After nearly six years in the military, Kelsey Shannon will soon embark on her biggest adventure yet – a nursing career in the United States Navy. Shannon graduates in December from Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Currently a Medical Services Officer in the Texas Army National Guard, she will complete her residency and training with the goal of becoming a flight nurse.

“My goal since joining the military has been to go active duty,” the San Antonio native said. “I’ve been chipping at it, and I’m so ready to jump in. I’m so ready to see new places. If there’s a sunrise and sunset, there is something beautiful to see. I’m so excited to see the rest of the world.”

Shannon enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2016, and was among the first women in Texas to be assigned to 13B, a specialty unit where she was trained to shoot cannons.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, in 2020, and completed its ROTC program to become a commissioned officer into the Texas Army National Guard. In her current role, she helps plan medical logistics for her unit.

Kelsey Shannon
Uthealth Houston的Cizik护理学院学生
第二中尉，德克萨斯陆军国民警卫队的医疗服务官
未来的ENS，美国海军护士军官

是什么吸引了您的军队？

我真的很喜欢在军队中带来的纪律。我最初加入了经济利益，我爱上了随之而来的文化 - 人民和友情。您在军队中建立的联系和人际关系与我在平民方面所经历的任何事物都不一样，这就是为什么我如此兴奋地全职工作的一部分。

What drew you to UTHealth Houston?

我当时在奥斯丁地区，是一家初创公司的研究人员，我正在寻找一个著名和快速的计划。beplay苹果手机能用吗我不想再花两年时间去找我梦dream以求的飞行护士工作。Cizik护理学院的Pacesetter BSN计划是该州的佼佼者，其NCLEX许可考试成绩是该州最好的。我申请了，他们很喜欢我让我进去。我从未去过休斯顿，而且我不完全了解这座城市中得克萨斯州医疗中心的重点。太棒了，我能够看到比我在护理学校想象的更多的东西。

军方如何为休斯顿的Uthealth做好准备？

The military has helped with my discipline, and that applies with everything in my life: management, commitment to studying, work ethic. For me, it gave me a lot of pride. I have pride in being myself, in being a soldier, and at Cizik School of Nursing, it gave me a changed perspective. I’m less affected going into difficult situations on the medical side.

当我在Harris Health Ben Taub医院担任护士技术时，有时患者具有挑战性，但从未真正影响过我。我能够保持冷静并提供他们需要的护理，我认为其中的一部分是我在军队中的经历。在军队中，您会陷入高度紧张，冲突情况。它给了我很多理解，有时您必须接受困难的情况，并且知道它会过去，这会没关系。

在基础培训中，我被负责其他人。我当时18岁，负责40人，其中大多数至少30岁。对我有那么多眼睛的压力使我成长并承担更多的责任，并以更健康的方式处理冲突。该技能已经超出了我想象的要多。

What is your greatest accomplishment thus far?

我最大的成就是我从得克萨斯州立大学毕业的，并被任命为德克萨斯国民警卫队的军官。我毕业于整个国家的前20％，使我成为ROTC内的杰出军事毕业生。

与所有同时委托的人相比，军方从本质上决定您的排名。有很多因素，包括GPA，您参加的俱乐部以及教师的评估，您必须接受40天的夏季培训。国家等级是这些事物的积累，而排名最高的是一项巨大的成就。

你会告诉你18岁的自我吗？

I have a lot of advice I’d give my 18-year-old self, but if I could go back to basic training, I would say enjoy all of it and write it all down. I did keep a journal in basic, and I actively tried to write things down when I had trainings, but there are times that I wish I wrote down more. You do so many things. You will be asked to do things that you don’t think are possible. Do it. They wouldn’t be asking you to do it if it wasn’t possible. Write those experiences down, and enjoy the experiences as they come.

What are you hoping to take from UTHealth Houston in the near future?

重要的是不要害怕抓住机会，因为您在这里是有原因的 - 学习一切。有很多机会进入，包括丰富您的学习经验的俱乐部和计划。许多程序只是选中这些框，但休斯顿乌西顿善于帮助学生扩大自己的潜力。

What would you like others to know about UTHealth Houston?

It is rigorous, but the hard work does pay off. I’ve been told Cizik School of Nursing has one of the hardest programs in the state, and the hard work does pay off. I didn’t realize how much I really knew until I got into a clinical setting. The academic rigor has better prepared me for the professional world.

向休斯顿Uthealth的其他退伍军人留言？

充分利用我们的经验,知道它的s OK to be a source of stability to others. There are a lot of anxieties that come with nursing school, whether you’re a veteran or not, but lean on your training because it will help get you through. And, don’t be afraid to reach out and utilize resources available to you –it makes you a stronger person. There are people on campus who genuinely want to help, like Rex Marsau, case manager for veteran admissions and retired Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy. He helped me complete the proper paperwork to allow me to continue my education while also serving in the National Guard.

Who has been your biggest influence?

我的母亲。她是一个不可思议的人。她的背景艰难，是最甜蜜，最开放的人。她是一名物理治疗师已有20多年的历史了，她让自己上学。她击败乳腺癌并参加马拉松比赛。她对每个人都有最善良的心。她是如此可爱，努力工作。我希望成为她的一半，因为她很特别。

信仰哈珀