Anesthesia Oath

[nociceptor]

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I am suppose to quit my day job (PGY1) and start playing anesthesiologist soon. One of the hospitals I am suppose to work at is a VA hospital. They want me to sign the following oath.

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.


For some reason this gets under my skin. Why would a non-military GAS need to sign something like that? Does it have any serious implications to me in GAS?

Am I suppose to not let Osama wake up if he is my patient? A little clarification would be helpful, and some insight from militaryMD wouldn't hurt either.

 

[Bertelman]

I signed the same agreement as an MS3 rotating at the VA unit you describe. Frankly, I'm surprised you didn't sign it as an intern, unless you did your prelim year elsewhere. Don't be shocked when they ask for your fingerprints.

 

[Magnus67]

Ya in medschool i felt like i was being processed for prison camp at the VA. Since my last name is derived from arabic, i was a little nervous🙂

The cool thing about signing that statement is then they give u a complimentary M16 and hand grenades, the chip they put in your brain is a downside though.

 

[Steric]

I was just asked to sign the same thing for my upcoming prelim year. I had to sign it in front of a notary but luckily she laughed at the idea of me actually saying the oath.

 

[IctalSmile]

I liked your old picture better noc...... 🙂

 

[173291]

I am suppose to quit my day job (PGY1) and start playing anesthesiologist soon. One of the hospitals I am suppose to work at is a VA hospital. They want me to sign the following oath.

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.


For some reason this gets under my skin. Why would a non-military GAS need to sign something like that? Does it have any serious implications to me in GAS?

Am I suppose to not let Osama wake up if he is my patient? A little clarification would be helpful, and some insight from militaryMD wouldn't hurt either.

I thought the same exact thing when I got my VA Paperwork in the mail for intern year. I was like, SERIOUSLY?! whatevs. I am pretty sure they know that most of us don't give a ****.

 

[173291]

Ya in medschool i felt like i was being processed for prison camp at the VA. Since my last name is derived from arabic, i was a little nervous🙂

The cool thing about signing that statement is then they give u a complimentary M16 and hand grenades, the chip they put in your brain is a downside though.

 

[Heeed!]

I liked your old picture better noc...... 🙂

concur.

 

[nociceptor]

Heeed,

as an military doc, do you see any reason why non-military MD should have the oath?

BTW, in the air force do they ever let the physicians fly or teach you how to?

 

[Varmit22]

Heeed,

as an military doc, do you see any reason why non-military MD should have the oath?

BTW, in the air force do they ever let the physicians fly or teach you how to?

I think in the Navy with some of there programs and give back deals they give you some flight training with their choppers, but someone else will have to confirm this.

 

[Heeed!]

Heeed,

as an military doc, do you see any reason why non-military MD should have the oath?

BTW, in the air force do they ever let the physicians fly or teach you how to?

That's the Oath we all take when we enter the military. It's odd that you'd have to take it. It's a VA thing, I guess.

One of my fellow interns just got picked up for the pilot-physician program. He had a pilot training slot out of the Academy but gave it up to go to med school. Now, he's going back to become a pilot. I'm jealous! I'm going to work pretty hard to get back in the cockpit...flying is just more fun than medicine👍

If you're a Flight Surgeon, you'll get to fly. My squadron's flight doc in Alaska was fully qualified in the back seat of the Strike Eagle (sts). He flew as much as he wanted. But he had to take that Oath you're talking about....and mean it.

 

[coprolalia]

Not an oath, but here's my thought for the day...

"Policy exists solely to mitigate the actions of those who can't think or can't be trusted, or both."

-copro

 

[lord_jeebus]

If they expect you to support and defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, they should at least give you the means to do it.

Like a belt-fed machine gun.

 

[OB1🤙]

When being processed for the VA last year, after raising my hand and saying that pledge to a miniature American flag (the kind you saw on car antennas post-9/11), it was time for fingerprinting.

I present myself to a disgruntled employee, who tries for half an hour to make the fingerprinting machine/computer software work. No dice.

He eventually gets fed up, and says "&^(# it, I ain't had a break since 9AM, just get out of here. I need a &^(#ing cigarette."

Little did I know that this would be my indoctrination into the general work ethic instilled into the entire VA system.

 

[patch28]

I'm surprised "So help me God" is a requirement for something official in our government...


...wait, no I'm not...🙁

 

[Bertelman]

When being processed for the VA last year, after raising my hand and saying that pledge to a miniature American flag (the kind you saw on car antennas post-9/11), it was time for fingerprinting.

I present myself to a disgruntled employee, who tries for half an hour to make the fingerprinting machine/computer software work. No dice.

He eventually gets fed up, and says "&^(# it, I ain't had a break since 9AM, just get out of here. I need a &^(#ing cigarette."

Little did I know that this would be my indoctrination into the general work ethic instilled into the entire VA system.

Great story. Let me guess...was this between 10 and 10:30 a.m.?