Veteran and Military Health Care

Veteran and Military Health Care (VMHC) is a health care specialty based on the unique attributes of the veteran and military service member population and health care delivery systems. Service connected conditions are both visible and invisible. Through the Veteran & Military Health Care curriculum, you’ll learn how to be a leader and innovator in caring for this population, coordination of care and treatment options, and an understanding of not only the veterans dealing with physical and psychological issues of war and military service, but also how to best understand and communicate with the loved ones of those veterans. An important aspect of this curriculum is to expose the learner to the nuances of military and veteran culture to expand the knowledge and understanding of the special needs of the service member or veteran in providing care and assisting them in managing their own health and wellness.

One in ten patients in the United States is a veteran. One in four dying patients in the United States is a veteran. Due to the circumstances that these individuals have lived through, whether they have deployed or not, they require special care. This online program is focused on a holistic approach to treating veterans and military personnel. While most people assume that veterans are typically treated at VA hospitals, that is not necessarily true. Only about 40% of veterans are actually treated regularly at VA hospitals which leaves a very large percentage of the veteran population that are being treated at local hospitals and community health care practices. Understanding and helping these patients navigate the systems available to them while innovating to assist veterans more efficiently in the future is essential to our health care system. This online program is one of the first in the nation to focus specifically on veteran health care and understanding all of their needs including injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide prevention, depression, rehabilitation, chronic conditions end-of-life care, and the other physical and psychological needs of veterans. The VMHC curriculum features faculty from the Veterans Administration, Military Health System, and community at large. Video about VMHC as a clinical specialty

• Promote health of local to global communities through promotion of safe and effective environments and health care by addressing the interaction among veterans, service members, communities, and their environmental contexts.
• Manage care to achieve quality, cost-effective, and ethical outcomes in the delivery of health care for veteran and military individuals, families, and populations.
• Utilize evidence-based and theory-guided best practices in veteran and military health care, emphasizing integration of diverse health care systems for delivering seamless care.
• Actively engage in self-directed learning to maintain state-of-the-art practice and to facilitate the health of veteran and military individuals, families, and communities.

Yes! All courses that make up the Veteran and Military Health Care core are delivered completely online.

The VMHC Master of Science is open to RNs with an undergraduate degree, the Post-Master Graduate Certificate is open to RNs with a Master of Science in Nursing, and the Graduate Certificate is open to all professionals with an undergraduate degree. ​

Those who are admitted into the Health Care Systems, Biobehavioral, or Caring Science* PhD pathways​ are eligible for a VMHC emphasis.​

*Caring Science is not admitting for the Fall 2024 semester.

Yes. 12 credits from the VMHC Graduate Certificate may be transferred toward a Master’s of Science with VMHC specialty.​​

Yes. 9 credit hours may be transferred into the PhD program.

The VHMC Masters Specialty options are open to those who have completed their BS in Nursing. The courses are offered through the Graduate School at the College of Nursing. Formal admission to the College of Nursing is required. Once accepted into the program, you will be able to declare a VMHC specialty.

View the application deadlines.

Yes! VMHC courses can be taken through our Non-Degree program and a maximum of 12 credits can be transferred into your degree program.

Certificate students are accepted every semester. MS and Post-MS Certificate students are accepted for matriculation into the Fall and Spring semesters.