OK, I just spent 5 minutes reading another rant about how terrible everything is. I was terrified to go on active duty after reading this site. Then I did my ATs and found that the situation wasn't so bleak at all.
But since I start my internsihp in T minus 6 months I'm asking for someone out there to give me the glass-is-half-full argument. Forget it, lie to me, just tell me something other than the your-career-will-suck rhetoric that fills this site.
What is good about military medicine? And please don't turn this into a rant: there are already plenty of those.
1 - More free time than I know what to do with.
both good and bad
2 - I got to meet my kids for the first time since residency
3 - I can get groceries far cheaper than the local store and selection is nice
4 - I have a fairly decent book budget so I've collected a nice library for my clinic
5 - I get freebies to some sporting events, nothing professional, but some good college games on military appreciation days
6 - Sea World is free
7 - Some airports have nice military appreciation rooms with free food and drinks
8 - On occaision someone will tell me thanks for serving. I just tell them, thanks back but I'm really just serving the real heroes
9 - the patients are probably about the most compliant you'll find anywhere
10 - I get to teach residents
both good and bad because they're FP residents--some want to learn some couldn't care less about learning ENT stuff
11 - my NCOIC follows me from clinic to the OR and everywhere in between so he knows me, what I like, how I treat people, and most importantly knows everything that's happened to a patient from the time they first arrive in consultation
12 - cheaper golf, albeit on a cheaper course.
13 - sometimes, when I show up in uniform somewhere in town, people will let me forward in line simply because I'm AD. I don't take advantage of it (see 8 for why), but I think it's awesome that citizens in this area respect those who serve the way they do
14 - Oh, did I mention how much time I have free to do stuff? Like this post. On your tax dollars.
14b) if there is so much as a note on the calendar, it's a day off. Honestly, I think the only thing on my calendar that I didn't get off was Boxing Day in Canada. Oh wait, yes I did, it was just considered closed.
15 - I can take a permissive TDY to go to a conference if I don't want to take leave or they won't pay for it ( a frequent occurrence)
16 - As long as I respond to e-mails, do my CBT, show up to meetings at least long enough to sign-in, and don't volunteer for anything, it's always the other guy that's getting harrassed by supervisors.
17 - oh, and the number of hours in a week? Gimme a break. When I first arrived and asked if I could book a surgical case for 1630, the OIC in the OR nearly herniated laughing herself silly. But, if I want to, I can take that patient to the local civilian hospital where in the doctor's lounge they have free lunch, free drinks, free 50 inch plasma tv, free snacks, and an amazing opportunity to network ad nauseum. The nurses there always ask me if there's something more they can do to make me or my patients happier. I'm offered a smile and a handshake every time I come into the OR. Then again, this last one is more non-military than military. Still good, still happening while I'm on AD so there you go.
