Two major educational programs are available to Army nurses during their early career.

The Generic Course Selection Program allows nurses with one to two years of medical-surgical experience to attend training in one of four specialized areas of nursing practice and subsequently to gain practical experience by being assigned to that clinical area within a hospital. The courses include the Obstetrical/Gynecological, Critical Care, Perioperative, and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Courses. Although not part of this program, the Army Nurse Corps also offers specialty training in Emergency Nursing and Community Health NursingAfter a spending one or two years obtaining a firm foundation by gaining experience on a medical - surgical ward, nurses then begin to develop an interest in a specific area of nursing. This program allows them to obtain training in that specific area and subsequently to gain practical experience by being assigned to that clinical area within a hospital.