Nursing Student thinking about joining the Navy

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Hi,

I have been thinking about joining the Navy as a nurse for the past few months. I am still a student in college and will graduate in May 2016. I have been all over this site and the Navy's site and have found a lot of answers to my questions (especially from "LunahRNs" last post, military nursing). However, I still have a few questions.

How hard is it to get a medical waiver? (I have hypothyroidism that is now under control because of my medication)

My brother is thinking about joining the Marine Corps when he graduates from high school (in 2016). Is there any chance that if he gets deployed (to let's say Iraq) that I can go with his squad and work at the base?

How often could I be deployed and how long can each deployment last?

I heard that military nursing is very competitive. Currently, I have a 3.55 GPA (it should go up by the end of the semester). I know that I need to improve it, but what is a "good" GPA to have?

How hard is the "boot camp?"

I am also taking a psychology minor, would that affect my chances of being selected?

Thank you for your help!

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I haven't served active duty yet (currently in the Navy Nurse Candidate Program and will be an Ensign in the Nurse Corps once I graduate in May 2014 and pass the NCLEX), but I can tell you that getting accepted right now is very competitive. Getting a medical waiver will be extremely difficult, as all of the services are being incredibly selective right now. Of course, you'll never know if you don't try, so my recommendation would be to contact a healthcare recruiter and see what they say.

Sorry I can't help with any of your deployment questions. There are some other nurses on here who have deployed though, and they've made a couple recent threads about it.

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Hi,

I have been thinking about joining the Navy as a nurse for the past few months. I am still a student in college and will graduate in May 2016. I have been all over this site and the Navy’s site and have found a lot of answers to my questions (especially from “LunahRNs” last post, military nursing). However, I still have a few questions.

How hard is it to get a medical waiver? (I have hypothyroidism that is now under control because of my medication)

My brother is thinking about joining the Marine Corps when he graduates from high school (in 2016). Is there any chance that if he gets deployed (to let’s say Iraq) that I can go with his squad and work at the base?

How often could I be deployed and how long can each deployment last?

I heard that military nursing is very competitive. Currently, I have a 3.55 GPA (it should go up by the end of the semester). I know that I need to improve it, but what is a “good” GPA to have?

How hard is the “boot camp?”

I am also taking a psychology minor, would that affect my chances of being selected?

Thank you for your help!

I am pretty sure with hypothyroidism you wouldn't get a waiver.

No, the chances of a nurse deploying with a MEF unit is low and you going with his individual squad is nil. Maybe if you were a Corpsman.

We haven't been in Iraq since 2011....

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