Army CRNA program question

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I know there are several people on this particular site that have experience with the Army's CRNA program - and I am looking forward to any advice/info you can give.

I am just finishing my BSN and am considering applying for the Army's CRNA program. However, and I really need some honest info here - my husband is a Police Officer in Seattle, and we would really not like to completely uproot our family for the four years of required service after I complete the program (we are fully prepared for the move during the program though).

My questions are as follows: I know that Madigan is one of the 6 possible clinical sites offered after the didactic portion of the program - how possible is it for me to be offered this clinical site for the second portion of the program? Do they take student requests into consideration when making placements at their clinical sites? Also, once I graduate from CRNA school, would it be difficult for me to continue on at Madigan (i.e., how senior is this particular base?)? I know this may come off as really naive, but neither side of my family has any military expertise in what to expect in this situation - and I'm sure if I asked a recruiter, I may not get the honesty I need to make this VERY important decision for me and my family.

Thanks in advance for any info on this - we have three small children, and it's a lot to consider when making career-related decisions of this magnitude.

:nurse:

Danielle

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Sorry - didn't mean to post this twice!!! What a rookie mistake!!

:roll

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Having taught in the Army CRNA program - I'll try to answer your question. The Army program is a 2 phase program; Phase I is all didactic and at the Academy of Health Sciences at Ft Sam Houston in San Antonio TX, Phase II is all clinical and at one of 6 clinical sites - of which Madigan is one. Each clinical site takes students based on their ability to provide clinical experience - so the bigger hospitals take more students. I think that Madigan takes 8 students a year (don't quote me on this but I should be in the ballpark). The selection process for who goes where for phase 2 is usually left to the students - everyone works it out.

So to answer your question - there is no guarantee that you will get Madigan as a Phase II site. The other thing to keep in mind - it is an unwritten rule that you cannot stay at your Phase II site after you graduate (there are some exceptions - but they are very rare). So even if you get Madigan for Phase II you will (most likely) not be able to stay there after graduation. It might be better to do Phase II somewhere else and then try to get to Madigan for Phase III (after graduation).

Hope that helps.

Franklin

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For more info on the program, take a look at this thread. https://allnurses.com/forums/f227/there-any-crna-schools-did-not-fill-seats-117748.html

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
for more info on the program, take a look at this thread. https://allnurses.com/forums/f227/there-any-crna-schools-did-not-fill-seats-117748.html

condanchri - be advised, no matter how strong of a gpa [yea, even 3.766] you must score at least 1000 on the gre. otherwise, the uthsc-h will not accept your application packet, hence forth the lthet [army] board will never even look at the packet.

:angryfire

... that's okay my plan b has been set in motion. wife & i will be moving to wa mid-march. i volunteered for 3 year active duty committment with guaranteed 1st assignment. on april 3rd, i report to madigan army medical center.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
condanchri - Be advised, no matter how strong of a GPA [yea, even 3.766] you must score at least 1000 on the GRE. Otherwise, the UTHSC-H will not accept your application packet, hence forth the LTHET [Army] Board will never even look at the packet.

It used to be 1500 on the GRE for the USAGPAN. Has that changed?

Z

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
condanchri - Be advised, no matter how strong of a GPA [yea, even 3.766] you must score at least 1000 on the GRE. Otherwise, the UTHSC-H will not accept your application packet, hence forth the LTHET [Army] Board will never even look at the packet.

It used to be 1500 on the GRE for the USAGPAN. Has that changed?

Z

Yes sir, the exam format has changed. The exam consist of three scored sections; Analytical Writing [45min timed Perspective Essay & 30min timed Analyze Essay, which is scored on a scale 0 - 6], Verbal & Quantitative, each yield a score within a range of 200 - 800. The minimal acceptable GRE scores for CRNA USAGPAN applicants [ must apply at UTHSC-H] is Verbal 500, Quantitative 500, and Analytical Writing 3.5. John, when you took the GRE 1500 was the minimal accepted score d/t the Analytical (old test) required a minimum score of 500. However, the exam has since been revised which includes two timed essays.

I had hoped my 3.766 GPA [3.0 GPA required] would over shadow my low GRE scores. However, I was not accpeted for the 2006 CRNA USAGPAN with my Quant/Verbal score below 1000, yet did score 3.5 on the Analytical Writing.

Oh well, I drive on. I'm presently enrolled in the ECCO online course, then report for active duty on April 3rd at Madigan, then April 23rd I start the 14 week resident CC course at MAMC. Upon completion of the CC course I will stay at MAMC as a 66H8A for a 3 yr active duty committment.

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Specializes in Cardiac ICU and now QA for ICF/MR.

I have read the previous posts regarding CRNA in the army. My husband is planning to apply for the army CRNA program, but he doesn't graduate with his BSN until Dec. According to the recruiter, he cannot apply for direct asseccion into the army until 6 months prior to his graduation, but this will be after the April due date for the CRNA program. Does this mean that he can't apply for the Summer 2007 class?

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...

never mind, I figured it out.

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I have read the previous posts regarding CRNA in the army. My husband is planning to apply for the army CRNA program, but he doesn't graduate with his BSN until Dec. According to the recruiter, he cannot apply for direct asseccion into the army until 6 months prior to his graduation, but this will be after the April due date for the CRNA program. Does this mean that he can't apply for the Summer 2007 class?

If he is meets all of the other requirements and just needs to complete his last courses for his BSN, he should not give up so fast. He needs to contact someone at the school house to find out if there is any options available for him.

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