Reapplying to USNA after A-school

1

15navy_candidate

Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2019
Messages
18
Hello again to everyone on the forum!

Since I received my TWE during late winter I haven't posted on this forum much, however I would like to reach out for some advice. After receiving the TWE and doing some soul searching I enlisted into the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman, with the end goal of becoming a Nurse. I've spoken with my parents, who are both prior enlisted and they both said they do not have too much information on the topic. So, if I reapplied to USNA would commissioning as a Nurse be possible, or would I have to complete my 5 years of active duty and then become a Nurse?
 
USNA does not commission anyone into the Nurse Corps. However, they do commission mids into the Med and Dental Corps. Commission into the Med Corps is probably the most competitive community at the academy with only about 12 mids going into the Med Corps each year. The average GPA of someone commissioning into the Med Corps is 3.65. So, it takes hard work but is certainly possible.
 
15navy_candidate said:
Hello again to everyone on the forum!

Since I received my TWE during late winter I haven't posted on this forum much, however I would like to reach out for some advice. After receiving the TWE and doing some soul searching I enlisted into the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman, with the end goal of becoming a Nurse. I've spoken with my parents, who are both prior enlisted and they both said they do not have too much information on the topic. So, if I reapplied to USNA would commissioning as a Nurse be possible, or would I have to complete my 5 years of active duty and then become a Nurse?
Click to expand...

To be an officer in the Nurse Corps for the USN, you need a BSN degree.

The USNA does not award BSN degrees.

If you want to go to the USNA and then be a NC officer, serve your 5 years active duty and then find an accelerated 15 or 18-month non-nursing bachelor’s to BSN program.

Once you get your BSN, try to get back into the USN.
 
I don't know how to say this without sounding super snooty or judgmental so let me start with, I am married to a nurse and I LOVE nurses.

Your income as a nurse has a ceiling if you do not go back and become a practitioner or a CRNA. What is your end goal? I would say that attending the USNA, serving your 5 years active duty, then becoming a nurse and going back into the USN as a nurse is a strange path and .... possibly wasteful of your USNA alumni status.... goodness I really hate typing that... please please forgive me. If you get into the USNA there are so many unique opportunities that bedside nursing just doesn't make sense as the end to your career path. Maybe I'm WAY wrong? I am just struggling with the picture of a USNA grad eventually also doing bedside nursing. Maybe if the end goal is NP or CRNA then it makes a bit more sense. Sorry, I really hope I have not offended anyone and if I have it is not intentional and certainly not my intent. Set me straight (kindly please) and explain to me how this makes sense.
 
I for one am not offended by your post, and would rather prefer people to tell me how it is rather than not. I feel in love with USNA after my NASS experience but have always wanted to become a Nurse/go medical (though not necessarily a Dr). Just trying to figure out how to accomplish both of my dreams.
 
I had several USNA grad friends after their time in the Navy attend school to earn their BSN. Many were able to complete 2 year accelerated programs to accomplish this. With current GI Bill rules you could serve 8 years active duty (I think it’s 8) and have that for after you get out to attend school. There are many paths to what you want to do and be open to where those paths may go, you are young, never know how things might change.
 
15navy_candidate said:
I feel in love with USNA after my NASS experience but have always wanted to become a Nurse/go medical (though not necessarily a Dr)
Click to expand...

My advice would be to apply to USNA, attend and serve with an open mind, and if you still want to be a Nurse after you've served , then by all means pursue the goal. At 18 , very few people really know what they want to be when they grow up. (I certainly never dreamed of being a lawyer). If you pass up the opportunity to apply to and attend USNA now, you will never have that opportunity again.

Tucker2023 said:
serving your 5 years active duty, then becoming a nurse and going back into the USN as a nurse is a strange path and .... possibly wasteful of your USNA alumni status....
Click to expand...
.

While I understand what you are trying to say, I strongly disagree. The Mission of USNA includes development of mind and character "to assume the highest responsibilities of ...citizenship..... " (edited for emphasis). Not everyone is going to spend 30+ years in uniform and become CNO. Every profession needs leaders, and the right person with nurse training can go well beyond "bedside nursing" and contribute to the community in a number of ways.
 
If am not mistaken, NROTC has a nurse option. If you have a competitive application for USNA, you should also be competitive for a NROTC scholarship. Is that something you have explored/considered? Although, you might have to wait until the end of your enlistment.
 
The BS to BSN idea is a good one.

Also check out physician assistant. PA school is a masters level program that requires medical experience. As an Academy grad and HM you would be well qualified.
 
Tucker2023 said:
I don't know how to say this without sounding super snooty or judgmental so let me start with, I am married to a nurse and I LOVE nurses.

Your income as a nurse has a ceiling if you do not go back and become a practitioner or a CRNA. What is your end goal? I would say that attending the USNA, serving your 5 years active duty, then becoming a nurse and going back into the USN as a nurse is a strange path and .... possibly wasteful of your USNA alumni status.... goodness I really hate typing that... please please forgive me. If you get into the USNA there are so many unique opportunities that bedside nursing just doesn't make sense as the end to your career path. Maybe I'm WAY wrong? I am just struggling with the picture of a USNA grad eventually also doing bedside nursing. Maybe if the end goal is NP or CRNA then it makes a bit more sense. Sorry, I really hope I have not offended anyone and if I have it is not intentional and certainly not my intent. Set me straight (kindly please) and explain to me how this makes sense.
Click to expand...

Yeah I am going to have disagree with the possible waste of Alumni status. So is an Alumni who goes to be a police officer or teacher... is that a waste? I happen to work with nurses daily in my current job. Nurses who can mentor, train, lead, handle technology flourish, and are hard to come by. Many nurses do not want to do anything outside taking care of patients... and that is absolutely fine too. We need those nurses also. There are so many career paths in nursing that many do not realize exist. I am surrounded by them in non-traditional roles and they are amazing as the ones I chase around a hospital trying to understand their job to help them. Oh, did I mention my boss two levels up has a PhD in nursing? Do what makes you happy. That could change 10 years from now. The bottom line is... all career fields need leaders who can manage and lead people, make hard decisions, can innovate, solve problems.
 
Last edited:
NavyHoops said:
Tucker2023 said:
I don't know how to say this without sounding super snooty or judgmental so let me start with, I am married to a nurse and I LOVE nurses.

Your income as a nurse has a ceiling if you do not go back and become a practitioner or a CRNA. What is your end goal? I would say that attending the USNA, serving your 5 years active duty, then becoming a nurse and going back into the USN as a nurse is a strange path and .... possibly wasteful of your USNA alumni status.... goodness I really hate typing that... please please forgive me. If you get into the USNA there are so many unique opportunities that bedside nursing just doesn't make sense as the end to your career path. Maybe I'm WAY wrong? I am just struggling with the picture of a USNA grad eventually also doing bedside nursing. Maybe if the end goal is NP or CRNA then it makes a bit more sense. Sorry, I really hope I have not offended anyone and if I have it is not intentional and certainly not my intent. Set me straight (kindly please) and explain to me how this makes sense.
Click to expand...

Yeah I am going to have disagree with the possible waste of Alumni status. So is an Alumni who goes to be a police officer or teacher... is that a waste? I happen to work with nurses daily in my current job. Nurses who can mentor, train, lead, handle technology flourish, and are hard to come by. Many nurses do not want to do anything outside taking care of patients... at that is absolutely fine too. We those nurses also. There are so many career paths in nursing that many do not realize exist. I am surrounded by them in non-traditional roles and they are amazing as the ones I chase around a hospital trying to understand their job to help them. Oh, did I mention my boss two levels up has a PhD in nursing? Do what makes you happy. That could change 10 years from now. The bottom line is... all career fields need leaders who can manage and lead people, make hard decisions, can innovate, solve problems.
Click to expand...
I think I have more than a half dozen classmates who became clergymen. Hoops, I'm sure that you know Blues but we had others, some who eventually served as Navy Chaplains and others whose ministries led elsewhere.
 
Old Navy BGO said:
15navy_candidate said:
I feel in love with USNA after my NASS experience but have always wanted to become a Nurse/go medical (though not necessarily a Dr)
Click to expand...

My advice would be to apply to USNA, attend and serve with an open mind, and if you still want to be a Nurse after you've served , then by all means pursue the goal. At 18 , very few people really know what they want to be when they grow up. (I certainly never dreamed of being a lawyer). If you pass up the opportunity to apply to and attend USNA now, you will never have that opportunity again.

Tucker2023 said:
serving your 5 years active duty, then becoming a nurse and going back into the USN as a nurse is a strange path and .... possibly wasteful of your USNA alumni status....
Click to expand...
.

While I understand what you are trying to say, I strongly disagree. The Mission of USNA includes development of mind and character "to assume the highest responsibilities of ...citizenship..... " (edited for emphasis). Not everyone is going to spend 30+ years in uniform and become CNO. Every profession needs leaders, and the right person with nurse training can go well beyond "bedside nursing" and contribute to the community in a number of ways.
Click to expand...
@OldRetSWO On Point Great Advice!
 
My 3/C when I was a Plebe is now a Priest. A friend of mine and a year behind me is now a Nun. What grads go on to do is far and wide. Even my friend who is a nun is a natural leader and has transformed some schools she taught at. Alumni status to me means being of character, leading in your community, continuing to improve yourself, and leading in your chosen profession. The overwhelming majority of my classmates and shipmates have gone on to do just that even in careers that might not have ‘power titles’ or prestige as high paying.
 
Tucker2023 said:
I don't know how to say this without sounding super snooty or judgmental so let me start with, I am married to a nurse and I LOVE nurses.

Your income as a nurse has a ceiling if you do not go back and become a practitioner or a CRNA. What is your end goal? I would say that attending the USNA, serving your 5 years active duty, then becoming a nurse and going back into the USN as a nurse is a strange path and .... possibly wasteful of your USNA alumni status.... goodness I really hate typing that... please please forgive me. If you get into the USNA there are so many unique opportunities that bedside nursing just doesn't make sense as the end to your career path. Maybe I'm WAY wrong? I am just struggling with the picture of a USNA grad eventually also doing bedside nursing. Maybe if the end goal is NP or CRNA then it makes a bit more sense. Sorry, I really hope I have not offended anyone and if I have it is not intentional and certainly not my intent. Set me straight (kindly please) and explain to me how this makes sense.
Click to expand...
Why is it that when certain people are going to say something demeaning or at least not flattering about nurses or the nursing profession they lead off with "I am married to a nurse" or "my spouse is a nurse" or "my mother was a nurse"? Like that somehow lends credibility to their view of the nursing profession. In my opinion, eventually becoming a nurse or any other professional, is not at all "wasteful of your USNA alumni status". There are many paths you can take to becoming a nurse and I would suggest exploring all of them.
 
15navy_candidate said:
Hello again to everyone on the forum!

Since I received my TWE during late winter I haven't posted on this forum much, however I would like to reach out for some advice. After receiving the TWE and doing some soul searching I enlisted into the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman, with the end goal of becoming a Nurse. I've spoken with my parents, who are both prior enlisted and they both said they do not have too much information on the topic. So, if I reapplied to USNA would commissioning as a Nurse be possible, or would I have to complete my 5 years of active duty and then become a Nurse?
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top