Radiology in Airforce

[rad-doc]

Can anyone comment on the application process, Travis vs Wllford Hall, or what like as an airforce radiologist after training.

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[island doc]

Can anyone comment on the application process, Travis vs Wllford Hall, or what like as an airforce radiologist after training.

During my years as an AF physician, I had many opportunities to speak with our diagnostic radiologists. I still remember one of them likening his experience as to working in a "radiology sweat shop". They were very frustrated, like all the rest of us.

 

[USAFdoc]

Can anyone comment on the application process, Travis vs Wllford Hall, or what like as an airforce radiologist after training.

I can only say that at my base,the solo radiologist was frustrated that he was undermanned with support staff,and couldn't understand why the USAF was willing to spend thousands and thousands to send our patients off base instead of just hiring a u/s tech to do them on base.

Again, mismanagement...........and admin doesn't have to even listen to the advice of the docs

 

[USAFGMODOC]

I have been friends with several Rads docs in the USAF since I have been in. As with most specialty trained physicians who can make mega bucks as a civilian-- some of them can and do get disgruntled about their "payback time" after a residency when the see their cohorts in the civilian world raking in the big bucks. Honestly, the AF rads docs can get worked hard, depends on the place they are stationed at. Some rads docs do get deployed now- I was just with one over in the desert in Feb/Mar and alot of them don't like this as well when you factor in the missing their family and all with the pay disparity. Most Rad docs do not re-up for more time after their initial commitment unless they are already in for 15+ years and are trying to retire... I have seen several docs get out with 18 yrs in because they just didn't feel like moving again or some other personal decision. As like any career in medicine- there are always the few that you hear from who absolutely "hate" their military experience-- and usually that's all you hear from, but there are some advantages and people that actually don't mind being in.

Hope this helps

 

[militarymd]

there are always the few that you hear from who absolutely "hate" their military experience-- and usually that's all you hear from, but there are some advantages and people that actually don't mind being in.
Hope this helps

So, tell us about those radiologists, and the advantages of working harder, missing family, getting paid less...

 

[USAFGMODOC]

So, tell us about those radiologists, and the advantages of working harder, missing family, getting paid less...

Obviously you are one who has a very polarized view on military life. My point is, no one has twisted anyone's arm in taking HPSP--the person makes the choice. Obviously some figure out it just isn't for them--- you must have been one of those people. Realize the deployed Rads guy isn't "working harder", but is getting paid much less and missing family, but again they "know" they have to do a payback. I do get somewhat tired of everyone on here only giving the negative aspects of the military...believe it or not, there are actually people who grumble about it, but there actually is a sense of service when those people get out and go on with their civilian career choices-- and of course those that get out and lament about how they were wronged. In my fifteen years in the USAF and having been at 6 bases and been deployed and all-- I think I have likely spoken to more people on this issue than you so- and that's all I have to say about htat

 

[USAFdoc]

Obviously you are one who has a very polarized view on military life. My point is, no one has twisted anyone's arm in taking HPSP--the person makes the choice. Obviously some figure out it just isn't for them--- you must have been one of those people. Realize the deployed Rads guy isn't "working harder", but is getting paid much less and missing family, but again they "know" they have to do a payback. I do get somewhat tired of everyone on here only giving the negative aspects of the military...believe it or not, there are actually people who grumble about it, but there actually is a sense of service when those people get out and go on with their civilian career choices-- and of course those that get out and lament about how they were wronged. In my fifteen years in the USAF and having been at 6 bases and been deployed and all-- I think I have likely spoken to more people on this issue than you so- and that's all I have to say about htat

I appreciate your opinion, based on your experience. As a recently separated family doc, who had truly planned to make a career of USAF medicine, the USAF primary care and HPSP situation is much deeper than "payback" "wronged" and "it just isn't meant for everybody".

At my last base, there have been ZERO docs stay in over the past 10-15 years. ZERO! In this case, obviously military medicine there is for "no-one".
I know of ZERO family docs USAF wide (that are not in admin) that are staying in (although someplace there must be some).

Now you may want to look through the "rose colored" glasses and choose to believe that me and all these other docs just didn't want to serve our country, or wanted more money or whatever other rationalization you may want to come up with. THE TRUTH is that the USAF has created an incredibly bad health care system that has been compromised on nearly every level: inexperience, poor infrastructute, undermanning, poor support staff and manning etc.....and this leads to a point where no matter how much you wanted to serve our veterans and live a life that included 20+ years of military service, you really have no choice but to separate. I am 40 years old, and in my many professional positions and other miscellaneous jobs, I had never been with an organization run so poorly, and treating its people so poorly as comapred with the USAF at my last base. It was all very sad, and very wrong. And who was wronged the most???? Not me, it was the patients.

 

[USAFGMODOC]

I agree the Tricare system sucks--pretricare we had a pretty awesome system, maybe a bit too fat, but patients were taken care of well, military hospitals/residencies had a pretty good workload and were very good teaching hospitals, now we have to take care of the same # of patients with 1/3 of the techs/nurses/docs/PA's we had in 1995 when I was doing Family Practice as a PA at Offutt.

The FP system was not optimal then either. I do feel for the FP's and PA's in the FP clinic system--I did 4 years of it and it was not easy. I don't blame any FP doc in the USAF for bailing, it is no picnic and the paperwork the docs have to do is so ridiculous that you have to have experienced it to understand (like you). Glad to hear you are much happier outside the USAF. In my years in, just last year for the 1st time I actually had a Col doing a site survey ask (why don't the docs stay in--I told him the truth about all the stuff you have spoken of and I have never received any feedback or any mention of what other docs said)--- interesting how stuff gets buried.

 

[USAFdoc]

I agree the Tricare system sucks--pretricare we had a pretty awesome system, maybe a bit too fat, but patients were taken care of well, military hospitals/residencies had a pretty good workload and were very good teaching hospitals, now we have to take care of the same # of patients with 1/3 of the techs/nurses/docs/PA's we had in 1995 when I was doing Family Practice as a PA at Offutt.

The FP system was not optimal then either. I do feel for the FP's and PA's in the FP clinic system--I did 4 years of it and it was not easy. I don't blame any FP doc in the USAF for bailing, it is no picnic and the paperwork the docs have to do is so ridiculous that you have to have experienced it to understand (like you). Glad to hear you are much happier outside the USAF. In my years in, just last year for the 1st time I actually had a Col doing a site survey ask (why don't the docs stay in--I told him the truth about all the stuff you have spoken of and I have never received any feedback or any mention of what other docs said)--- interesting how stuff gets buried.

sounds like you do know the real deal. Glad you spoke up when the opportunity arose. I spoke up as well, to multiple levels through my chain of command, and everyone agreed with me (behind closed doors), and then things just continued to get worse in terms of manning and support. I will say that it was appreciated that the ADMIN people finally lightened up a little at the end. For my first 2 years all we heard from admin was why coulndt we see more patients, more RVUs, etc...I was already seeing 25-35 patients a day, doing 30-40 RVUs a day, 12+ hours a day, and all they had to say was it wasn't good enough? When I brought up "near misses" and not so near misses with patient care all I got was the "deer in the headlight look " from the commanders.

Best wishes to you and you career.