Hi, I've read up a lot on here about military nursing and how there isn't really a job as a nurse in the military. I guess I am very confused as to what to do. I am a junior in a 4 year university, I changed my major multiple times before deciding I wanted to do nursing. I finish my undergrad in December and then I have two more years in Nursing School before I can get my BA. Right now I am 21 years old Ill be around 23 or 24 when I'm done with my BA in nursing. What I'm confused about is I want to join the Marines. I went to a recruiting office and talked to one of the enlistment recruiters and he was nice enough, not too pushy but I don't think he knows much about how I would be a nurse in the military. He told me that the Marines get their Medical team from the Navy. I really want to go through the Marines, and then maybe transfer branches to the Navy. Simply said my dream job is to be in the field as a nurse helping the military, like I mean in combat. I want to be there to fix someone up right after they got shot etc. I'm not sure if my dream job even exists at this point, because I know war is different now and also I am a woman, I'm not sure we're even allowed in the field. I have also talked to an officer recruiter on the phone and he told me about the Platoon Leaders Course that I can take while I am in Nursing School, it is 2, six week summer training programs. This way I will be done with my BA and my training together and be an officer from what I understand. The problem with that however is, I'm definitely not where I need to be for the physical demands of PLC to go straight from civilian life to Marines. For Basic I hear it is easier and they help you to succeed while in PLC you are really more on your own and its easier to get dropped. I really don't care about my pay or even my rank, I just want to be able to be a nurse and a marine. I don't know what to do. I'm not sure whether I should enlist or go the officer program. Someone talked also about being commissioned as a nurse. I'm not sure how that works either. I really want to go through the "brotherhood" of the marines, the feeling of accomplishment and belonging somewhere and going through something very tough and making it through, the strength and the pride, but I also want a sturdy job that I love doing. After my years in active duty I would love to work a civilian job as a nurse for VA or something, or go further in my career to become a nurse practitioner or even Physician Assistant. I just feel overwhelmed in how to go about doing this in the most effective time saving manner. I don't know who to talk to about nursing in the military.
Sorry, I have to continue because you are getting some seriously bad advice from this recruiter.
I'm a Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman with 9 years in the Navy. I'm the guy the other posters were talking about earlier, as close to Marine Corps. Medical there is.
Some insight he probably did not impart to you:
The MSC-IPP program requires applicants to be at least E5 (Sergeant Marine Corps or Petty Officer 2nd Class Navy). In the Marines it could take you 6-8 years MINIMUM to reach that rank.
The MSC-IPP PA program, though open to all rates (job types) in the Navy and Marines, is really for Navy IDCs, Independent Duty Corpsman. IDCs are the most highly trained enlisted medical providers in the Navy and they make up the bulk of MSC-IPP PA applicants, like 95%. I'm not saying its impossible for you to go Marine and apply to MSC-IPP, its EXTREMELY UNLIKELY.
Another option, away from a PA program, if you get commissioned into the Nurse Corps, later in your career the Navy will help you become a Nurse Practitioner if you're an outstanding performer. You can get your Masters and PHD in Nursing while in the Navy.
DocMattEB
9 Posts
Sorry, I have to continue because you are getting some seriously bad advice from this recruiter.
I'm a Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman with 9 years in the Navy. I'm the guy the other posters were talking about earlier, as close to Marine Corps. Medical there is.
Some insight he probably did not impart to you:
The MSC-IPP program requires applicants to be at least E5 (Sergeant Marine Corps or Petty Officer 2nd Class Navy). In the Marines it could take you 6-8 years MINIMUM to reach that rank.
The MSC-IPP PA program, though open to all rates (job types) in the Navy and Marines, is really for Navy IDCs, Independent Duty Corpsman. IDCs are the most highly trained enlisted medical providers in the Navy and they make up the bulk of MSC-IPP PA applicants, like 95%. I'm not saying its impossible for you to go Marine and apply to MSC-IPP, its EXTREMELY UNLIKELY.
Another option, away from a PA program, if you get commissioned into the Nurse Corps, later in your career the Navy will help you become a Nurse Practitioner if you're an outstanding performer. You can get your Masters and PHD in Nursing while in the Navy.