Uniformed Services University??

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Has anyone went to school at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD? I am concerned by how expensive it is to live out there but I know that I want to stay in the Commission Corps and it is a great deal. However, if the school is not something I would like or enjoy then I would rather pay out of pocket to go back.

I love school so studying won't be a problem. Even if you know someone who knows someone give me the scoop!

Thanks.:redpinkhe

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Has anyone went to school at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD? I am concerned by how expensive it is to live out there but I know that I want to stay in the Commission Corps and it is a great deal. However, if the school is not something I would like or enjoy then I would rather pay out of pocket to go back.

I love school so studying won't be a problem. Even if you know someone who knows someone give me the scoop!

Thanks.:redpinkhe

The housing allowance will cover your rent, but living in the DC/Bethesda area is more expensive than most other areas in the US.

Unless, you are wanting to do CRNA at USUHS, I wouldn't bother with any other MSN program there. The payback is going to be 4yrs for 2yrs of school and you can easily get any other MSN online/part-time while working full time using your tution assistance to pay for school.

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Specializes in NICU.
Has anyone went to school at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, MD? I am concerned by how expensive it is to live out there but I know that I want to stay in the Commission Corps and it is a great deal. However, if the school is not something I would like or enjoy then I would rather pay out of pocket to go back.

I love school so studying won't be a problem. Even if you know someone who knows someone give me the scoop!

Thanks.:redpinkhe

If you have the means to pay for it on your own, then do it! Although the CRNA progam is spectacular and rated among the top 5 in the nation for CRNA schools, the commitment you owe the military back is a very long time.

My husband and I are a military family, me going for nursing, while he is going for PA. we both did do our research for med school there. Everything is wonderful, but the longterm commitment after you are done with school is 7 or 8 years I believe. In the end, including medical school, it was an additional 15 years commitment that we were not ready to make with the military (we've been in 8 years aleady!)

If you are fine with it, then it is the way to go for sure, especially if you are already an enlisted service member, you will be getting a steady pay throughout school. If you are a civilian, then sorry to say, you just get funded for school, and no regular pay for a while, I am not sure when the regular pay kicks in for that group.:typing

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My only concern now is that if I go there then I will be lowered back to O-1 and I am going to make O-3 in January. I have four years in now and know that the time in school works toward retirement.

Just shopping around for schools and my next assignment in the Commission Corps.

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Specializes in NICU.
My only concern now is that if I go there then I will be lowered back to O-1 and I am going to make O-3 in January. I have four years in now and know that the time in school works toward retirement.

Just shopping around for schools and my next assignment in the Commission Corps.

You are right that you will be only paid as an O-1, but from what I understand you do not lose rank, just the pay for the timebeing. On the bright side, however, is that you do get your rank back fairly quickly and then some. I can't recall the exact numbers, but for however many years you were prior service to med school then it will apply towards your time in service and so your ranks shoots up pretty quick when you are done. Besides, medical corps officers gain rank quickly anyways.

If you are already happy with your military career thus far, then this will be a great way to further yourself! Are you trying to get your RN or your MD? Which branch are you in? We are Army, and the Army has fabulous RN and accelerated PA programs. I am sure these are opened to officers as well. As long as you have the right pre-requisites and time left in service, there shouldn't be any reasons why you wouldn't qualify for those (less commitment time, just 4 years that way!)

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I am in the Commission Corps of the USPHS. I don't know that I could get in the Army! I am RN,BSN. Alot of people I work with have encouraged me to become a MD but I love nursing alot. I was thinking NP but some of the ones I work with depend on the MD so much I don't understand why they are NPs.

Dorkolicious I see you live in Silver Spring, MD...How do you like it?

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Specializes in NICU.
I am in the Commission Corps of the USPHS. I don't know that I could get in the Army! I am RN,BSN. Alot of people I work with have encouraged me to become a MD but I love nursing alot. I was thinking NP but some of the ones I work with depend on the MD so much I don't understand why they are NPs.

Dorkolicious I see you live in Silver Spring, MD...How do you like it?

Hmm, I am not familiar at all with the USPHS, that is outside of the 5 military branches I am familiar with. Do you know what field you are passionate in? Specializing as an NP there should suffice, but MD is certainly a great idea too. It is certainly something that is solely a personal option, but the Uniformed Servives University is a great place to go if you plan on furthering yourself.

I actually grew up here in the DC metropolitan! Left here 8 years ago when I joined the Army, have been throughtout the US but spent our 6 recent years in Ft Bragg. Now my husband just got reassigned here to Walter Reed Hospital, and that is how we got back here.

I've always loved it here, but honestly, the traffic sucks! Other than that and the extra gas wastage that traffic causes, I love it and always have. I am just a few miles from Bethesda too by the way.:typing

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We are a uniformed service not military. We always say, "We are the Surgeon General's Corps". You should check us out just so when you see people in the area with a little different uniform you know who they are. :) www.usphs.gov A large amount of our people are in the D.C. area.

Where do you recommend living? Do you rent or own your house?

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Specializes in NICU.
We are a uniformed service not military. We always say, "We are the Surgeon General's Corps". You should check us out just so when you see people in the area with a little different uniform you know who they are. :) www.usphs.gov A large amount of our people are in the D.C. area.

Where do you recommend living? Do you rent or own your house?

As soon as I read your post I did google it. Sounds interesting, not quite a commitment as the military, but still gets you involved with the government. Sounds like something I might be interested in later on. What are the commitments/terms you must commit to? See, now I am asking you questions! lol....

Silver Spring is nice, but the cost of living is ridiculous everywhere here! But housing prices aside, I would suggest Gaithersburg or Germantown, MD. Basically Montgomery County will be good, they are the wealthiest county in MD's part of the DC metro. I grew up in Prince George's county, which is not so great, especially nowadays.

We live in military housing, which is why we can afford to live at all around here!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
My only concern now is that if I go there then I will be lowered back to O-1 and I am going to make O-3 in January. I have four years in now and know that the time in school works toward retirement.

Just shopping around for schools and my next assignment in the Commission Corps.

USUHS medical school you would be lose rank back to O-1 until you graduate, but starting in the last year you still get to keep your pay at the old rank. All the nursing programs at USUHS do not require you to lose rank, and you can still promote while in school as a nurse.

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Thank you wtbcrna! I don't think the USUHS website is real user friendly. Are you in CRNA school there or went there? I work in a rural ED and sedate people under the doctors supervision for intubation, conscious sedation for procedures, etc.. For whatever reason, I am good at it and like doing it.

It's in the back of my mind.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Thank you wtbcrna! I don't think the USUHS website is real user friendly. Are you in CRNA school there or went there? I work in a rural ED and sedate people under the doctors supervision for intubation, conscious sedation for procedures, etc.. For whatever reason, I am good at it and like doing it.

It's in the back of my mind.

I am currently in my 2nd half/Phase II of 2.5 yr program at USUHS working on my CRNA. Here is the direct link to the USUHS nurse anesthesia home page. http://www.usuhs.mil/gsn/rna/index.html

My suggestion to anyone thinking of becoming a CRNA is to spend at least a week or two shadowing a couple of different CRNAs.

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