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Hi all! 

 

I'm about to enlist in the National Guard in order to proceed to IPAP next fall. I'm currently an undergrad with one semester of school left and have fulfilled all requirements except 2 chemistry credits and shadowing hours and I just have a few questions.

 

I've been told that PAs in the guard, after completing school, only have to drill 4 times a year, does anyone know if this is true?

I'm also curious if anyone knows if, during the program, students stay on base or if they are paid BAH and if my significant other would be able to move with me?

 

In addition, I currently only have a 3.1 GPA (hopefully 3.2 by the time of graduation), is this considered competitive? I considered retaking classes but an AMEDD recruiter told me they take all classes into consideration to make a GPA and not just my university GPA (my university replaces up to 3 letter grads in the GPA for retaken classes).

 

Overall, if you don't know any answers to my questions but have some input about the IPAP, I'd love to hear it! I've been searching for first hand experiences to learn more about it but it's hard to find!

 

Thank you in advance for your time!

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You are not going to like what I have to say but, no a 3.2 is not competitive. HOWEVER it can be overshadowed by things like high GRE, stellar essays, and HIGH PCE. If you can repeat your lowest science classes and make as many Pre-Reqs possible to be A's, that will definitely help you. Next step is shadowing, get close to 100+ hours to offset the GPA. My GPA is a 3.4 so I know where you are coming from a little. It is not unheard of for someone with a 3.2 to get it, it just is more difficult. Amp up the rest of the app as best you can.

 

I can not speak on the military experience....

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Thanks for the reply jdabrowski! I have spoken to my AMEDD recruiter and he has said firmly he believes me to be competitive with even a 3.0. I'm not sure if the guard has it's own chairs of if it is shared with the Army as whole, but since I do not have all the prereqs for civilian PA school completed (I'd need at least another year as an undergrad), this seems like the most probable way of becoming a PA. 

 

Is it required to have GRE scores for IPAP? I'm not sure if I skimmed over that in the application packet.  

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Hi all! 

 

I'm about to enlist in the National Guard in order to proceed to IPAP next fall. I'm currently an undergrad with one semester of school left and have fulfilled all requirements except 2 chemistry credits and shadowing hours and I just have a few questions.

 

I've been told that PAs in the guard, after completing school, only have to drill 4 times a year, does anyone know if this is true?

I'm also curious if anyone knows if, during the program, students stay on base or if they are paid BAH and if my significant other would be able to move with me?

 

In addition, I currently only have a 3.1 GPA (hopefully 3.2 by the time of graduation), is this considered competitive? I considered retaking classes but an AMEDD recruiter told me they take all classes into consideration to make a GPA and not just my university GPA (my university replaces up to 3 letter grads in the GPA for retaken classes).

 

Overall, if you don't know any answers to my questions but have some input about the IPAP, I'd love to hear it! I've been searching for first hand experiences to learn more about it but it's hard to find!

 

Thank you in advance for your time!

 

1) It is generally not recommended to enlist just for the chance to go to IPAP. You can do it, but your idea of going in one year is way overly optimistic.  If you do enlist, you'll still have to go to Basic and AIT. If you become a 68W (my recommendation), your looking at 6 months of training as soon as you enlist. Last time I checked, IPAP requires you to have gone to WLC. They may even want you to be a E5. Then there is the shadowing hours and Letters of recommendation that take a while to gather. If you are only with your unit for a couple months, I wouldn't necessarily expect to get the most glowing LORs.

I

 

2) After completing the course, it is a 6 year drilling commitment.

 

3) You stay off post with BAH.

 

4) As far as GPA, they are mainly interested in your science GPA and especially A&P. But the higher the better. Remember, you are competing for a slot. Some get in with lower GPAs, but they usually have something in their packet that offsets this.

 

5) Resources:

http://www.usarec.army.mil/armypa/ipap_requirements_app_info.shtml

Go to the Facebook group for IPAP. Lots of answers there.

 

Edit: I just double checked... you will have to have completed the Basic Leadership Course which is the course you usually take as a Sergeant or a SPC about to be promoted. If you are new to a unit, I suspect there will be a line of people who have been waiting to attend BLC ahead of you.

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There is an old saying that I cannot take credit for.

 

How can you tell when a recruiter is lying?

 

When their lips are moving.

 

If it is not in writing, it effectively does not exist.

 

But getting your medic training, subsequent experience, and having two or three years to finish all possible prerequisites will also help with civilian programs, I do agree that getting in to IPAP in one year is quite pie in the sky. This opinion is from a former PA faculty and program director with over 30 years of admissions committee experience and personal relationships with many IPAP grads. There are other scholarship options that will be open to you as an army candidate and if you do not totally screw up that experience will never hurt you, but just remember, their needs come first.

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The active army requires a minimum of three years of service prior to being eligible for IPAP.

 

For the guard every state has their own seats, if they have ANY open. If you want to compete for more slots then the Reserve and active share the total army slots.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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My general advice to anyone considering IPAP is to be prepared to be a "lifer." By the time you become a competitive candidate, get through school, and complete your obligated service, you will generally have accrued greater than 10 years of service, more likely closer to 15. At that point, it becomes almost stupid to walk away from the pension at 20. It's definitely an achievable goal, but it is a long game, and if the prospect of serving your country for 20 years and all that that entails (frequent moves, time spent away from family on deployments, exposure to dangerous situations either while training or in a combat zone, etc.) is too much to stomach at this point, you should consider a civilian program. IPAP is definitely not a "fast track" to a PA career...

 

I think the Guard recruiters try to sell IPAP as the ultimate deal - no student debt and back in civilian practice soon after commissioning. But they have VERY limited availability in terms of seats, so your chances are very dependent on your particular state. And I imagine Guard PAs are leaned on pretty heavily, i.e., I would expect to do more than simply drill one weekend a month. I can't imagine them not getting at least one deployment out of you, and keep in mind deploying as a Reserve or Guard member is probably more disruptive than for an Active Duty member.

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  • 4 months later...

Going to drill 4 times a year is a lie.  All of our PAs come to every monthly drill.  

Also, PAs go the entire deployment vs the MDs who rotated out every 3 months.  

I'll also add that the 3 people I've known who applied for IPAP have had major problems working with the liaison person.  Apparently, in our state, she just doesn't do her job.  I was told by all 3 that they put together a package but it never actually got sent.  So...even if you do everything right, it doesn't mean IPAP will happen.  Two went on to attend medical school and I can't recall what the 3rd did.  

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