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Discussion

future FNP, Looking for advice

I am graduating from FNP program 2021 and looking to join military. My question is, would this be a good avenue to go even as a new grad FNP? My second question is, which branch would people recommend? I have no prior experience in armed forces, I was going to join Navy reserve as a new grad RN but instead accepted a position in a civilian Emergency Department where I worked for a total of 6 years as an RN. I will have 8 years experience by the time I graduate. I would want to do primary care or specialty clinic.

Was thinking Army or Airforce because I realized during the Navy recruiting process how dis organized everything is and my recruiter lost a lot of my documents. It was a mess, and left a bad taste in my mouth.

Any advice is appreciated, Thanks!

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    • Expert

    Speaking from experience, all three branches are equally slow, needlessly bureaucratic, and disorganized; the extent to which you experience these features depends on who is your recruiter. However, you won't completely avoid it no matter who that person is.

    As a current active duty AF nurse, I would still encourage you to research all 3 branches. You can even apply to all 3 at the same time...just don't tell your recruiters that you're doing that.

    I really can't tell you the extent to which NPs are utilized in each branch. That would really be your only deciding factor. I know FNPs in the Air Force are well utilized in outpatient adult clinics stateside and abroad.

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    • Author

    Okay thanks for the advice. I guess what I was more asking is do you feel that as a new grad FNP with no prior experience managing care, the military would be a good option. Are there training opportunities/ Continuing education/ Good mentoring by other NPs/ Docs. Or are you just thrown in to work somewhere and perform by yourself.

    Do you know if I should start applying 1 year before graduation or do i need a degree first before applying?

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    They won’t consider someone without a year experience. If I could do it over I would join as a nurse and have them send you to NP school. They don’t recruit many NPs. The navy has stopped the past few years. I was accepted in the army but I got 3 years experience as a NP after 5 years of ER/trauma. its been a year long process

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    • Expert

    I'm not an NP so can't say anything about the mentoring/training for new grads. I would say contact healthcare specific recruiters from all three branches about a year out from graduation; it takes almost a year to apply. The numbers that they need change ever year, and so it's impossible to predict the needs of any branch or what levels of experience they want.

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