and start picturing where you might fit — no experience required.
Jobs open to new graduates
Open roles that match this topic, updated from the job feed.
Job hubs for this topic
Career areas and places with open roles, busiest first.
Related topics
Schedule flexibility, Competitive pay
Working nights
Nursing, patient care support, imaging and respiratory teams all hire for nights. Night and weekend shifts earn a differential, each posting shows its pay range, and a clinical resource nurse covers every shift.
Career growth
Tuition and certification support
Pepper Health pays up to $5,250 a year toward tuition and covers specialty certification exams, renewals and review courses. Certified nurses earn a differential, and cross-training is built into development plans.