Solicitation from a Recruiter

[jsnuka]

Check this out...............


I am writing you tonight because I want to help you and ask you to help us. By now you have probably visited your new medical school and talked with the financial aid officer. You probably have had many of my recruiters e-mail you throughout the year. You might have been thinking about this scholarship, some of you deleted it and some of you told the recruiter to never e-mail you. Either way, I am asking you to look into your hearts. We have people who are fighting throughout the world tonight as we sit watching TV or having dinner, etc. Regardless on how we each feel about the government and their decisions, young men and woman, just like us are putting their lives on the line 24 hours a day. They knew what they were doing when they joined and regardless of their political views about war, they do what they need to do to keep us and many others free. Doing that kind of work, soldiers get hurt or killed, sometimes never seeing their families again. That is what we all take for granted today. Without someone like you who is attempting to become a medical professional, they cannot get the health care they need to come home to their families. All medical professionals take a oath to give the best health care they can to everyone. Our medical professionals do! They treat everyone, friend or foe. I am asking you to join with us. You will not leave anytime soon, 7-10 years from now (After your medical school and residency). You are no good to my soldiers right now, but you will be one day and that is what I am concerned about (the future). In return, your medical school cost (tuition, books, fees and equipment) will be free. We will even give you some spending money every month. During residency, you can make $20,000 plus more a year than a civilian residency. Please take a moment and read the attached files on the opportunities for you and your career. And when you go to sleep, say a prayer for our troops. Please respond back and we can talk more on how you can help. Be a part of a special opportunity and a job that will always bring you satisfaction. Be able to tell your future grandchildren on how you helped this country and it's soldiers.

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[edmadison]

Ok, I'll bite. What's your take on that jsnuka? It's certainly appropriate as far as I'm concerned (except the part about the job always bringing satisfaction). Sure it's a pitch for patriotism and duty, but isn't that why most of us got into it?

Ed

 

[IgD]

I agree with what the recruiter says. However, the government has to meet us half way. They have to take better care of doctors in terms of work standards, deployment schedules and salary.

 

[USAFdoc]

I agree with what the recruiter says. However, the government has to meet us half way. They have to take better care of doctors in terms of work standards, deployment schedules and salary.

And why would the USAF want to meet physicians half way?

Beacause the time is finally coming when they "can't find a date" ie..the HPSP pool is drying up. It would have been the "USAF Core Values" answer to do the right thing by patients and staff years ago.

 

[jsnuka]

Ok, I'll bite. What's your take on that jsnuka? It's certainly appropriate as far as I'm concerned (except the part about the job always bringing satisfaction). Sure it's a pitch for patriotism and duty, but isn't that why most of us got into it?

Ed

I found it to be appropriate in tone, sure, but it REALLY pulls hard on your sensibilities to do something to help your country. A country which for many people does nothing for them. Very persuasive,and definitiely an option, but I would say it is a far last resort for a number of reasons. The primary one being the lack of career freedom on the back end. The lack of ability to do a fellowship when I want to and where I want to is of greater importance to me. To give that up for some money initially is selling myself short--if ALL options are available.

 

[notdeadyet]

Is the recruiter tugging at your heartstrings with the fighting man in Iraq because he assumes we'll still be there in 7-10 years when you're done with med school and residency?

 

[i want out]

Is the recruiter tugging at your heartstrings with the fighting man in Iraq because he assumes we'll still be there in 7-10 years when you're done with med school and residency?

The recruiter is tugging at absolutely anything to get somebody to sign the dotted line so that he/she can make quota.

i want out

 

[former military]

I learned in 11 yrs of AF active duty.... never, ever trust the government. Your well being is of no concern. When you have no opportunity to quit "your bosses" can work you to death in the worst situations and put you in no win clinical situations... you give up your rights to bargain to make things better for you and your patients. Treat the doctors they do have better and many more will stay in service after their commitment.

 

[jsnuka]

Is the recruiter tugging at your heartstrings with the fighting man in Iraq because he assumes we'll still be there in 7-10 years when you're done with med school and residency?

I take it that you are being sarcastic, but I will answer anyway.

We are STILL in Korea.

We are STILL in the Phillipines.

We are STILL in Japan.

We are STILL in Serbia/Bosnia/Kosovo.

So, of course, we will STILL be in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Inherent in how most people are raised by their parents and in school is a sense of duty to country and to be patriotic. I guess that is the reasoning behind the whole pledge of alleginace thing. I think that the rebuke for patriotic service is a more recent thing in American history and may be short lived if another event like 9/11 should happen.

America used to be shaped by the unfortunate circumstances of a distinct segment of the population. When a tragedy or a source of suffering is widespread, things change and sensibilities change.

 

[chopper]

I take it that you are being sarcastic, but I will answer anyway.

We are STILL in Korea.

We are STILL in the Phillipines.

We are STILL in Japan.

We are STILL in Serbia/Bosnia/Kosovo.

So, of course, we will STILL be in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Inherent in how most people are raised by their parents and in school is a sense of duty to country and to be patriotic. I guess that is the reasoning behind the whole pledge of alleginace thing. I think that the rebuke for patriotic service is a more recent thing in American history and may be short lived if another event like 9/11 should happen.

America used to be shaped by the unfortunate circumstances of a distinct segment of the population. When a tragedy or a source of suffering is widespread, things change and sensibilities change.

We left the Philipines when they kicked us out in the mid 90's.

I think what was meant was more 'we will still be experiencing active combat in 7-11 years'

Comparing Iraq/Afghanistan to Japan is a bit of a stretch. People bring their families there.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

We left the Philipines when they kicked us out in the mid 90's.

I think what was meant was more 'we will still be experiencing active combat in 7-11 years'

Comparing Iraq/Afghanistan to Japan is a bit of a stretch. People bring their families there.

I have no problem with the appeal to patriotism. That is a good reason to want to serve. I find it objectionable when patriotism is used to mask a badly flawed medical care system that refuses to reform itself or to marshal its resources in the best interests of the people it is charged to serve. If they really cared about the quality of care that servicemen and women receive, then they would want to be sure that those charged to provide care were the best trained and best supported professionals that money could buy. They have the money. Why won't they spend it? Because they think they don't have to and they think they can get something for nothing. There is nothing patriotic about cheap and shoddy support.

The message sticks in my craw and it reminds me of Dr. Samuel Johnson's aphorism about scoundrels' last refuges, or better, by Ambrose Bierce, who said patriotism was the first refuge of the scoundrel. You don't have to be a cynic to think that, you just have to have been there.

 

[island doc]

I agree with what the recruiter says. However, the government has to meet us half way. They have to take better care of doctors in terms of work standards, deployment schedules and salary.

I can't believe it. Something "half way" critical of Uncle Sam, M.D. coming out of the mouth of IgD. Is he turning over a new leaf finally???

 

[Galo]

I can't believe it. Something "half way" critical of Uncle Sam, M.D. coming out of the mouth of IgD. Is he turning over a new leaf finally???

Someone spiked his drink with meds. Watch how soon they wear off.

 

[notdeadyet]

So, of course, we will STILL be in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Sorry if I wasn't clear. The recruiter is explicitly drawing up images of people fighting in the war in Iraq as a way to appeal to people to join. If the recruiter does not believe we will still be fighting a war in Iraq, then the recruiter is using what is commonly known as a "bait and switch".

I think that the rebuke for patriotic service is a more recent thing in American history and may be short lived if another event like 9/11 should happen.

I find it interesting how patriotic service seems to start and end with the military. It doesn't.

It just bothers me a bit because you get folks lining up to "support the troops", but that always seems to have a big caveat of "only if there's combat". If you don't believe this, take a trip to the VA hospitals sometime. I'll trade your 100 pledge of allegiences for one bill to improve health benefits to veterans.

 

[notdeadyet]

There is nothing patriotic about cheap and shoddy support.

Amen. Combat medicine has a lot of sexy visual appeal, which is why I think it's used so often in the recruiting pitch. But I get the distinct impression from almost every current or former serviceman I know that you're much better off getting treated for a gunshot wound in the military than appendicitis. This is probably telling.

 

[former military]

I would like to have one dollar for every veteran I had to disengage from military medicine care because their care f'd with our commander little budget agenda. I asked the command at my hospital to write a policy letter with a signature and title stating the need for them to be disengaged. They wouldn't do that. They want the capts and majors taking care of these veterans to look like the bad guys. It was pathetic and cowardly. I was ashamed to be in the military. It is sexy to take care of the soldiers fighting in iraq and afghanistan now but when they are older the military will try to make their health concerns someone else's problem and the cost come out of someone else's budget. Nobody learns from history because we all accept the status quo. The hippocratic oath is often in contradistinction to what your military medical commanders ask you to do. It will continue until the supply of new doctors dries up. So stop the insanity and don't join because you will never ever change the system from within with your reasoning, patriotism, or work ethic.