Army CRNA program question

macanes, BSN, MSN, DNP, CRNA · Feb 18, 2006

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.

Danielle

Glad to hear it, Danielle. Congrats.

I went through the program in 1997-1999. Two of my classmates -- Angela Quintanilla and Anne Marie Silvasy -- did their phase II training (the 18-month clinical portion, out of the 30-month program) at Madigan and both stayed their afterward, I believe. I think Anne Marie is is going back their when they get back from Landstuhl, Germany.

Caveat to that, though: There is an unwritten rule (broken several times at least that I know of -- see above) that you don't get your first "Phase III" assignment (your first duty station as a staff CRNA, new grad) at the place where you trained. This generally makes good sense because (1) if you work where your trained, people will continue to treat you like a student [maybe], and (2) the Army wants the opportunity to put you where they want/need you -- not the overstaffed MEDCEN where you trained [i'm going to take some serious flames for that one]. Still, Angela & Anne Marie, and several others, have been determined enough to make themselves the exception, and to make it stick. Your call, your determination.

As for student requests. The sites are Tripler (HI), Madigan, Beaumont (El Paso, TX), Darnell (Ft. Hood, TX), Eisenhower (Augusta, GA), Bragg (N.C.), and Walter Reed (Wash D.C.).

When you get to phase I, you start to coalesce (sp?) into study groups. Simply make your preference known and get with other people who want to go to Madigan. The phase I starts in June. Around October they'll lock you guys in the classroom and let you hash out who is going where. Each site

group become a thesis group -- you will together write and defend your group master's thesis.

That's pretty much how it works. Of course, nothing is ever guaranteed, but that particular choice isn't too hard to wangle, if you're are motivated.

Feel free to contact me: jzberger at knology dot net or on the allnurses messages.

John Zitzelberger

CRNA

Columbus, Georgia