UNC Nurse Residency Program- Pediatrics

38pearl · Mar 28, 2016

Last year pediatrics didn't start contacting people until end of March/beginning of April/beginning of May to come in for interviews. They invited people in clumps (individual interviews, but offered interviews to a few at a time). I'm not sure if the same timeline applies this year. Last year they got really delayed due to a lot of snow days and HR was closed during those times. You can always call/email the HR representative reiterating your excitement about the prospect of working at UNC, but know that she is very busy fielding emails and calls and it might take a bit to get back to you. Try not to get discouraged!

am2016 · Mar 29, 2016

Thank you for replying! Do you remember the name of the HR rep for peds? Also, is it better to directly contact nurse managers by going to the units with me resume? If you have any tips on getting an interview let me know.

38pearl · Mar 30, 2016

Last year UNC didn't allow us to contact nurse managers directly. I mean, I guess you could, but the nurse manager couldn't do anything. They couldn't pull resumes, they couldn't request to interview certain people, it all came from HR. The contact info is something very basic, like [email protected], it should be on the website where you got the application information. All of this could have changed in a year (it did from the year previously). Honestly, it was a lot of patently (or impatiently) waiting to hear back and get that magical call.. Best of luck!

MDeva1 · Mar 30, 2016

Hey,

just wanted to let you know I applied too and am still waiting very (im)patiently as well. Haha, I'll update this board if I get a call!

-Maggie

TitaniumPlates · Apr 15, 2016

I was just accepted into the residency at UNC, but in a different unit. A very "in demand" unit, that had over 550 applicants state that this was their "first choice".

That said. Peds/NICU is the #1 first choice for new grads, I was told by my recruiter. UNC goes in order of when you put your application in. Period. That is from the recruiter.

If you waited until January 15 or 30th to put it in, and you chose Peds/NICU...you are #400 down the list of them to review your app. There is another round of hiring coming online in July for a Sept-Dec start date. If you were like me, I pressed "send" on my application about an hour after the acceptance started in December 2015...and I was told I was NUMBER 50 on the list.

This is how competitive it is.

Here is an interesting thing. A friend in my class circumvented the whole thing. We were told explicitly NOT to approach RN Managers with resumes...but this girl went ahead and did it anyway. I had serious respect for her assertiveness...a little afraid for her, but nonetheless, it was impressive.

The RN Manager knew her from her stint as a CNA on a "sister unit"---they talked---the RN Manager went to HR and asked for the application to be pulled from the system. The day after...she was hired.

Is that normal? No. She took a huge risk in circumventing a process that UNC is determined to make work as a successful process, thereby sparing RN Managers just this type of thing. Where a "friend" or an employee comes to the manager and puts them on the spot.

My process took from December 2015 until a few weeks ago. I was not informed of the department's choice until weeks after I interviewed. As I said...my unit had over 500 applicants.

Good luck to you. UNC is a great place to work, as I was a CNAII there as well as rotated through in my nursing education.

froggy93 · Jul 14, 2016

I started as a new grad at UNC this past October. Let me know if you have any questions !

avrilmay86, ASN, RN · Nov 10, 2016

Hi! Late post, but very relevant to me. I've talked to some new nurses in picu and they've told me the whole process has changed. The way it sounds, it doesn't matter that I'm "in house", and now the floors bid for the new grads and rotate them to each peds floor for a few days almost like a working interview (nerve-wracking anyone? What if nobody wants or needs you??? :nailbiting: ) I graduate in May 2016 and I'm super nervous, but I know pediatrics is for me. I would love to know how you feel about the new grad life, and if you love your area! I'm in picu now as an NA. I'm looking into other areas ans cities too just in case things change again before this next application opens.

avrilmay86, ASN, RN · Nov 15, 2016

Sorry make that May 2017 that I graduate. But still very nerve wracking!