Truisms you should know before joining.

[BomberDoc]

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The implication that the Madigan psychiatry department is analyzing personalities based on people's web postings is a tad on the creepy, big brother side, no?

I say, "Bring it." I'm going to stroll down the long hallway to Mental Health sometime around my last week, bring a book, ask for a walk-in (the form says 4-5 hour wait for walk-ins), and see if they can figure out if I'm crazy or not. Maybe the Madigan shrinks can save me the walk and just ask me now.

I don't know much about psychiatry, but I do remember something about denial not just being a river in Egypt. The pre-meds, med studs, and even some residents seem to be located in one of the few damp places in Egypt.

 

[sethco]

I suppose you've heard the expression you can lead a horse to water? You are acting like a MULE. I'm glad your residency is going well. Be sure to let us know how it is to be an attending.

Just like I felt the need to serve my country and my fellow soldiers, I feel it is my need to let as many people as I can know what a tragedy milmed has become. If being insulted by some pissant little crap cheerleading resident, attending or med student is what I have to endure, then so be it. I sleep just fine at night, though it does bother me that you, and others would have such a negative reaction to what you probably fear in the back of your mind you have the potential to experience as a physician. That is unless you consider yourself already a military officer first and foremost, and a physician a distant second. Part of the reason mil med is destroyed!

When you see something that is inherently wrong and potentially harming patients will you turn your head the other way for the good of the company, or yourself or speak up like you should? I am choosing to speak up, then, now, and for a long time to come.

You know what Galo?

I have been thinking about my IRR commitment (which will start in about 2 years from now) and the fear of getting called back either during residency or shortly thereafter. Then I am seeing posts like these from pre-meds/med students about "Is the military really that bad?" or "Should I join the HPSP" or whatever and I have come to one conclusion...I am no longer going to talk bad about my HPSP experience. However, I am also not going to talk about in a glorious light either (essentially leaving opinions to oneself). It may seem a little selfish, but if people are not smart enough to read the stickies or use the search button for questions that have been asked several times (in the last month alone), they probably have already made up their minds anyway! The way I look at it is the more people that feel that they can't finance a med school education, want to serve their country, or any other reason they use, to sign up just insures that I don't get called back through IRR.

Is this being too harsh and insensitive?

😀

 

[Galo]

You know what Galo?

I have been thinking about my IRR commitment (which will start in about 2 years from now) and the fear of getting called back either during residency or shortly thereafter. Then I am seeing posts like these from pre-meds/med students about "Is the military really that bad?" or "Should I join the HPSP" or whatever and I have come to one conclusion...I am no longer going to talk bad about my HPSP experience. However, I am also not going to talk about in a glorious light either (essentially leaving opinions to oneself). It may seem a little selfish, but if people are not smart enough to read the stickies or use the search button for questions that have been asked several times (in the last month alone), they probably have already made up their minds anyway! The way I look at it is the more people that feel that they can't finance a med school education, want to serve their country, or any other reason they use, to sign up just insures that I don't get called back through IRR.

Is this being too harsh and insensitive?

😀

Probably not. I think wanting to share pain, or spread it around so one does not feel as much of it, is why alot of the so called positives post here. BUT I could be wrong. I'm trying to think if that's how I felt when I was in, but I just remember wanting out more than anything else. I will tell you that the higher ups used every angle they could to dump crap on their underling, away rotations, USELESS training, and certainly deployment.

It is getting old answering the same question every other week in a different form. On most forums, (say my car forum), you'd bet a good flaming if you did not read the FAQ's/stickies first.

Its unlikely you'll get called back into IRR, unless we start a new war.

Also, post what you want, as long as you maintain your integrity and sincerity.

 

[BomberDoc]

Sethco, I see your point... and some days I agree with you, however, I'm willing to take the risk in order to spread the ugly truth about mil med.

I've said it a million times and I'll say it a million more: I wish I had this information available when I signed my life away. I honestly believe that I wouldn't have made this enormous mistake if I had access to the contents of this forum or something similar.

 

[sethco]

Sethco, I see your point... and some days I agree with you, however, I'm willing to take the risk in order to spread the ugly truth about mil med.

I've said it a million times and I'll say it a million more: I wish I had this information available when I signed my life away. I honestly believe that I wouldn't have made this enormous mistake if I had access to the contents of this forum or something similar.

I understand, and completely agree with you. However, don't you get tired of the saying the same thing over and over again, only to have some pre-med/med student/prior enlisted who have little (if any) experience dealing with military medicine basically calling you an unpatriotic, over-exagerating liar? For me, it gets old. I wish I had this website before I signed the HPSP contract, but that is a different story. When somebody has the information and chooses to ignore it, what does that make them? I say, if anybody really wants to believe a recruiter over a milmed doc, buyer beware and good luck.

 

[177584]

I understand, and completely agree with you. However, don't you get tired of the saying the same thing over and over again, only to have some pre-med/med student/prior enlisted who have little (if any) experience dealing with military medicine basically calling you an unpatriotic, over-exagerating liar? For me, it gets old. I wish I had this website before I signed the HPSP contract, but that is a different story. When somebody has the information and chooses to ignore it, what does that make them? I say, if anybody really wants to believe a recruiter over a milmed doc, buyer beware and good luck.

Hey Guys, what's the deal? Are all the docs in the military just new? Why do so many stay so long? I will have a commitment and have no idea what "really" goes on in mil med but is every day just the next worst day of your life? I really think people do share true experiences here and have no doubt that you all are speaking truth because of what happened to you. What I have also noticed is that there is no thread about people enjoying it, when there are plenty that at least fake it (I've met them so they are either enjoying life or faking it). What is the ONE thing that bothers you most, I realize you can make laundry lists but is there one major pain in the butt?

 

[BomberDoc]

What I have also noticed is that there is no thread about people enjoying...

There have been threads about the positives of mil med here in the past. I think they are pretty old and fell off the list several months ago. Some of us old cranky guys even posted our positives there. I'll dive on this grenade and re-start the new positives thread.

 

[cyniclite]

Hi all, my friend told me about the site (a slick FS SLB (self-loading baggage) who fully admits he 'did it all for the chicks') and I had to check it out.

My creds - Navy surgical internship, 4 years as a GMO and still in the black hole called 'IRR'

My two cents (nothing grand here) - When it comes to working with (around) deployments: Always volunTEER before you are volenTOLD! I managed to wriggle myself into some pretty decent billets and short term deployments this way. (Read no 'extended' tours in unsavoury places) Of course, I had the benefit of some damn decent CO's. Then again, I'm just an overall peachy person so my ass kissing seemed more complimentary than 'ulterior motive'. (yes, that was sarcasm🙂

'Kill 'em with kindness' that's what Mom always said.

Seriously though, I've found myself doing some contract work doing physicals (how I've missed those DD forms🙂 for HPSP and academy hopefuls and all I tell them is

1. This may be your biggest adventure or your greatest mistake but you may not know which until you're collateral as 'health officer' is to help your corpsman build a latrene in some sand that smells like it already IS one. (Understand that I see the true medical stuff, good and bad, as part of the big adventure🙂

2. You will deploy, you will deploy, you will deploy. I don't care if your grandma is on her deathbed and your baby will be born tomorrow. When they want your ass on the plane (boat, etc.), it WILL be on the plane. Roll with it or don't sign up.

and 3. If all you've ever wanted is to have a family, kids, a few pets and a respectable picket fenced house in the burbs, don't sign up! Either that or hook up with someone EXTREMELY understanding and with an incredibly flexible job!

Okay, I feel like I'm going on and on, maybe I have more opinions on this than I thought.

To wrap up. Yes, my non-military class-mates were staff at least several years before me...do I regret it? Not a bit. Would I do it again? Not in the current environment. Would I be a contract civilian? You bet your ass🙂

Cheers

 

[SF49ers Fan]

Hi all, my friend told me about the site (a slick FS SLB (self-loading baggage) who fully admits he 'did it all for the chicks') and I had to check it out.

My creds - Navy surgical internship, 4 years as a GMO and still in the black hole called 'IRR'

My two cents (nothing grand here) - When it comes to working with (around) deployments: Always volunTEER before you are volenTOLD! I managed to wriggle myself into some pretty decent billets and short term deployments this way. (Read no 'extended' tours in unsavoury places) Of course, I had the benefit of some damn decent CO's. Then again, I'm just an overall peachy person so my ass kissing seemed more complimentary than 'ulterior motive'. (yes, that was sarcasm🙂

'Kill 'em with kindness' that's what Mom always said.

Seriously though, I've found myself doing some contract work doing physicals (how I've missed those DD forms🙂 for HPSP and academy hopefuls and all I tell them is

1. This may be your biggest adventure or your greatest mistake but you may not know which until you're collateral as 'health officer' is to help your corpsman build a latrene in some sand that smells like it already IS one. (Understand that I see the true medical stuff, good and bad, as part of the big adventure🙂

2. You will deploy, you will deploy, you will deploy. I don't care if your grandma is on her deathbed and your baby will be born tomorrow. When they want your ass on the plane (boat, etc.), it WILL be on the plane. Roll with it or don't sign up.

and 3. If all you've ever wanted is to have a family, kids, a few pets and a respectable picket fenced house in the burbs, don't sign up! Either that or hook up with someone EXTREMELY understanding and with an incredibly flexible job!

Okay, I feel like I'm going on and on, maybe I have more opinions on this than I thought.

To wrap up. Yes, my non-military class-mates were staff at least several years before me...do I regret it? Not a bit. Would I do it again? Not in the current environment. Would I be a contract civilian? You bet your ass🙂

Cheers

Good insight, welcome aboard. 🙂