2015 USAF NTP

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jul 27, 2015

You should apply again. It isn't that much more work if you've applied once before.

It's not as simple as who has the most experience. You are evaluated within the context of how much experience you have. A nurse with 4 years will be expected to mentor and charge, while one with a year who does the same thing will be seen as going 'above and beyond.'

Plus, improving yourself and applying again reinforces the idea that you want to be in the military. That will also help you.

Michelangelo30 · Jul 27, 2015

My application would obviously pertain to FQ, correct?

do u have any advice or tips on how I should improve myself between now and February applications?

Camo-angel · Jul 27, 2015

Sounds like you did a lot, but there is always room for improvement. I had the same mentality last year, assuming I was a shoe in. But I was full of myself, there was so much more I did. One of my letters this year was from the warehouse manager of the local food pantry where I have volunteered over 200 hours in about 5 months time. Also, look into the red Cross for more volunteering. Join hospital committees and do more than bare minimum. Be involved with organization, don't just say you're a member. Show leadership, look for any leadership roles in the hospitals or your organizations, even in church. You could look into becoming a CPR instructor. Also, on your CV and questionnaire, make sure it emphasizes why it MATTERS. They don't care if you list off tons of great things you do, they care why it matters and what difference you make. Using numbers helps a lot. Example, I volunteered as a Student Nurses Association Officer at a school blood drive where we successfully collected enough blood to save 66 lives. That sounds better than "we collected blood donations". Does any of this help??

Michelangelo30 · Jul 27, 2015

Yes, it does. Thank you!

I'm open to any other advice/tips if you have any, being that you've experienced what I'm going through now.

amalik63 · Jul 28, 2015

What is the chances for a prior service? I have five years prior service as an Officer in the US Army. Wanted to see what the chances of being accepted as new grad would be?

Camo-angel · Jul 28, 2015

It is very competitive no matter who you are, but they seem to like people with prior military service. As long as you make sure your entire packet is top notch, you have a decent chance but don't assume your prior experience makes you a shoe in. It can help, but its still extremely tough.

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jul 29, 2015

It helps, but your prior job has little to do with nursing. You're still going to have an uphill battle. Hopefully, your BSN grades are at least 3.6 or 3.7.

Michelangelo30 · Jul 29, 2015

How do the NTP an FQ compare and contrast? How long is the application to selection board, since FQ is 2x/year instead of 1.?

i'm not very familiar wit military nursing, so I'm very inclined to know more

jfratian, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jul 30, 2015

In the AF, NTP is for nurses with less than 6 months of full-time nursing experience. FQ is for nurses with 6 months or more of full-time experience. NTP selects must do either med-surg or OB for their first assignment. FQ nurses get to practice in the specialty they have experience in immediately (ER, OR, ICU, etc).

Camo-angel · Jul 31, 2015

The NTP is, as Jfratian said, for new nurses. So you would have a bit more training coming in through NTP. Whereas FQ nurses have experience, so yes you still have training and such but not as much of it. You can reuse a lot of the parts of the application from NTP for FQ, maybe just improve and tweak them, find better LORs if possible, etc.

Michelangelo30 · Aug 1, 2015

Thanks!

My recruiter said they are still processing the NTP batch.

Do you have an idea as to when should I anticipate re-collecting my papers and start eye-balling the application?