3GeronimoPA Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 This is one area that I know absolutely nothing about. I'm hoping to learn as much as possible about joining the Army as a RN, what life is like as an Army Nurse, and what I would then have to do to enter IPAP and what my chances would be (would holding a commission hurt my chances? Is permission had to get?) :confused: On the USAREC go army page they ought to have a superficial description about what Army nurses do. I have been in the Army Medical Dept. for 8 years now and have worked with nurses and now am about to graduate phase I of PA school. We have officers and RNs in the program. The Army doesn't play many favorites with enlisted/officer when applying to the program. Your undergrad work is going to be pivotal. Your credential as an RN is a help as far as you "the person" but if you are not an A student with some peppered in Bs, you will have to do some convincing about you "the student". Regardless, you will have to do some time on Active Duty prior to being eligible to apply for two reasons. 1-the nurse corps wont cut you lose unless you pay your dues (appx 3yrs) and 2-the Army prefers that you have demonstrated yourself a good Soldier and have learned the specific medical needs of other Soldiers. As an Army nurse you could be stuck in several jobs. One from the nicest hospitals in the Army working in any ward or dept. in the joint to being put in a Combat Support Hospital going to Iraq or Afghanistan (bet on this first). Either way, you may get to a hospital and get what we called (PROFIS aka. assigned to a hospital and deploy with a field unit when they go). The Army nurse corps is a strong organization with many leaders who run clinics and contrasted to the civilian world, command a clinic including the junior ranking doctors within it. The line's of Army leadership and medicine are drawn well nonetheless. Fortunately a title in the army doesn't automatically qualify you as "superior". It is what you make of it. The army is a reflection of the civilian world since that is the pool we pull from. We have less of the same and more of our own bullcrap that the civilian world doesn't have to deal with. Bottom line, being an officer or an RN officer in the Army won't hurt your chances of getting into the program. What will seal the deal is strong undergrad work and when you do come in as an RN, shine above your peers. It is competitive. Yes there are less applications to IPAP than civilian programs because only the best service members even bother applying. Those and the delusional. Hope this helps. E-mail me for any other questions. ***Edit**** When I say stuck in a Combat Support Hospital, make no mistake about it, there is no more honorable job for medical personnel in the army to give lifesaving care to our servicemembers in a deployed environment. In garrison (not deployed) things may be slow but you still get your clinic time. However, when you put on this uniform and you joint up for any job other than a groundpounder, your only job in life is to support that groundpounder. Our nurses are one of the few jobs in the Army that allow for that support to be by means of lifesaving and health-supporting measures. The nurses who hate their jobs in the Army are the one's who have lost sight of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dpwimmer Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I joined the Army in Nov 2005 for the sole purpose of applying to IPAP. I spent the first year and a half completing my pre-requisite classes and applied Mar 2008. I was one of the fortunate ones to be accepted and yes it is competitive. About 1000 military personnel apply each year and around 150 get accepted. Of all the people who applied this year, the average overall GPA was 3.00 and science GPA of 3.33. Now you must consider that out of the 1000 that apply, less than half even get sent to the board to compete for the slots. I applied with a 3.9 overall GPA and a 4.0 science GPA. If you are thinking about IPAP, you need the grades. Just remember, IPAP is continually ranked around the top 10 in the nation. It is worth whatever it takes to get in. Plus, you get paid while you are in school and no student loans! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3GeronimoPA Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 And don't forget that many of those GPA's were earned by Soldiers deployed to combat zones... So whatever school may have a higher entrance standard but the proof is in the pudding. I think we most recently were number 11 but we still have the highest first time pass on the PANCE. If we do screw up our 100% it's in onezies and twozies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
istat2 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I will offer you this, after 26 years of service in the US Army :) How can you tell a recruiter is lying? :eek: Their lips are moving! :p They will tell you anything they think you want to hear, but remember this one very simple fact. If it's not in writting, it doesn't exist:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shayan123 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 drjay88. are you done with your PA program now.q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrthoSurgeryPA Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 what? what? LOL. That response is way old but still entertaining... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francee Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Ooh I'm so excited to actually have something to input: I am in the process of working both the military and the civilian education side in hopes of becoming a PA. The best way to be accepted into the IPAP program is through your local State Channels (i.e. the National Guard). My reasoning: Each state has an allotted amount of PA positions. If your state is under strength in the PA specialty, they will have a higher weight in the program when compared to other branches/components. I have a copy of the guidelines that I received from my state AMEDD (Army Medical Dept) Recruiter (MILPER Message) that I'd be more than happy to attach to an email and send to you if your interested. Here is the Army Reserve's PA Training site: http://www.usarec.army.mil/armypa Please let me know if you have any more questions and I'll do my best to answer them for you! Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa6 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 When you say "my recruiter said..", just say "my liar said". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMtoPA Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I don't think that each state has their own quota for seats. I'm pretty sure there is just one Guard quota within which each state competes. We definitely don't have 50 Guardsmen in my class - more like 10 total. And from talking to a few of them, they all appeared on the same selection list. Also, you posted a link to the Army Reserve, which is a separate entity from the Army National Guard, and has its own, separate quota. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francee Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 LOL pretty much, but my uncle is my recruiter - so he can only get away with so much... ;-0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francee Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 LOL pretty much, but my uncle is my recruiter - so he can only get away with so much... ;-0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francee Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Cool beans, Are you currently in the IPAP? If so, why don't you ask some of the guardsmen in your class who their POC was? Ask them to share some of their knowledge with the rest of us so that we can possibly attend the IPAP too??? (Hook me up MAN?!) The MILPER message I have is DA (Department of the Army) wide, it's a very VERY large file so I couldn't attach or link it to this message. That link was just an example of the guidelines that should be followed. I was just trying to share the information and help others who are in search just like me... Thanks for your help! I need it ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francee Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Cool beans, Are you currently in the IPAP? If so, why don't you ask some of the guardsmen in your class who their POC was? Ask them to share some of their knowledge with the rest of us so that we can possibly attend the IPAP too??? (Hook me up MAN?!) The MILPER message I have is DA (Department of the Army) wide, it's a very VERY large file so I couldn't attach or link it to this message. That link was just an example of the guidelines that should be followed. I was just trying to share the information and help others who are in search just like me... Thanks for your help! I need it ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010PA Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 First, find a state that funds IPAP guard spots. They're starting to dwindle down due to budget cuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010PA Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 I don't think that each state has their own quota for seats. I'm pretty sure there is just one Guard quota within which each state competes. We definitely don't have 50 Guardsmen in my class - more like 10 total. And from talking to a few of them, they all appeared on the same selection list. Also, you posted a link to the Army Reserve, which is a separate entity from the Army National Guard, and has its own, separate quota. Correct........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMiller Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 hi my name is jay i just got enlisted for NJ army guard but not to get PA admission I join as 68W as medical care specialist but I have MBBS and MD degree but unable to get into residency in any medicine or psychiatry program but soon i m going for my basics and AIT training for six month then i will be back and i m intersted getting in to PA program any civilian for army .plz guid me Punctuation. Never, ever overrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2010PA Posted April 14, 2012 Share Posted April 14, 2012 Punctuation. Never, ever overrated. Lol. You forgot to tell him of the MD to PA program.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaydynomite Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 Please understand that the military is currently downsizing, and some units (including their PAs) are being integrated into other units. There are, then, the same amount of PAs but fewer slots. Your chances of getting into a civilian school are far better for this reason alone. Also, there is technically only one Army PA program, but a myriad of civilian ones. Not to doubt your education or experience, but obtain your Emt and work on an ambulance for a bit before you make the commitment of time and money to a medical program. Medicine isn't a whim; it's a calling with consequences of life and death. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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