Ques re: USUHS Academic Achievement Awards

[LowlyMS]

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Does anyone know what the criteria are for getting course-specific academic achievement awards at USUHS?

Apparently I am getting one for a course that I helped in but didn't excel in and I cannot find find anything in the student handbook, OSA guide, etc that describes what the award is for and what it is based on.

It's nice I guess, but honestly if it's based on simply helping out with a class (as I agreed to), then it is sort of just for show and not really meaningful which sort of diminishes its value... I'd rather get an award for actually doing something above and beyond what one should but if you signup for something, its just kind of expected that you actually do a good job!

Thanx!

 

[backrow]

Take a deep breath, count to ten, there is no need to worry about the "value" of the award. Just remember it for your CV in a couple years and it's just another bullet to put on there.

 

[MedicalCorpse]

Does anyone know what the criteria are for getting course-specific academic achievement awards at USUHS?

It really saves time and effort if you print out your own awards and tape them to your study carrel at USU. You can be assured that this will set you apart from your peers bigtime:

http://www.medicalcorpse.com/Truthhurts4.ppt

Cheers!

Rob Jones, M.D.
USUHS Class of 1990
Ex-LtCol, USAF, MC
etc.

 

[mac61]

Dude, it's because YOU ROCK!!!!

(My sabbatical (sic) is over, can't help but to tell you that YOU ROCK!!!!!)

And...you DO put in a little extra effort, and some of us see it, even though we're bitter that WE didn't get an award. 😀

 

[resxn]

Let's see, you don't think you deserve an award that the military is offering?
Is there a precedent for that?

- you get a medal just for PCS'ing
- if your enlisted and breathing you're ranked 5 out of 5 on your EPR for everything, including physical fitness even if you can't pass the test
- you get awarded for just doing what your supposed to do, even if it's not above and beyond (e.g. we had a group of medics deployed to the desert and when they got back they were interviewed by the local news about what they did. Because of the recognition and the great PR it was for the base, these folks got a "forced" standing ovation at a commander's call). Bravo
- you will make O-5 just by breathing and showing up to work whereas others have to work their tail off to get above O-3
- we hand out quarterly awards because "somebody has to get it"
- we hand out quarterly civilian awards for the same reason and it's always the same 2 people who actually do anything
- we get budget rewards for being the clinic who is the most compliant with AFI regulations (i.e. just for doing what we're supposed to do, our clinic got a $5000 bonus because no one else was doing it as much)

I could go on, but life in the military is this: if you exist, you will recieve some sort of meaningless award. The military breeds mediocrity because it is not an incentive-based system.

Accept your award because someone has to and you probably do the most normal amount of work.

And on the rare occassion that someone does so something extraordinary you may or may not be noticed.

 

[mac61]

Let's see, you don't think you deserve an award that the military is offering?
Is there a precedent for that?

- you get a medal just for PCS'ing
- if your enlisted and breathing you're ranked 5 out of 5 on your EPR for everything, including physical fitness even if you can't pass the test
- you get awarded for just doing what your supposed to do, even if it's not above and beyond (e.g. we had a group of medics deployed to the desert and when they got back they were interviewed by the local news about what they did. Because of the recognition and the great PR it was for the base, these folks got a "forced" standing ovation at a commander's call). Bravo
- you will make O-5 just by breathing and showing up to work whereas others have to work their tail off to get above O-3
- we hand out quarterly awards because "somebody has to get it"
- we hand out quarterly civilian awards for the same reason and it's always the same 2 people who actually do anything
- we get budget rewards for being the clinic who is the most compliant with AFI regulations (i.e. just for doing what we're supposed to do, our clinic got a $5000 bonus because no one else was doing it as much)

I could go on, but life in the military is this: if you exist, you will recieve some sort of meaningless award. The military breeds mediocrity because it is not an incentive-based system.

Accept your award because someone has to and you probably do the most normal amount of work.

And on the rare occassion that someone does so something extraordinary you may or may not be noticed.

AND because you ROCK!!!

 

[MedicalCorpse]

And on the rare occasion that someone does something extraordinary you may or may not be noticed.

Hint: If your "something extraordinary" involves saving the life of a child, thereby embarrassing your Command; or standing up for correct clinical patient care while everyone around you is applauding the Colonel's New Clothes, I assure you that you will be noticed. That would be very bad for your career. You really do not want to be noticed in today's military. As the Japanese saying goes, in any society which values groupthink and cohesiveness over innovation and integrity, Deru kui wa utareru: the stake that sticks out will be hammered down. I'm serious.

Repeat after me: Baaaa. Baaaa. Good officer. Sit. Stay.

--
R
Who Got Noticed Three Times (LOA, LOR, LOC) For Trying To Do The Right Thing As A Board-Certified, O-4 and O-5 Physician
USU Class of 1990

 

[MedicalCorpse]

Apparently I am getting one for a course that I helped in but didn't excel in and I cannot find find anything in the student handbook, OSA guide, etc that describes what the award is for and what it is based on.

Attention all current and former USU students:

Do you have Achievement Award Envy? Do you spend your days and nights weeping bitter tears because your personal carrel at USU is not adorned with a paltry piece of pathetic PowerPoint putrescence like that of your neighbor, Ensign Snuffy?

Fear not, your time has come!

Behold the new 2007 USU Achievement Award, Version 1.0:

http://www.medicalcorpse.com/USU_Achievement_Award.ppt

For best results, right click on the link above and "Save Target As" to your desktop, so that you can customize your award with your own name and today's date.

Make sure your friends (and enemies) at USU all get awards (don't forget to use the color printers)...because, in today's shriveling, rotting, reeking Military Medical Corpse, as at Lake Wobegone, all Medical Studs are Above Average!

--
R
USU Class of 1990