Why would anyone do the ARMY/NAVY CRNA program?

I personally have worked with many of the Navy CRNAs. They are educated well beyond a standard program. They get experience you could only dream to get. They are well respected by those of us who are already CRNAs. As peers, I have often gained so much additional information/education during conferences when networking. Their studies and research that they work on (that civilians don't do much of or any!) are meticulous. Its not all about money. That is the wrong reason to go into a profession.

as ex military and current medic and future RN money is not a Wrong answer. im tired of the whole altruistic "requirement" that some think u need to be a "good " nurse. btw i didnt join the army because i wanted to serve my country, that was a benefit i joined because i needed a job, get out of my hometown, and get some awesome training and experience, serving my country was low on the list. im goinfg to be a RN because, 1, better opportunities than paramedic, 2. the pay, 3, because i dont want to be lifting stretchers in my 60s.

The military trained CRNAs are very well respected, and it is not easy to get into their programs. Military RNs sometimes leave to go to a civilian nurse anesthesia program. I personally have the upmost respect for the military CRNAs, both active and reserve. Primarily because anyone willing to serve is a cut above the average person, and a close second is the level of training they receive. It is absolutely top notch-and I'm a civilian.

I crunched the numbers before deciding which school to choose...I had a choice. The Army Program and my civilian program were absolutely EQUAL as far as money. My choice was made for me when my husband got transferred, but my first choice was absolutely the Army program. The part you are leaving out is the salary they get while in school, which is somewhere around $80k depending on rank. You are also forgetting that not only do you get a salary while in the military programs, you are also giving up a salary to go to a civilian school. So while you inflate a civilian salary after graduation and deflate the Army salary, you come up with your distorted numbers. In the end, it's straight up even.

Get your facts straight before you start bashing these programs. They are ranked at the top for a reason, and they routinely turn down applicants even if the class isn't full. Their standards are quite high, and they don't compromise.

As for people who think you need to be in the service to get in to the school...not true. Direct accession is actually the faster way because if you apply AFTER you're in, you must serve a tour of duty to start (2 -3 years). Direct accession is just that...directly in to the program from a civilian job. Direct accession is a tool that probably won't be around when the military is flush with nurses, but as of Summer of '08, it was alive and well.

May, SRNA
Class of 2010