Any Air Force new grad applicants FY2016?

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Feb 3, 2015

In terms of exposure to different diagnoses/treatment plans, SAMMC (TX) is the best military hospital to go to. You run a very high risk of being deployed, however. Wright-Patterson and Travis also aren't terribly small. Just about all other AF hospitals are incredibly tiny (

kminak · Feb 3, 2015

Hi Ashdx21!

I'm also applying for the new grad board this July. I haven't done my dream sheet yet - my husband is active duty Air Force so we have to figure out where we can both be stationed together. Good luck to you!

Ashdx21 · Feb 3, 2015

Thanks for the input jfratian! I wasn't aware that Alaska was a voluntary only. I was kind of interested in going there, but do you know what the hospital and general life is like at that base? I've heard Alaska can be challenging for a first base.

Kminak- Yay! So glad to see someone else is applying on here! Have you heard anything about numbers or that sort of thing. My recruiter is 3 hours away so most of our communication is through email. I haven't even gotten my medical exam or chief nurse interview assigned yet. I'm so excited for the process but very nervous! I want this more than anything!

kminak · Feb 3, 2015

I have not heard anything about numbers. I haven't done the medical exam or interview yet either - I'm still turning in paperwork and getting letters of recommendation! As for Alaska, we were stationed at JBER from 2008 - 2012. I felt it was a challenging assignment (as a spouse) mostly because of the cold and darkness. Many people who get stationed in Alaska love it and there are many fun things to do there that are unique - halibut fishing, glaciers, Ice Sculpture Festival in Fairbanks, etc. I attended nursing school in Alaska and did clinicals at JBER - I really loved the hospital and the people! If you have any questions about Alaska in general, please feel free to ask!

Camo-angel · Feb 3, 2015

I'm applying this summer to the NTP program as well. I applied last year and was not selected. I graduated in December and take NCLEX this Thursday. As far as numbers, my recruiter told me the numbers should be the same as last year. About 35 people will be selected (30 med-surg, 5 OB). Last year over 300 people applied, so around the same will likely apply this year. The only thing that may decrease that number is the new GPA requirement of 3.5, but it was 3.4 last year so not sure how many would be cut from that...

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Feb 4, 2015

I'm actually a nurse at JBER currently on the floor that you would likely go to as a new grad: MSU (inpatient med-surg). The unit is fine. My issue with it, compared to my old civilian med-surg job, is that your patient population is never very sick. My skills aren't quite as sharp as they used to be. Unfortunately, that is the downside to military nursing in general. Your patients are almost never very sick while you aren't deployed. San Antonio, Landstuhl, and Walter Reed are the sole exceptions.

Anchorage is kinda ghetto in my opinion. The bar, club, and shopping scene sucks. The off-base housing is crappy and very expensive. The reason to go there is so you can experience all of the outdoorsy things: ice/glacier climbing, skiing, world class hiking and fishing, etc. You have to like being outside to like Alaska.

You really have to be okay seeing your family once or twice a year to live there. You have to take at least a week for it to be worth leaving the state. It's a 3.5 hour flight just to get from Anchorage to Seattle.

Camo-angel · Feb 4, 2015

Also, not sure if the medical exam is required anymore. My recruiter told me it's not required due to the exorbitant cost of sending sometimes 300 applicants to MEPS, only to need 35....I went to MEPS last year, and it's good for this year too but if I hadn't gone last year, my recruiter wouldn't be sending me this year. Makes sense, for MEPS they put each person in a hotel room for the night, pay cost to attend, etc. No reason to do all that for so many people when only a handful need the physical. But recruiters often have conflicting information haha so who knows

Lsegalla89 · Feb 4, 2015

Hey Ashdx21!

I graduate with my BSN in May as well!! Yay for us! I just recently started looking into NTP as an option after school. I e-mailed the closest recruiter to me, but haven't heard back from them yet. Did you go see a recruiter physically, or just via phone and email communication? How intense is the application process? And did your recruiter say if the boards meet after July at all?

My ultimate goal is to become a Certified Nurse Midwife so I would REALLY like to get into the OB rotation.

Hope to hear from you soon! :)

kminak · Feb 5, 2015

Hi guys,

To those who have submitted their resume/CV to their recruiters - is it true you do not submit previous work experience on the resume? My recruiter said to just fill out the example CV with my information, which only includes RN information. Since I am a new grad, there is not much on thereâ€¦.just seems strange to me.

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Feb 5, 2015

I would fill out the resume with your CNA or EMT work experience. You could also add nursing school clinicals or any medical-related volunteer hours.

Lsegalla89 · Mar 19, 2015

Hi guys!

How is everyone's application process going?! What are some of your credentials as far as GPA/work experience/LOR's/military experience?

I know it's only March, but I'm getting excited/anxious about the CN interview and boards meeting! :nailbiting:

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