Questions about MEPS ANCP program

[shae26]

Hello, I'am thinking about going into the Army Nurse Cannidate Program and I have a few questions;

1. If I have a small hernia (due to c-section) will that prevent me from passing MEPS, and getting excepted to the program?

2. Will there be any running or timed running tests while at MEPS

3. Is it hard to get excepted into the ANCP? What would cause someone to be denied entry?

4. If I have a traffic ticket will that have to be paid first?

5. How long does it take to receive bonus, an or stipend?

6. Is there anything I can do to make my application stand out?

I know that this is a lot of questions, but any information would be greatly appreciated.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

I don't know about the hernia; what is waiverable/disqualifying/not important varies from service to service, and I'm Air Force, so I'm not the right source for that information. What I can tell you is MEPS is primarily for your physical and other inprocessing paperwork (again, I don't know what the Army does there, Air Force officer candidates only have their physical and medical clearances there).

There are, however, no PT assessments of any type at MEPS for any service, other than some basic physical movements for the medical staff to check your balance, coordination, and muscle tone. They'll also do a full physical exam, draw blood (which will include an HIV screen), have you submit to a urine drug screen (where your toileting will be witnessed by a same-sex member of the Armed Forces) and pregnancy test, do a urinalysis, check your vision and hearing, and discuss your medical history and questionnaire with you.

I also feel fairly safe in saying that traffic ticket will have to be dealt with before your package can be processed and I'd get a copy of all paperwork from the clerk of court to submit with your package if the ticket was recent. They may or may not ask for it, and if you have it, it's one less trip you have to make back to the courthouse.

[huggiebear1979]

Hi Everyone;

My long term goal is to become a CRNA, but in the meantime, I start a 2 and a half year BSN in January 2010, and I understand I'm going to have at least one year ICU experience before I apply for the CRNA program. In the meantime I'm trying to decide if I should go ahead and do my 2 and a half year BSN, I expect my student loans to be between 10,000-25,000, not entirely sure yet, and I didn't know if I should hold out and after I graduate apply to commission in the army, or if I should go ahead and do the ANCP(one thing I like about this program, if accepted its a guaranteed active duty slot) Also I have been trying to finish the ANCP packet, and I'm stuck on the motivational statement, because I don't have any Nursing/Officer/ or Leadership experience and not sure how to tie it into a Motivational statement without sounding completely inexperienced. Thanks in advance

[huggiebear1979]

On a side note: I have 6 years prior service active duty army in the M.I field, but ended only with E-4 rank

[just_cause, BSN, RN]

...you can not do the ancp and apply 1 year out for a normal slot as another option.. that provides you more flexibility should you want to gain exp as a civ nurse and then directly apply to the army crna program or civ cnra program and then apply to the army from there.

v/r

[huggiebear1979]

Just for clarification, your advice is to stay civilian and apply for the army after I graduate, and scrap the whole ANCP option? Any tips for the motivational statement for the ANCP if I decide to go that direction?

[just_cause, BSN, RN]

I'm saying if you are on the fence by not going to the ANCP you still have a lot of options - including locking in a job/slot at 1 year out to the join active duty as a nurse. However, should you decide or want to work as a civilian and then gain ICU experience.. your ability to get into CRNA school might be based more on your own abilities and such rather then limited slots or timeframes in the army to get into CRNA school - and then you could get your crna and transition into the army or not.

If you are Army sure - and want to work for a while and then try to go back to CRNA school - but not deadset on doing that ASAP... I'd say army is a great route via the ANCP program....

ANCP program motivation statement... you should have some experiences from when you were in the army on leadership - what makes you a good leader - situations that you gleamed knowledge of what good leadership is - role model / decisive decision that made you want to be a nurse - while you will be a good candidate, why your past experiences in the army will help make you a better student and army nurse - future goals to grow as a nurse within the army - plenty of future options after becoming competent in basic nursing proficiencies...

v/r