Cadets who complete the Army ROTC program and requirements for their nursing degree will be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. In order to be accepted to the Army Nurse Corps and enter active duty, the newly commissioned officer must pass the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination). Upon successfully passing the NCLEX, all nursing officers will attend the Officer Basic Course (OBC) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. There they will study basic army knowledge and the functioning of an army unit. The first assignment, which is determined by evaluating college performance, ROTC standing, and personal preferences, can be one of over 25 hospitals in the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Germany or Korea.
Once the graduates have been working as an army nurse on active duty for one year they are eligible to attend a clinical specialty course of their choice. Currently, the course choices are: Perioperative Nursing, Critical Care Nursing, Obstetrical and Gynecological Nursing, Psychiatric / Mental Health Nursing, Emergency Nursing, and Community Health Nursing.
Service Obligation
The service obligation for students who accept the Army ROTC Nursing Scholarship will be four years active duty. At the completion of the four years, the officer may elect to continue on active duty or enter the Army Reserves for four years. There is also an Army Reserve / National Guard Option in which a college student can hold a civilian job and pay back the obligation by serving one weekend a month and two weeks a year.
Non-scholarship recipients will have an active duty service obligation of three years. At the completion of the first three years, the nurse officer may elect to continue on active duty or enter the Army Reserves remaining three years.
For more information about the Army Nurse Corps, Scholarships, or Army ROTC in general, please contact us.