What Do Students Say About Their Clinical Experiences In Va Settings
Current VA scholars have consistently reported positive learning experiences in these settings.Here are a few student comments:
“I feel that as a VA Scholar, I get so much more one-on-one experience with my clinical faculty and Clinical Teaching Associate . I really appreciate that individual attention. I also appreciate the enrichment opportunities available in the VANAP program.”
“I was really impressed with how the VA staff was so willing to help us in our clinical experience and help us learn about patient care. They were open to us! I was really happy to see a work environment where the staff loved their work and their co-workers. All the Veterans I interacted with during my clinical rotations were very satisfied with their care at the VA and I realized how much the staff genuinely cared for their patient population.”
“I love the faculty that I have been working with. They are all wonderful. I enjoy working with Veterans and learning more about their specific needs. The Clinical Teaching Associate that I was assigned to during my acute care rotation was exceptional. She was very kind and helpful and I truly enjoyed learning from her.”
College Credit For Military Experience
Most service members do not realize that their particular Military Occupation Specialty can be equivalent to some college credits. Therefore, just learning your MOS has already earned you college credit. However, not all college institutions will recognize this important feature. ACE coordinated through the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education freely evaluates your training and occupational specialty for academic credit that can be applied towards your nursing education goals. Below is a checklist and resource websites to get started:
- ACE Guide to Evaluation of Education Experiences in the Armed Services. Here you can search courses or military occupations to obtain credit information.
- To obtain an ACE review first obtain copies of your transcripts from Joint Services Transcript services:
Joint Services Transcript Video
- Official copies of transcripts are sent to colleges and universities at no charge!
- For an example of a credit evaluation from the ACE website for the MOS 68W-001 Health Care Specialist please visit:
Choosing Gi Bill Approved Schools
Find GI Bill approved schools and compare benefits with the GI Bill Comparison Tool. You can use your GI Bill benefits at somebut not allschools. Use the resources listed here to search for GI Bill approved schools, compare the benefits youll receive at different schools, and get more advice to help you choose a school.
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I Am Applying To Umson And The Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program Can I Request An Early Decision To Meet The Necp Deadline What Are The Requirements
Effective fall 2022, military personnel requesting a decision outside of the normal period must meet all requirements and complete all steps listed below.
- Fall deadline: Dec. 1All applications will be reviewed starting Dec. 1 and all decisions will be released by December 15.
- Spring deadline: July 1All applications will be reviewed starting July 1 and all decisions will be released by July 15.
Applicants who are applying to the UMSON and the NECP must:
- Meet UMSON requirements regardless of NECP requirements and or deadlines/timeframes
- Early decision requests must come with orders/reason an early decision is necessary and completed Form 48 if applying for NECP all in one email .
- Must complete full UMSON application by the NECP deadline or earlier
- If admitted provisionally you will not get a letter stating you met all requirements until we receive proof via official transcript
- Those who receive an early decision must comply with the 14 day confirmation deadline
- Failure to submit all documents and not list all schools attended will result in your request for an early decision being denied
- The reviewing committee will not consider incomplete files or late requests
- A deferral is not granted in the case of not being accepted to the NECP
Veterans Affairs Education Benefits Information

The UMSON Scholarship & Grants Office assists students with Veterans Administration education benefits. All new students interested in using VA education benefits must submit the following documentation and forms to prior to the start of the semester enrolled.
- VA Declaration of Intent must be submitted every semester
- Copy of Certificate of Eligibility
- Copy of Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty: Form DD214*
- Copy of Change of Program/Place of Training: Form 22-1995 or 22-5495.* Student should submit form to the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to requesting certification.
- Authorization of Certification of Entrance/Reentrance Form 28-1905 with case manager’s approval. Request for Supplies Form 28-1905m*
* if applicable
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Va Financial Support For Nursing Careers
Most people know that the Department of Veterans Affairs provides an outstanding education benefit to our nations military and veteran communities. What most people dont know, however, is that the VA prides itself on helping their own employees advance their education and careers through programs like the National Nursing Education Initiative .
Through the NNEI program, Registered Nurses who work part-time or full-time at the VA for at least one year can receive up to $41,572, tax free, toward the cost of higher education. This scholarship can be used to cover tuition, books, or administrative and registration fees. In return, scholarship recipients agree to work in a VA career for one to three years.
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What Step Is A Nurse 1 Level 3
Nurse I Level III An ADN or Diploma in Nursing and approximately 2-3 years of nursing practice/experience OR an ADN or Diploma in Nursing and a Bachelors degree in a related field and approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience OR a BSN with approximately 1-2 years of nursing practice/experience OR a Oct 1, 2018.
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Does The Va Help To Pay For Nursing Care
As the population keeps aging, more and more people are needing care within their home as well as moving to a community for their care needs. Fortunately the level of care has greatly improved from the time of our grandparents. Unfortunately the cost to receive that care has skyrocketed.
For those who served our country, there may be money available through the Veterans Administration. Three great programs I recommend every Veteran research are:
Veteran Directed Home and Community Based Services program . This program is actually a medical benefit. It is for veterans who need assistance with daily living activities. It is a flexible amount used to pay for home caregiving. A great place to find out more about this program is through your VA Social Worker. Contact your local VA Medical Center to find one near you.
TriCare for Life is a program for service members who retired from the military. If there is need for long term care TriCare for Life may cover some, all or none of this cost. Speak directly with your VA Social Worker and/or call the TriCare for Life customer service number at 866-733-0404 for more details.
These are great programs that can help our veterans. Be careful who you deal with regarding assistance in obtaining these programs, there are many traps built within the system.
Choosing A School That Is Right For You
As an eligible Servicemember, Veteran, dependent, Guard member or Reservist planning to use the GI Bill, you are a consumer about to make one of the most important decisions of your life. Where you begin your post-secondary education is critical.
Making informed decisions about how to make the most of your benefits and how a school can best meet your needs means doing a little homework before classes start. This guide presents eight important factors you should consider towards becoming an informed consumer first and a GI Bill user second.
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Us Department Of Veteran Affairs Scholarships To Nursing Students
The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs awards scholarships to nursing students under the VA Health Professional Scholarship Program . This scholarship is competitively awarded to an individual who has been unconditionally accepted into an accredited nursing school or is currently enrolled in one. The scholarship is pretty straight forward. The VA will pay tuition, books, most fees, and provide a monthly living stipend of approximately $1,153 a month . Upon graduation and passing the NCLEX/certification the nurse will automatically be pipelined into a VA nursing residency program for one year where he/she will be able to enhance their skills and gain valuable nursing experience. After completing the nursing residency the newly trained nurse will have a minimum service obligation to the VA of at least 2.5 years where they get an opportunity to help take care of our nation’s heroes.
Please spread the word amongst your faculty, and students. Ive attached a flyer that you can provide to your nursing students, and to financial aid. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me or the . A direct link to the HPSP program can be found here as well:
What Are Your Interests How Do You Want To Make A Living
Youll need to find a school that paves the path towards a career, so take some time to think about what you want your education to do for you. Explore your vocational interests in-depth the self-assessment tool CareerScope® on the GI Bill website is designed to help you determine your vocational aptitudes as well as academic readiness. CareerScope® is free to you and self-administered. It will provide an assessment of your interests and aptitudes, give recommendations about which careers you may enjoy, and help you decide which courses or training programs you should focus on to pursue those careers.The Department of Labors career search tool My Next Move for Vets is the nation’s primary source of occupational information. You can review information about careers for hundreds of standardized and industry-specific descriptors Retail,Government,Health and Counseling, and Self-Employed are a few examples. DOL updates the tool by surveying a broad range of workers from each occupation. There is also a search engine to find careers similar to your military job and it has assessment instruments for workers and students who want to find or change careers.
You might also want to research the projected demand for career fields. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook provides information on the expected job prospects for different types of jobs, the education needed, earnings, what workers do on the job, and working conditions.
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Veterans Affairs Student Trainee Experience Program
The Department of Veterans Affairs Student Trainee Experience Program provides opportunities for outstanding incoming senior nursing students to develop competencies at VA Connecticut Healthcare System.
It offers a highly competitive opportunity to spend the summer working individually with an assigned nurse preceptor. A full-time paid summer program, it prepares well qualified students of affiliated nursing schools for a career at VA
To be eligible students must be preparing to enter their senior year of nursing school in an accredited nursing Program that is affiliated with VA Connecticut. Students must have a 3.0 GPA , be a US citizen, and meet physical examination requirements.
Contact Info
Veteran Education Benefits For Military Vets And Eligible Family Members

Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is approved to train Veterans and eligible persons as a qualified institution. This approval will enable Veterans and their eligible dependents/spouses to utilize their GI Bill® benefits to become Career Healthcare professionals.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs . More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at .
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools and the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians , among other regulatory bodies. A comprehensive list of accreditation and approvals exist on our Accreditation and Approval Page.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts is excited to help veterans achieve their educational and career goals in the medical, healthcare, and nursing fields. Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts strives to ensure in-depth training and focus on our students to prepare for an exciting medical field career. Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts works alongside Veteran Hiring Programs and our close-knit network within the Healthcare Industry to find and place veterans in rewarding careers.
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Reserve Education Assistance Program Chapter 1607
- This program is an educational benefit for active and separated reservists eligible due to an active duty service mobilization in response to a national emergency or military conflict.
- While serving at least 90 days on active duty, service members have the option of participating in the same Buy-up program as those eligible for the MGIB contribution of an additional for the added $5400.00 in increased monthly educational benefits.
- Access the REAP Chapter 1607 pamphlet for detailed information at:
Final Thoughts & Wishes
Many years ago my educational ambitions began with the goal of accomplishing a Bachelor of Science in nursing. Yet, similar to many young individuals family, military obligations, and funding prevented the successful accomplishment of these goals in a timely manner. However, lessons other than academic, such as perseverance and tenacity have prompted my continued educational advancement and is a foundation for motivating nursing students of the future. I have served with honor in the United States Army and I am a veteran of Desert Sheild/Desert Storm and of Operation Noble Eagle. Serving in both of these campaigns as a health care professional was difficult, but a proud duty. Determined faith and many lessons learned along the way has encouraged me to become a life-long learner, an honored veteran, and a nurse that embraces caring for others with integrity and professionalism. It is my hope that you will find this site useful and that it will encourage you to start and/or complete your own journey in nursing.
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Health Professional Scholarship Program Physician Scholarship
Summary
The purpose of this program is to provide financial assistance to individuals pursuing a program of study leading to a degree of doctor of medicine or equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic or osteopathic medicine.
Note: Pediatrics is not eligible for this scholarship program.
Benefits
Tuition and FeesThe HPSP award pays a participants school tuition and approved fees through direct payment to the school. HPSP assistance includes topping off any existing grants and scholarship to ensure 100% of tuition and required/mandatory fees are paid.
Required/Mandatory Fees are defined as those fees assessed by the college or university to all students in the academic program for which the scholarship was awarded. General Guideline: If the fee is optional, the fee is not required by all participants in the plan of study, or if the student at any time can opt out of the fee, they do not qualify for reimbursement.
StipendsHPSP will pay a monthly stipend directly to the participants. The payment is made for each month a participant is enrolled in coursework, beginning with the first month of the school year. The 2021 stipend amount is $1,153 per month.
If the participant is a full-time student, the stipend continues through the summer months, provided the participant has not yet completed the participants degree requirements and is enrolled in course work. The stipend payment is discontinued the month of a participants degree completion.
How Well Does The School Support Veterans Does It Have A Dedicated Program
Be careful about schools that claim to be “Military/Veteran Friendly.” Make sure your prospective school is friendly to your needs. There are objective sources to help you determine those needs.
The American Council on Education has developed a toolkit for how schools can create or enhance policies and programs to better serve Veterans. It has examples of many successful programs that are available to you.
Other things to check for:
– Transfer of credits from other schools or for military training – Your school should recognize your past coursework/training and accept your transferred credit. Be vigilant in understanding whether your coursework will transfer to a new school. Not all credit will be accepted, but finding an institution where this credit is best utilized towards degree requirements will help you make the most of your benefits. Check out the ACE Military Guide to find out what kind of credit you may receive for your military experience.
– Campus and community support – Look for access to mental health and medical support, disability services, academic accommodations, and available career services.
– A strong Veteran voice – Find an administration that listens to and involves Veterans in Veteran programs such as a school with a Student Veterans of America organization. We want you to be a face, not just a number at your institution.
– Expanded housing options – Student Veterans sometimes have unique housing preferences and needs options differ by institution.
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National Call To Service Program
- This program is designed to cover all costs of education in lieu of an agreed contract period of national service either in the armed forces or through another domestic national service program such as AmeriCorps.
- Those that choose to participate in this program do not usually use Chapter 1606 or Chapter 30 benefits. However, if they choose to use Chapter 1606 or Chapter 30 benefits towards completion of their program of study may have their entitlements reduced along with the service obligation agreement.
- Service obligation requirements may include any of the following:
- Serve on active duty designated by the Secretary of Defense in a military occupation specialty for a period of 15 months.
- After the initial 15 months without a break in service, service members must serve an additional active duty time determined by the Secretary of Defense or serve in the Selected Reserve for 24 months.
- After this additional active duty time or 24 months in the Selected Reserve a remaining obligation specified in the agreement may be one of the following:
- Any combination of the above can be served to participate in the benefits of the program.