Pros
MedStar has a very good benefit package and competitive salaries. As it is a mix of 8 hospitals and 20+ related businesses, it has combination of lots of systems / processes and gives a varied experience if your job entails integrating these systems. If you are working in one specialized system, it will also give you a chance to move into similar system which helps to gain experience and to build new skills. Most of the IT staff is knowledgeable and smart. I have met many people who have previously worked for reputed companies like Booz Allen, Cisco, CACI, Govt. contractors, Microsoft, MCI and they bring lots of experience with them.
Cons
There are no performance related bounces below the level of AVP. Annual raises are generally capped at 3-4% which is very much in line with Fed. Govt. COLA, so after a long tenure you start to lose out in terms or market rate if you are not promoted during that time. Depending on group, you might be subjected to stringent timings ( in by 8am !) and if you are in application support for hospital IT, you have to agree to an on-call schedule which means carrying a pager 24/7 for a week with no relaxation in day time duties. The company is going through a re-org for about 1.5 year which has brought about many changes in groups / duties and their work and management has not done very good job communicating these changes till now. Some of the work is being outsourced and that has brought about some apprehensions too, once again, communication does not seem fair / trustworthy regarding this process too.
