What was being a military doctor like after 9-11?

[cacazor]

What was being a military doctor like following 9-11 and the years that followed that?

I am asking in light of the recent attack on Paris. We have yet to see what the U.S will do, and what will change. But I am still curious how life for military doctors changes when conflict escalates.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[HighPriest]

Pretty much just panties dropping left and right.

This thread is full of examples. The difference is how much funding you have and what the deployment tempo is like. When there's an outflux of soldiers to a warzone there's an influx of cash which means more staffing, more support, and more deployments. When people calm down and start to forget what we were angry about the opposite happens - and there's usually a lag time of a few months to a couple of years.

 

[IlDestriero]

Deployments went from split tours of ~91 days to 6-13 months.
Deployments to war zones went from 0% to 90%.
Reservists in war related fields were activated, many just back filled the deployed AD guys.
There was a significant increase in the pain clinic with returning casualties having chronic pain problems.
There was a huge increase in follow up surgeries for war related injuries.
Job satisfaction improved dramatically.

 

[dr zaius]

Job satisfaction improved dramatically.

I love hearing the people in residency/were attendings during the surge talk. They get this wistful look in their eyes and a smile on their faces when they talk about scheduled OR cases going at 2300, and how they were so incredibly busy every day. You can tell they hated the reason that they were so busy, but they were doing something they loved and for a worthwhile population.