USAGPAN 2018

Published

I noticed someone had started a thread to rally up nurses applying to the USAGPAN class starting this year so I thought I'd do the same for next year's class! I'll be speaking with a recruiter soon, but I hope to begin the application process very soon! I have about 2 years of critical care experience, just took my GRE and I'm scheduled to take my CCRN next month. I'll be doing that biochem class sometimes before June as well. Anyone else out there applying for next year's Army Nurse Anesthesia Program?

Thank you

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi I am working on applying for next year as well, any idea on how critical the CCRN is to get in? Also where did you see 5 letters of recommendation?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
For those of you that have finished MEPs what does it consist of? I've been hearing conflicting information from different sources. Some say they wanted you to do the duck walk others didn't. Can anyone clarify this? Or is it just a plain physical?

I went through MEPS in Columbus, OH in mid May. I was the only officer candidate amongst a sea of enlisted folk. It was a half day process for me. I live in Dayton, OH, so I drove up the night before. The Army paid for a hotel stay. I had my own room, but others told me they were placed in a room with another person. We had a roll call in the hotel lobby at 0515. A shuttle was there to take people to the MEPS center. I drove myself. I met my recruiter in the parking lot. Once I was in the building, he left. There was a short briefing explaining the process for the day. It's basically a lot of paperwork and a physical (including the famed duck walk). There were also other body movement exercises to make sure you didn't have any mobility restrictions. All the body movement stuff was in a large room with about a dozen guys, all of us in our underwear (so be prepared for that if you're shy lol). They physical was in a private room. They also checked our vision, hearing, and we had to provide urine and blood samples. Another caveat for the shy, there is a person that must see your urine leave your body and enter the cup. I was lined up with 6 other guys in a row with one person watching us all, so be prepared to pee for an audience. All-in-all it was a bunch of "go here," "wait there," "don't leave your paperwork unattended," and "hurry up we don't got all day." Because I was an officer candidate, I was considered a "VIP," so I went to the front of every line. Significantly cut down on my wait times. There was a free lunch provided, but I ate on my way home since I was done by noon-ish. If you have any other specific questions, feel free to PM me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hi I am working on applying for next year as well, any idea on how critical the CCRN is to get in? Also where did you see 5 letters of recommendation?

I've been told by a USAGPAN grad that people have been accepted into the program without the CCRN, but it's definitely preferred you have it. Plus you should get an additional 6 months of constructive credit for that certification.

Concerning the letters of recommendation, the NEU's USAGPAN site states:

Letters of recommendation:

A. Army Reserve & Civilian Applicants: Army CRNA Phase 2 Site Director***, Supervisor, and one other letter.

B. Veterans Administration Applicants: Letter of support for your upward mobility within the VA from your Nurse Executive (member of the Pentad), Supervisor, and one other.

C. Army Active Duty Applicants: Army CRNA Phase 2 Site Director (If assigned at a Phase 2 site) OR Chief CRNA (if not assigned to a Phase 2 site), Supervisor, and one other letter.

***All Army Direct Accession applicants must have a Phase 2 interview. Direct Accession applicants (Reserve & Civilian) will have a 3 day Phase 2 interview coordinated by their healthcare recruiter. Active Duty applicants not assigned to a Phase 2 site must interview with their local Chief Nurse Anesthetist. The Chief CRNA will consult with a Phase 2 Site Director or Phase 1 faculty member regarding the letter of recommendation. Contact your local Army health care recruiter for more program information."

So at least 3 are required (Phase 2 Site Director, Supervisor, and one other). When I submitted my application, I had 3 letters of recommendation (2 from supervisors, 1 from an Air Force CRNA I've been shadowing). I have my Phase 2 interview in 2 weeks. I was told by Bouvé Graduate Admissions to have the Phase 2 Site Director email his letter of recommendation directly to them if I am selected as a candidate. I'll have 4 letters total. Not sure where the 5 letter requirement came from. Hope that clarifies things for you. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I've been told by a USAGPAN grad that people have been accepted into the program without the CCRN, but it's definitely preferred you have it. Plus you should get an additional 6 months of constructive credit for that certification.

Concerning the letters of recommendation, the NEU's USAGPAN site states:

Letters of recommendation:

A. Army Reserve & Civilian Applicants: Army CRNA Phase 2 Site Director***, Supervisor, and one other letter.

B. Veterans Administration Applicants: Letter of support for your upward mobility within the VA from your Nurse Executive (member of the Pentad), Supervisor, and one other.

C. Army Active Duty Applicants: Army CRNA Phase 2 Site Director (If assigned at a Phase 2 site) OR Chief CRNA (if not assigned to a Phase 2 site), Supervisor, and one other letter.

***All Army Direct Accession applicants must have a Phase 2 interview. Direct Accession applicants (Reserve & Civilian) will have a 3 day Phase 2 interview coordinated by their healthcare recruiter. Active Duty applicants not assigned to a Phase 2 site must interview with their local Chief Nurse Anesthetist. The Chief CRNA will consult with a Phase 2 Site Director or Phase 1 faculty member regarding the letter of recommendation. Contact your local Army health care recruiter for more program information."

So at least 3 are required (Phase 2 Site Director, Supervisor, and one other). When I submitted my application, I had 3 letters of recommendation (2 from supervisors, 1 from an Air Force CRNA I've been shadowing). I have my Phase 2 interview in 2 weeks. I was told by Bouvé Graduate Admissions to have the Phase 2 Site Director email his letter of recommendation directly to them if I am selected as a candidate. I'll have 4 letters total. Not sure where the 5 letter requirement came from. Hope that clarifies things for you. Good luck!

My understanding was that we have to have 3 letters (completed via email/ online) for the NEU (exactly as listed above) and additional 5 letters (hardcopy, printed on letterhead) for the Army application. So a total of 8 recommendations.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
My understanding was that we have to have 3 letters (completed via email/ online) for the NEU (exactly as listed above) and additional 5 letters (hardcopy, printed on letterhead) for the Army application. So a total of 8 recommendations.

As far as I've been told by the recruiter, I'm done with the letters of recommendation. I turned in hard copies from 3 different people to the Army. Those same 3 people have also provided LoR's via the link I sent them from the NEU applicaiton website. I'm pending a LoR from the Phase 2 Director. So technically I'll have 7 LoR's, but only from 4 different people. I'm not sure why you needed 5 LoR's for the Army. Did you have LoRs from 8 different people?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I went through MEPS in Columbus, OH in mid May. I was the only officer candidate amongst a sea of enlisted folk. It was a half day process for me. I live in Dayton, OH, so I drove up the night before. The Army paid for a hotel stay. I had my own room, but others told me they were placed in a room with another person. We had a roll call in the hotel lobby at 0515. A shuttle was there to take people to the MEPS center. I drove myself. I met my recruiter in the parking lot. Once I was in the building, he left. There was a short briefing explaining the process for the day. It's basically a lot of paperwork and a physical (including the famed duck walk). There were also other body movement exercises to make sure you didn't have any mobility restrictions. All the body movement stuff was in a large room with about a dozen guys, all of us in our underwear (so be prepared for that if you're shy lol). They physical was in a private room. They also checked our vision, hearing, and we had to provide urine and blood samples. Another caveat for the shy, there is a person that must see your urine leave your body and enter the cup. I was lined up with 6 other guys in a row with one person watching us all, so be prepared to pee for an audience. All-in-all it was a bunch of "go here," "wait there," "don't leave your paperwork unattended," and "hurry up we don't got all day." Because I was an officer candidate, I was considered a "VIP," so I went to the front of every line. Significantly cut down on my wait times. There was a free lunch provided, but I ate on my way home since I was done by noon-ish. If you have any other specific questions, feel free to PM me.

I just realized I can't PM on allnurses. So if you have questions, post it on this thread.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Has anyone done their interview yet? I was wondering what you guys wore and if they had you change into scrubs or anything. My interview is Monday, and I'm starting to get nervous!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Also, does anyone mind explaining the whole constructive credit thing in more detail? What would it take to go in as a 1LT?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Has anyone done their interview yet? I was wondering what you guys wore and if they had you change into scrubs or anything. My interview is Monday, and I'm starting to get nervous!

First of all, good luck! Where are you interviewing? My interview is in 2 weeks at WAMC in NC. The Phase 2 Director sent me an itinerary, and told me I'd be changing into scrubs provided. Day 1 starts at 1300, and I'll have an orientation and be shown around. Day 2 starts at 0445 and I'll shadow a CRNA all day. Day 3 starts at 0445, shadowing for a half day. I'll break for lunch, then there's a 90min board interview with the Director and a few other CRNAs. I was planning on wearing business casual to the hospital (unless someone with experience recommends otherwise). I was also asked to prepare a 3 ring binder "Candidate Packet" to turn in to the Director when I arrived, containing my CV, transcripts, goals & objectives, letters of recommendation, etc. Did you have to do that? A few days ago I was sent a chapter from Barash's Clinical Anesthesia to "study for discussion" while I'm there. Man is it dense! Where you given any "homework" to prep for?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Also, does anyone mind explaining the whole constructive credit thing in more detail? What would it take to go in as a 1LT?

Maybe MissSurgeRN or someone else with additional knowledge can correct me if I'm mistaken, but basically you get military credit for experience gained prior to commissioning. The whole thing is confusedly explained in Title 10, Subtitle E, Part II, Chapter 1205, Sec 12207 of the US Code (U.S.C. Title 1 - ARMED FORCES).

When I asked my recruiter about it, he gave me this slide...

PXbAsKo.jpg

He explained 2 years experience as a civilian counts as 1 year constructive credit, up to a maximum of 3 years constructive credit (i.e. I've been a nurse for 11 years, but I still only get 3 years constructive credit.) You also get an additional 6 months for professional certifications (but apparently there's a cap on that as well, at least for now. I have CCRN and CEN, but I'm only getting 6 months total.)

If you have 0-1.9 constructive credits, you go in as a 2LT (O1)

2-3.9 years constructive credit, you go in as a 1LT (O2)

4 years constructive credit, CPT (O3)...

You want to make sure you get all the constructive credit you're due because it will affect your first promotion. For example, I will come in with 3.5 years constructive credit as a 1LT. To test for CPT, you need 4 years (and also a full year of active duty.) Since we will commission in 2018, I will be eligible to test for CPT in 2019 (granted I make all the deadlines, etc.) By that time I'll have the equivalent to 4.5 years "military experience."

Since the program requires a minimum of 1 year of critical care experience and prefers CCRN, most applicants should have at least 1 year constructive credit from the start. They would come in as a 2LT, eligible to test for 1LT after a full year in the Army.

Hope this helps.

p.s. When your CV packet was approved, they should have told you at which rank you'd come in. What did they tell you then?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Deleted duplicate post. :up:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion