Nursing ROTC - NMU Military Science

Nursing Cadets are given the amazing opportunity to take part in what is known as the Nurse Summer Training Program (NSTP) through Army ROTC during the summer between their junior and senior years of college. NSTP is a 28-day-long, paid internship for Nursing Cadets to gain hands-on work experience on a unit of their choosing in an Army hospital within the United States or abroad (including Germany, South Korea, and Hawaii). 

The program introduces cadets to the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) and the roles and responsibilities of an Army Nurse Corps Officer. Under the supervision and guidance of an experienced Army Nurse Corps Officer, you will obtain hands-on nursing experience while practicing essential nursing skills, applying clinical judgment, and communicating with the hospital chain of command. Your one-on-one clinical experience will allow you the opportunity to hone your clinical skills, develop problem-solving techniques and gain confidence as a member of the U.S. Army Healthcare Team.

Nursing cadets apply for NSTP through their designated Brigade Nurse Counselor during their junior years. This Brigade Nurse Counselor serves as a resource person and mentor to all nursing cadets within the local region during their entire college career to assist them as they transition from cadets to officers and prepare for their commission into the Army Nurse Corps.

NSTP Locations:

1. Brook Army Medical Center (BAMC), San Antonio, TX
2. Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC), Honolulu, HI
3. Darnall Army Community Hospital, Fort Hood, TX
4. Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), Washington, DC
5. Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, GA
6. William Beaumont Army Medical Center (BAMC), El Paso, TX
7. Landstuhl Regional Medical Center Landstuhl (LRMC), Germany
8. Womack Army Medical Center (WAMC), Fort Bragg, NC
9. Madigan Army Medical Center (MAMC), Fort Lewis, WA

Click here for more information regarding NSTP and the Army Nurse Corps

Note: Prospective nursing students who desire to apply for the National ROTC Scholarship (Nursing Option) may only apply to universities with "Direct Admit" nursing programs. NMU is not a direct admit program as nursing prospects are not accepted into the nursing program until nursing prerequisites are met. This is typically accomplished during freshman year with admission to nursing being announced in the fall of sophomore year.  The only direct admit program in Michigan, currently, is the University of Michigan.

Prospective Nursing students and students accepted to the NMU Nursing Program may participate in the ROTC Basic Course (freshman and sophomore years). Upon acceptance into NMU's nursing program, nursing students may be considered for the ROTC Nursing Scholarship, should funding be available, and the opportunity to serve as Active Duty Army Nurses. 

Nursing students who do not receive an ROTC Nursing Scholarship may be considered for commissioning as an Army Nurse based upon expected vacancies in the Army Nurse Corps.

Students who are not successful in gaining admission to NMU's Nursing Program, or who elect to pursue other academic majors, may continue to participate in ROTC and are eligible to apply for a Campus-Based Scholarship or other Army tuition assistance. All who successfully complete ROTC may earn commissions in the Active Duty Army, Army Reserve or National Guard. 

References to the National Scholarship on these pages are for informational use only.

Those nursing cadets who are awarded a national or campus-based ROTC scholarship also receive nursing-specific benefits in addition to those offered with the traditional scholarship. These benefits cover nursing school expenses, licensing examination fees, and more.

Additional Benefits:

1.  Lab/clinical fees are reimbursable as a one-time fixed allowance
2.  ROTC will pay up to $600 for NCLEX-RN exam prep course after graduation
3.  First attempt NCLEX-RN examination fee (approximately $200) is reimbursed in full
4.  Guaranteed accession into Army Nurse Corps as long as cadet passes NCLEX-RN within 2 attempts

Learn more about the Northern Michigan University Nursing program

There are two major educational programs available to Army Nurses early in their careers. The first is guaranteed to them upon their commissioning and accession into the Army Nurse Corps. It is called the Clinical Nurse Transition Program, which is essentially a 6-month-long orientation program for new graduate registered nurses. This generic course provides nurse officers with training that introduces them to independent nursing practice and assigns them a preceptor who serves as a mentor while these new officers hone their nursing skills.

The second early educational opportunity is offered in the form of specialty courses. Usually after a nurse completes one or two years of practice starting on a medical-surgical unit, they begin to develop an interest in a specific area of nursing. Specialty courses provide officers with classroom education and hands-on training in that specific area and once completed, they are assigned to that clinical area in order to gain quality work experience. 

Another educational opportunity available is the Long Term Health Education and Training program. This program allows officers ranked as Captain or above an opportunity to obtain their Master's degree in a multitude of specialty areas. Officers apply for and are accepted to attend graduate programs following both clinical and administrative avenues.

Specialty Courses

Specialty courses are available for all Active Duty officers in order to receive specialized training in the critical care, psychiatric-mental health, OB-GYN or perioperative nursing specialties within their initial tour of duty (first 3-4 years on Active Duty). It is highly recommended for junior officers to take advantage of this opportunity and attend one of the courses. Officers who have prior nursing experience must have at least six months of Army nursing experience before applying for a course and must have at least one year remaining on Active Duty by the completion of their course. Officers who do not have prior nursing experience must complete at least one year of practice before they are considered eligible for specialty training. 

1. Community Health Nursing - provides the skills and knowledge to function in specialty areas of preventative medicine and community health care. The course lasts nine weeks and is offered at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas.
2. Critical Care Nursing - covers anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, physics, diagnostic procedures, psychological and sociological problems, and ethical and legal considerations in the care of critically ill patients. The Critical Care Nursing course lasts 16 weeks and is offered at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington, and Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
3. Emergency Nursing - prepares nurses to function in a clinical setting of emergency nursing, focusing on fundamentals of emergency nursing, such as respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, trauma management and infectious diseases. The Emergency Nursing course lasts 16 weeks and is offered at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas.
4. Obstetrical/Gynecological Nursing - prepares nurses to care for patients in all aspects of the childbearing spectrum; pregnancy counseling, pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum care. The OB/GYN nursing course lasts 16 weeks and is offered at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii.
5. Perioperative Nursing - prepares nurses for all phases of operating room nursing, including advanced skills related to specialty areas in surgery and the principles and techniques of supervising and managing an operating room. The Perioperative Nursing course lasts 16 weeks and is offered at Brooke Army Medical center in Texas and Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington.
6. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing - prepares nurses to provide specialized care to emotionally distressed individuals both as inpatients and outpatients, and to provide consultation within the general hospital community. The Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing course lasts 22 weeks and is offered at Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Georgia.

Long Term Health Education and Training 

The Long Term Health Education and Training (LTHET) program provides officers the opportunity to obtain graduate degrees in nursing or closely related fields. Graduate education provides Army Nurse Corps (ANC) officers with the knowledge and ability to successfully carry out a variety of nursing roles such as sustainment-base nursing (TDA) and field nursing. Selection of officers for graduate education is based upon the projected needs of the Nurse Corps. The competitive officer must demonstrate that the selected area of study contributes to the ANC mission. The LTHET program provides selected officers the opportunity to attend civilian institutions to earn a Master's or Doctorate degree.

Currently, all officers are selected for funding with a specified tuition cap. While nurses are taking a full course load, they continue to receive full pay and allowances, allowing them to focus on learning, not financial obligations. The mission of the Army Nurse Corps is to provide leadership and quality nursing service in peace and contingency operations. The Army Nurse Corps' graduate education programs are congruent with the U.S. Army Surgeon General's mission to project a healthy force, deploy a trained medical force that supports Army transformation, and manage the care of the soldier and military family.

The learning process for our Second Lieutenants does not stop after graduation and commissioning. Once candidates pass their NCLEX-RN exam, they are accessed into the Army Nurse Corps and eligible to attend the Basic Officer Leaders Course (BOLC) for 2.5 months in Fort Sam Houston, TX. Nurse officers begin their career development through different stages of clinical and administrative assignments. These stages allow them to gain experience and become proficient in both patient care and personnel management.

Upon arriving at their first duty station, the officer will be paired up with a preceptor to facilitate the transition of new graduates (with less than six months experience) into practicing nursing in a military environment. In this program (known as the Clinical Nurse Transition Program), the new health care provider is partnered with another, more experienced health care provider (preceptor), who is responsible for orienting the new graduate to the clinical area as well as assisting with the transition into the military environment.

When new graduates arrive to their first assignments, they are briefed on the preceptorship program either by the Education Chief or a senior instructor. The program is based on the Army mission, values, and goals and includes program objectives and performance standards that apply across the AMEDD. CNTP lasts for six months and must take place in one of the eight major Army Medical Facilities. The new health care provider and the assigned preceptor work the exact same schedule for the entire length of the preceptorship. The preceptor is responsible for providing the initial unit orientation, assessing the individual learning needs of the new graduate, coaching and constructive feedback, and providing appropriate learning experiences.

After completing the preceptorship, a Clinical Staff Nurse will usually spend one year on a general medical--surgical ward to hone their clinical and time management skills, gain a greater understanding of the military healthcare system and develop their interests in specialty areas of the nursing profession. They will be members of treatment teams and primarily be responsible for direct hands-on patient care. During the first year, the nurse develops the required foundation of techniques and knowledge that will guide them and be developed upon throughout their career.

After the first year, the clinical staff nurse will be given opportunities to demonstrate their management and organizational skills by being placed in the role of Charge Nurse. As Charge Nurse, the Lieutenant will be responsible for staff/patient care assignments, overall operations of the patient care ward, and be the "go to" person for any concerns or patient care/ward procedure questions. This is the time that they learn accountability and responsibility for the actions of others and how to integrate the entire healthcare team together for quality patient results. This role can best be compared to that of a Platoon Leader. At this point in their careers, nurses may also be selected for a nurse specialty school where they will be transferred to a unit of their specialty upon completion. 

As a nurse attains the rank of Captain, and the experience that goes with it, they are eligible for a Head Nurse position. It is not uncommon to see a staff nurse become a Head Nurse in just three or four years. As a Head Nurse, they are responsible for all actions on their ward or clinical area to include budget management, logistics, staff actions and management, training requirements and maintaining top quality patient care. Depending on their specialty and desire, an Army nurse may hold the position of Head Nurse during 3 or more assignments. This role can best be compared to that of a Company Commander.

At the rank of Captain, there are also many crossroads for the nurse officer to take that allow them to apply for graduate studies, specialty training, staff officer roles, educators or administration. In some cases, Army nurses will have the opportunity to practice in nontraditional environments such as research institutes, government agencies, Nurse Counselors within Cadet Command or Health Care Recruiters within Recruiting Command. Other unique roles include White House Clinical Staff Nurse and Instructors at the Army Medical Department Center and School.

Dependent on the path taken and assignment location, officers can maintain a closer association with the clinical or administrative component of nursing. In order to ensure a varied background and to integrate both the administrative and clinical aspects, careers usually involve both types of assignments. As nurses attain the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel, positions such as Clinical Section Supervisors, Assistant Chief Nurse and Chief Nurse of hospitals, and special staff officers are available for assignments. Colonels are also considered for Hospital Command positions through the Army.

Professional advancement within the Army comes much quicker as compared to civilian counterparts. Army nurses earn regular increases in rank and responsibility and are provided with many opportunities to prove their abilities and potential for promotion. Seniority is maintained during change in assignments with each new position building on the previous experiences. In many civilian hospitals, opportunities for upward mobility are limited, with management positions filled by nurses with many years of seniority within the organization. 

Army ROTC is just the beginning of a long and successful career for nurses.

Note: Prospective or current NMU Nursing students are not currently eligible for either a National or Campus-Based Army ROTC Nursing Scholarship. Army ROTC Nursing Scholarships are only awarded to students who attend "direct admit" Nursing Programs. The NMU Nursing Program does not directly admit incoming freshman to the Nursing Program; therefore, we are currently unable to offer either the National or Campus-Based Army ROTC Nursing Scholarship at NMU. Students who wish to pursue an Army ROTC Nursing Scholarship are encouraged to apply via the "National" link shown on the "Nursing Scholarship" page.  

Prospective Nursing Program students and students accepted to the NMU Nursing Program may participate in the ROTC Basic Course (freshman and sophomore years).  However, the opportunity to graduate from the NMU Nursing Program and to commission as an Active Duty Army Nurse is limited, on a case by case basis, based upon the needs of the Army in a given graduation year.   Nursing Students who desire to serve as Army Nurses will be considered, on a case by case basis, during the sophomore year.  Students who are not successful in gaining admission to NMU's Nursing Program, or who elect to pursue other academic majors, may continue to participate in ROTC, are eligible for scholarships and tuition assistance, and may become commissioned officers upon graduation. 

The additional information on this page and external links are provided for informational purposes only.

There are advantages in Army ROTC that are not found in traditional nursing programs. As an ROTC nursing student, you will combine college electives in military science with your regular nursing program. You may also participate in an invaluable nurse summer training session. Please see our link to the right for more information on this Army Nurse internship. Overall, the Army Nurse Program will teach you the required professional skills needed to succeed in nursing, but it will also help you learn a great deal about yourself.

If nursing is your professional goal, there is no better place to begin your career than Army ROTC. Army ROTC offers you a unique opportunity to gain practical nursing experience while developing the leadership skills that will help you in any profession. Nursing majors may also compete for 2-, 3-, or 4-year scholarships to help pay for college or take advantage of other tuition assistance programs offered through Army ROTC. 

ROTC enhances your undergraduate nursing education or graduate nursing education by providing the unique leadership and management training alongside the practical experience needed for success, either in the Army or the civilian sector. You will also develop leadership skills, self-confidence, flexibility, and adaptability.

After obtaining your baccalaureate degree and meeting the military science requirements, you will receive a commission as an Army Nurse Corps (ANC) officer. Once you have identified your assignment choice, you will be ready to take on the challenges of your profession in one of the Army hospitals in the United States or Germany. As an officer, you will have the opportunity to lead, advance professionally, obtain specialized training, work with the latest medical technology, and serve with other highly trained medical personnel as an important member of the health care team.

Army ROTC is the perfect starting place for future leaders of the Army Nurse Corps. Take advantage of the ROTC edge.