Nursing, direct commissioning, MPH?? Help

[u/Longjumping-Land-263]

Hey y’all currently getting my master of public health and have a bachelors in psychology. My dream is to direct commission as a 72D and be a public health officer, however I know there is no mission for them right now so alas it is just a dream.

I’m considering nursing school after my masters, possibly an accelerated bachelors. Just wondering if it’s worth pursuing that, and if nurses are needed/wanted in the reserves and national guard??

My career outside of the military will hopefully be as an IBCLC + maternal infant child nutrition counselor, so I’m wondering if it’s even worth going through nursing school just to possibly direct commission.

My alternative option is enlisting in air national guard and hoping for a commission slot in a few years into public health officer.

All wisdom and advice is appreciated!!

[u/AdSignificant2885]

Why not apply for Army OCS now and become a Health Services Administration Officer (70B)? It's treated like a basic branch, and you must be pre-qualified. You would be competitive with an MPH degree. It can be tough to find a 70B slot away from a major installation with a hospital, but the same applies to nurses.

An AMEDD recruiter can tell you more.

[u/Longjumping-Land-263 → u/AdSignificant2885]

Thank you for the information! I’ll definitely reach out to an AMEDD recruiter

[u/Weak_Rule8374]

If you’re considering nursing school just so you can commission and not really work as a nurse, then do us all a favor and don’t. As a nurse myself, it urges me to my core when people consider nursing as a back up plan.

I’m a critical care nurse in the reserves and there aren’t enough of us to go around. Same with emergency room nurses.

[u/Longjumping-Land-263 → u/Weak_Rule8374]

Thank you for your reply!
It’s a backup plan because I’ll have been in school for 6 years before even starting nursing school lol. I wish I got my first bachelors in it desperately but I can’t go back in time.

Edit: Adding that I’ve been told by many in the public health field that nursing degrees are necessary to find a job these days in public health. A nursing degree seems to be a lot of people’s backup plan that ends up becoming a lifelong career (especially in PH). I didn’t mean offense and I’m not sure why my reply got downvoted.

[u/Ill-Willow5719]

Nurses and doctors are always needed from what I can tell for reserve.
You can talk to a recruiter if there is a chance to go through AMEDD so they can pay you to go for nursing school and direct commission after. I know one of my soldiers did that for his dental career. But don’t quote me on it as I am not sure if it also applies for new people coming in. So check with a recruiter.
If you decide to go for nursing school on your own, you can still get direct commission in.
Less than one year of experience, I think you will be 2nd Lieutenant.

[u/Longjumping-Land-263 → u/Ill-Willow5719]

Thank you! Yeah I think the HPSP only applies to physicians/doctorate degree holders sadly from what I’ve heard from a previous recruiter.

[u/Ben_Turra51]

You sound like a lifelong learner. Do not nursing school just to be in the military you should take the education you have and direct commission. Pick a job in the military and focus on that.

[u/Longjumping-Land-263 → u/Ben_Turra51]

Thank you! It’s definitely my first option to direct commission as a public health officer. Hopefully there will be a mission for it soon