ATTN: Military Nurses...Help!

Jerico, BSN, RN · Sep 13, 2007

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the forum and am navigating my way around the site. Wanted to share a couple things about myself and hopefully get some help from more knowledgeable people. Basically, I am prior enlisted and am currently a nursing student. I am scheduled to graduate in May 09, and am in the military. I just heard that because I'm contracted with the military for the Nurse Corps, I can't do any kind of med school. I am very interested in furthering my education and although it might seem a bit early, I'd like to know what's out there. What I have also heard about is a program called DUINS. can anyone tell me more about that and any other options I may have to go to med school? Just curious about all my possibilities.
Thanks,
et2rn

Congrats on your ambition.

I was prior enlisted. Then I did AFROTC and became an officer. Was not in nurse corps, but in closely related area. Am now BSN RN (NICU) and hold a Master's degree in Geriatrics.

Yes, you CAN do med school. If the military won't send you, do it yourself. You can ALWAYS get BACK in the military after medical school and they'll help pay off medical school. You can get there one way or another.

If I were in your shoes I'd go do the active duty nursing obligation and THEN turn around and go to medical school. Get into the RESERVES when you leave your RN active duty commitment. This will keep some money flowing and your "finger in the pie" so to speak.

WHILE on active duty as an RN take courses to bolster your medical school appeal. The heavy biochems, stats, maths....this will show the medical schools you apply to that you had this plan all along. It will also allow you to become a PA if you decide to go that route instead of med school.

Your medical experience gained as a nurse and OFFICER status will be your GOLDEN KEY to get you into medical school. It also gives you some age and wisdom - you won't be some "young kid". Being an officer in the military will also give you management and leadership experience. It also shows you care about your fellow Americans.

You CAN do it. No it isn't too early. Time flies when you're having fun!

Good luck and best to you.

PS: Age in getting into medical school is NOT the big issue it used to be. They know we are all going to make it to 100, so second careers as docs isn't so uncommon in the near future.

et2brn · Sep 14, 2007

Wow, thank you so much for all that information. It was all very motivating. As you may already know, I have asked around before with my chain of command and the most I get is, "sorry, too late". I KNEW there had to be a way to do it on my own. I think I will take your advice and use my time in wisely. I'm going to see what I can do about throwing in those pre-req's for med school. You offered valuable insight and I'm so grateful. Thanks! Please be sure to keep in touch, I will!

allnurses Guide · Sep 14, 2007

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the forum and am navigating my way around the site. Wanted to share a couple things about myself and hopefully get some help from more knowledgeable people. Basically, I am prior enlisted and am currently a nursing student. I am scheduled to graduate in May 09, and am in the military. I just heard that because I'm contracted with the military for the Nurse Corps, I can't do any kind of med school. I am very interested in furthering my education and although it might seem a bit early, I'd like to know what's out there. What I have also heard about is a program called DUINS. can anyone tell me more about that and any other options I may have to go to med school? Just curious about all my possibilities.
Thanks,
et2rn

You should still be able to have the military pay for your medical school if that is your goal. Check out the requirements for med school at http://www.usuhs.mil.

DanznRN, RN · Sep 14, 2007

What branch of "the military' are you contracted with? Each branch has their differences and as WTBCRNA pointed out you can go back and have them pay for med school even if they paid for nursing school. Since you are still active and you mentioned DUINS (Navy program) I'll assume you are going through MECP, correct? You'll have to finish your obligation to MECP before you can be eligible for DUINS. I'm currently in DUINS and love it. If you have specific questions about the program, let me know. Keep in mind while surfing the forum that there are several of us from different services and saying "military" is very general, the more specific you are the better we can help.

LCDR Dan

CHATSDALE · Sep 14, 2007

there was a notice in my e-mail this am that va school benefits going up another 39,000+ if you cannot get in service schooling check on this

Jerico, BSN, RN · Sep 14, 2007

.... saying "military" is very general ....
LCDR Dan

:lol2: Yes sir. :devil:

et2brn · Sep 15, 2007

LCDR DAN,

Yes, I am in the Navy, but I'm in the STA-21 program. I am VERY much interested in the DUINS program. What do I have to do to qualify? How can I better my chances? I asked my advisor, but he's not very familiar with the program, so I decided to branch out to helpful people such as yourself. Can you tell me more about it? I am still in school and won't graduate for another year and a half or so. I am under the impression that I can't go directly to DUINS out of school, right? Must I serve my time? My full 5 year obligation? Any and ALL info is greatly, greatly appreciated, sir.

R/

et2brn

DanznRN, RN · Sep 15, 2007

ET2-

Alright, now we're getting somewhere. Unfortunately, you're right, you will have to finish your obligation before applying. Keep in mind we know how the Navy is and that will probably change before you obligation is up. DUINS is AWESOME, haven't touched a uniform in over a year, it's a nice break after 10 years. Anyway, it's much like you are doing now, getting paid to go to school. I go to the University of Maryland, my program is 18 months. Some people go to DUINS for 24 months, just depends on the program. DUINS for nurses is for getting your advanced nursing degree, going to med school will be a different program, no sure on the name. As far as qualifying you have to put together the normal "package" of paperwork. You have to take the GRE, which I did poorly on and still got in, so no big deal. You'll need all of your official transcripts, shoe size, underwear type and so on. Depending on the program you need to have taken certain courses within X amount of years. My Stats class was more than 5 years old, so I had to take it again before I applied, the joy let me tell you. You need to keep your nose clean and get good FITREPS, do good on PRTs, you know be a good overall officer. You also have to write a motivational statement about why you should be selected, 250 words only. Anyway, it's been a blast and I've loved every minute of it, I do look forward to going back to work, I know I'm nuts. Where are you going to school? You didn't happen to be on the USS Klackring (sp), did you? I sat on a board for an ET to go to nursing school, great guy. Said he wanted to become a nurse after seeing his kids born, not the birth part just how good of care his wife received. Anyway, good luck with school, let me know if you need anything else, I'm always bouncing around on here every day or so.

LCDR Dan

et2brn · Sep 15, 2007

LCDR Dan,

Again, very helpful and insightful information. I am attending Old Dominion University here in VA. No, I haven't been on the USS Klackring. Only ship I've been on was the good ol' USS Kitty Hawk back in 2002, rotated to my shore duty, then took up STA-21. But again, thank you for all that info. I know you said that I have to fulfill my obligation before applying, but do I have to fulfill my FULL 5 year requirement? Can I apply a couple years after I graduate? What's the minimum? How has your career been as a Nurse in the Navy? What would you say is the difference between choosing DUINS over med school? I've looked into that USUHS website and I can't even figure out if I can qualify while IN school. I doubt it, but I looked on the STA-21 website and to my disadvantage, they have recently added a medical corps option. Which, by reading sounds exactly like what I want to do. Unfortunately, it was only made available after I took up my acceptance to STA-21 last year.

I guess my questions are really because I have been unable to find an "official" source with naval instructions that clearly outline the do's and don'ts of switching between programs or continuing thereafter.

That's a great thing you're doing, DUINS! I guess I must take my time and enjoy my current program. I just don't want to miss any early opportunities by being misinformed. Thanks again.

R/

et2brn

DanznRN, RN · Sep 15, 2007

ET2-

The world keeps getting smaller, my uncle was the chaplain on the Kitty until 2000, believe it or not they had to drag him off, just loved it. My career in the Navy, well I think it has been good. I'm not going to tell you it's been great and I have enjoyed every minute, but it's been good overall. I've had good leaders and bad leaders, I learned from both. The main thing is to have a goal, it's sounds like you want to be a doc, but took nursing as the next best thing. I'm the wrong one to ask about being a doc, I've heard my whole career that I should have been a doc. I personally don't want their life, I have kids and an active duty wife, I prefer being attached to them, not my job, but that's me. You need to decide on what you want out of life. I decided long ago that I wanted to coach my kid's teams and help them with their homework, Navy nursing allows me to do that. I have doc friends that don't have near the flexibility I do. Also, ask yourself why you want to be a doc? Do you believe they know more? In my book not hardly. I know nurses that have forgotten more than docs learn, that's a personal choice though. At the end of the day when you go home, you have to be able to do it with a smile on your face. Will be a nurse do that? Or is it a means to an ends? I love being a Navy nurse, especially working with the corpsmen, I love to teach. When I finish my Master's I'll be a Clinical Specialist and that's exactly what I will get to do, teach people. So for me the Navy's great, being a Navy nurse is great, even having my wife be a Navy nurse too is great. It's got it's ups and downs, but you will have that with ANY job. As for the obligation thing, let me do some checking around to be sure.

LCDR Dan

DanznRN, RN · Sep 15, 2007

I'm going to email you some documents you may find helpful about DUINS, let me know what you think.

LCDR Dan