haujun said:
This forum is overly represented by negative posters b/c of the above reasons. It is interesting to point out those physicians who had a "difficult times" in the military will be motivated to post here. Not because they want to help students (they think they do*) but they hate the military-- "post tramatic military syndrome." Their judgment has been clouded by hate for the military medicine.
Try to imagine that it might be possible to have a rational and well-informed dislike of the present state of military medicine, and that being willing to express that dislike is not necessarily for want of better things to do, but rather to offer a counterpoint to the messages put forth by the paid messengers of the services, their recruiters, who do not know, or will not say, and are not obliged to be open and honest. I, for one, have nothing to gain by posting here. I think the same is true for all the former medical officers who post here, whatever their opinions (I wish a forum had existed when I was considering taking my contract.)
You seem to suggest that those with positive experiences are unwilling to post (why?) and that for some reason, only those with negative opinions bother to post. The last time I checked, this forum was open to anyone willing to sign up. If you find those with negative opinions to also be more numerous perhaps there is a valid reason for that. Sorry to say, the numbers are not required to be balanced to suit your particular taste.
Despite my encouragement my friends who left the military are reluctant to post their experiences here. They told me that they left the service because they served their time and it was time to move on...Some negatives were (low pay, deployments, paper work, poor adminstrative support). However, the primarily reason was that they carried out their duty and wanted the stability in life...
Do you doubt them, then? "Stability" could mean many things, like keeping a spouse happy, or children in a chosen community or school, or yourself in a desirable training program. It is my opinion that the military does not do a very good job respecting those important considerations, and that sacrifices and difficult assignments are
not conscienciously recognized and rewarded. So the truth should be told about how things really are: if you work hard and make sacrifices for the services, you
shouldn't expect to be rewarded. If you can live with that, fine. If that makes the military a less worthwhile opportunity, then so be it.
What I can't abide is the idea that the military medical bureaucracy should be able to do as it pleases without anyone being able to tell the truth about them publicly, or being able to criticize them, and their being able to wrap themselves in the flag and suggest that their critics are somehow less than loyal citizens. If that is where you are coming from, we will never agree.
My military attendings clearly think I am spending too much time here and they warned that I may be getting more work to keep my mind more occupied.
Your job. Your attendings.
I urge the medical students to seek the opinions of your current active military physicians from your interested branch of service.
Absolutely. Talk to everyone you can. Active duty, former active duty, retired. I suspect that there is a lot more information conveyed to medical students than ever finds its way to these forums, as it should be. I think a lot of that information isn't painting the services in a light they would prefer, and the recruitment numbers are beginning to show the effect. That ill-will was a long time in the making. And it won't likely be changing soon.
ing caveman
