who's who of SDN military med knowledge?

[Pemberley]

I more frequently find this forum emotionally wearing than informative. I've been trying to think of how those of us who are not spoiling for a fight can get more use out of it.

I was wondering whether we could make, and sticky, a list of people who have actually been doctors in the military and what their areas of expertise are/were. I expect there are lots of us non-medical prior-service types, but we frequently don't know about medicine.

I'm hoping there are lurkers out there who could contribute information but have no desire to contribute bickering, bashing, fighting, and insulting.

I'm thinking something like this (examples! some of this might be wrong. no offense meant ):

ID..................Service.....Specialty....Duration......would do it again?
USAFdoc.........AF...........FP.............19xx-20xx....never
usnavdoc........N.............FP.............19xx-20xx....?
Galo...............?.............?...............19xx-20xx.....no
IgD................?.............?...............19xx-pres.....yes & you should too

Homunculus -- you're the boss. Good idea? Good enough for a sticky?
Other opinions? Feel free to fix formatting etc.

Thanks
-Pemberley

EDIT FOR NEWCOMERS: The most complete listing of experienced military medical officers is on the most recent post. Go to the last page if you want to see it.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MoosePilot]

Please someone fix the title of the thread. DSN of course has a military meaning quite different from SDN

My friend R90t is very helpful and actually let me shadow him during his sick call, but he's probably a bit busy these days. If he's still visiting, he'll probably see this thread.

 

[Pemberley]

Please someone fix the title of the thread. DSN of course has a military meaning quite different from SDN

My friend R90t is very helpful and actually let me shadow him during his sick call, but he's probably a bit busy these days. If he's still visiting, he'll probably see this thread.

Done.
Thanks Moose!

-Pemberley

 

[usnavdoc]

I more frequently find this forum emotionally wearing than informative. I've been trying to think of how those of us who are not spoiling for a fight can get more use out of it.

I was wondering whether we could make, and sticky, a list of people who have actually been doctors in the military and what their areas of expertise are/were. I expect there are lots of us non-medical prior-service types, but we frequently don't know about medicine.

I'm hoping there are lurkers out there who could contribute information but have no desire to contribute bickering, bashing, fighting, and insulting.

I'm thinking something like this (examples! some of this might be wrong. no offense meant ):

ID..................Service.....Specialty....Duration......would do it again?
USAFdoc.........AF...........FP.............19xx-20xx....never
usnavdoc........N.............FP.............19xx-20xx....?
Galo...............?.............?...............19xx-20xx.....no
IgD................?.............?...............19xx-pres.....yes & you should too

Homunculus -- you're the boss. Good idea? Good enough for a sticky?
Other opinions? Feel free to fix formatting etc.

Thanks
-Pemberley

I’m actually not an FP. I was a GMO for my entire ADSC from 2001-2006(HPSP 1997-2001). I am getting out to pursue civilian anesthesiology residency.

Would I do it again? Not HPSP. I would consider FAP but it probably isn’t worth the hassle of the lifestyle requirements and admin nightmare. I would definitely not recommend HPSP with extended GMO time to anyone. By the time I knew what I had gotten into I was committed and civilian residency seemed the best alternative. I could have easily dealt with my loans and should have rather than HPSP. The travel and other benefits don’t outweigh the break in training a GMO goes through. I would have completed residency in 2005 had I not chosen HPSP. Now I will complete it in 2009 with a possible fellowship 2010.

IGD will likely say I was “weeded out.” LOL That is far from the case. In 4 years with the Marines I have multiple ribbons, awards, and deployments. I could have easily stayed on AD if I had desired but the quality of training I will receive as a civilian couldn’t be passed over. Plus I will never deploy again except for maybe with a DWB type of situation.

To make this thread more well rounded others should be included. MilMD, GMO2003, PGG, etc....

 

[Pemberley]

To make this thread more well rounded others should be included. MilMD, GMO2003, PGG, etc....

Exactly what I'm hoping for!

Please, everybody post -- do it just like usnavdoc did! Don't answer what other people wrote -- only put down the extent and nature of YOUR experience in the military!! I really don't want this thread to turn into a repeat of all the other threads in this forum...

If you've got opinions about the nature of people who left the military (or of those who stayed in) this isn't where to put them. If you think somebody else's opinion is rubbish and results from ignorance, prejudice, or pigheadedness, and feel compelled to say so, please open another thread.

To repeat myself: 1 post per person, edited however often you think necessary, informing the rest of us of the source of YOUR military medical expertise.

(Homunculus, are you allowed to delete anything else from this particular thread only? Not trying to discourage freedom of expression elsewhere, of course. But I don't want to ask you to do something that's against the rules.)

Thanks
-Pemberley

 

[IgD]

I think an unintended consequence of this thread is that it shows how unbalanced things are. Basically there are 4 disgruntled former military physicians here and myself. I guess everyone else is neutral.

I would suggest appointing an additional moderator from the neutral category such as yourself maybe (?). It's very hard for me to make any pro-military point when I get 4 reflexive name calling replies.

 

[militarymd]

11 years Navy.


Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine....Navy residency / civilian fellowship

Would not do it again in a million years....

Dont' forget: thenavysurgeon, mitchconnie, and others who don't come as much any more.

There is more than 4.....more like 10 plus.

 

[militarymd]

Search my posts from december 2003 forward.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

11 years Navy.


Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine....Navy residency / civilian fellowship

Would not do it again in a million years....

Dont' forget: thenavysurgeon, mitchconnie, and others who don't come as much any more.

There is more than 4.....more like 10 plus.

4 yrs HPSP, Navy

Navy surgery internship, Portsmouth

Flight surgery training, Pensacola NAS, FL

3.5 yrs flight surgery

AIRLANT VP community, deployed twice

NNMC Claimancy duty, NAS Washington, forward deployed (ADMINSUPU Bahrain)

Civilian ophthalmology residency

Civilian oculoplastics/orbit/neuro fellowship

Board Certified and Re-Certified

4 years active reserve, USNR

Honorable Discharge

Resigned reserve commission

 

[Galo]

11 years Navy.


Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine....Navy residency / civilian fellowship

Would not do it again in a million years....

Dont' forget: thenavysurgeon, mitchconnie, and others who don't come as much any more.

There is more than 4.....more like 10 plus.

I've posted this info before, but here it is:

2 years College ROTC
4 yrs Med school HPSP
6 years Civilian surgical residency (including one year of surgical research in cardiothoracic, and transplantation.

6 years active duty AF surgeon with humanitarians to Nicaragua and Jamaica

Honorably Discharged 12 Nov 04. One of the happiest days of my life next to the birth of my children.

Community General/Bariatric surgeon. Cannot in good will recommend AF, or any Military medicine to anybody at this time.

 

[island doc]

OK, here goes:

4 yrs AF HPSP

One year deferred civilian transitional year

4 yrs ER GMO

Do it again: No

2 yrs Civ FP residency

Now in Civ Practice on an exclusive tropical island.

Hobby: Picking on IgD

 

[USAFdoc]

OK, here goes:

4 yrs AF HPSP

One year deferred civilian transitional year

4 yrs ER GMO

Do it again: No

2 yrs Civ FP residency

Now in Civ Practice on an exclusive tropical island.

Hobby: Picking on IgD

exUSAFdoc:
6 years Navy Nuclear Power Program; Reactor Instructor and Supervisor
3 years USAF Family Physician; multiple collaterral duties; pathology rev. etc.
3 years civilian residency Family Medicine; Resident Instructor of the year.
4 Years UC Davis; Physiol; Regent Scholar award winner
3 years USAF HPSP
4 years USAF reserve.

currently civilian Family Medicine; getting paid twice as much to work half the hours with half the headache and twice the fun.

would do it again (USAF Primary Care); absolutely not.

Hobbies/spare time over the years: physical fitness, Big Brothers/Sisters, Faith/Church.

 

[medivac]

4 Years HPSP

1 transitional year Naval Medical Center Portsmouth

1 year of flight school training

3 years Flight Surgeon Norfolk VA

Honorable discharge in 75 days to start EM residency.

I would do it over again--great experience, decreased debt. I am not continuing, however as I have no interest in being an EM doc deployed 90% of the time.

 

[threepeas]

i dont see any army folks adding stats. are most of the "storm warners" from the AF/navy for a reason?

 

[pgg]

To make this thread more well rounded others should be included. MilMD, GMO2003, PGG, etc....

I went straight from college to medical school - no prior service or ROTC.

Navy USUHS graduate, 2002. Transitional internship @ NNMC, applied to go straight through to anesthesia. No luck.

2 year GMO tour with a Marine infantry battalion in Camp Lejeune, deployed to Afghanistan in 2004, extended tour for a 3rd year in order to go to Iraq in 2005-2006. Administrative pain and other shortcomings aside, I've really enjoyed my time with the Marines. That said, I don't believe for a second that the last three years did anything other than degrade my doctorly abilities. (I and the Navy would have been better off had I been trained fully up front and employed as a board cert anesthesiologist for my 7 year payback, rather than park me in a PA's job for 3 years.)

I've always looked at life as more than one rigidly sequential step after another aiming at a final goal ... and so I don't resent my "time off" with the Marines the way many do. I've enjoyed the unique set of opportunities and experiences my green side tour has afforded me. I can easily see how others feel differentl though.

As a GMO who still has significant obligated service (USUHS = 7 year obligation), I applied for a military residency last year and will be starting anesthesia at Portsmouth this summer. Overall, I'm very happy with where I've been in the Navy and where I'm going.

Would I do it all again? Absolutely - USUHS was a uniformly excellent experience, and the privilege of taking care of PFCs and Lance Corporals goes a long way to offset the negative sides to GMO life (admin work, professional stagnation, time away from home).

Will I stay in for 20? I don't know. I have 7 years to go before I can make that choice and a lot can happen in 7 years. Wars, changes for good or ill in Navy/military medicine, fellowship opportunities, personal goals, family desires, jobs in the civilian world ... all those things are hard to predict. However, I share many of the concerns posted by USAFDOC, Galo, militarymd, etc ... and when 2013 rolls around, if there haven't been substantial changes for the better, it will be hard to justify staying in and being a part of a system that refuses to improve itself. I am hopeful though.

For the moment though all I can do is be the best resident I can be, keep taking care of the best patient population in the world, and hope that the powers that be see the writing on the wall and steer us toward some much-needed reform.

 

[Homunculus]

Homunculus, are you allowed to delete anything else from this particular thread only?

dude, i'm one of 3 admins on the site. you're damn right i can target my deletion powers to single posts.

--your friendly neighborhood packin' a mean-ass club caveman

 

[Homunculus]

oh yeah, to answer the OP:

4 years Army ROTC
4 years HPSP

Currently PGY2 at NCC Pediatric Program (joint Walter Reed Army Medical Center/National Naval Medical Center program).

Stay tuned to see how my post residency adventure goes.

Would I do it again? Depends on the day you ask me, lol. It's a good fit for people who know what they're getting into, moreso for some of the super hu-ah prior enlisted folks who really don't know much else *other* than the military. It has a certain familiar feel after awhile that I imagine some people dig. I would even venture to say the 3 year program is probably a decent gig as well, considering you'll have *most* of school paid for and realistically only have one duty station before you get out. The limitation on residency can be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it.

Seeing as I owe 8 years, you'll definitely be seeing me here quite a bit longer, lol. Not to mention you'll get to see me go through the whole fellowship process (there's no way i can spend 8 years as a generalist in the military-- subspecializing is definitely the way to go. not to mention fellows get attending pay in the military, unlike the civilian world ).

--your friendly neighborhood love it/hate it caveman

 

[GMO2003]

ID: GMO2003
Service: Army
Specialty: General Medical Officer
Duration: 2003-2007
Would do it again: No. I would've taken out low interest student loans. The military owns you plain and simple. If you're ok with that and don't mind the unique and exotic practice environments that you may find yourself in, by all means sign on the dotted line. For everybody else, unless you want to make the military a career, I would highly discourage you from becoming a military medical officer.

OTOH, my time off has given me a chance to truly reflect on why I became a physician in the first place. Like others have said before, it truly is an honor and privilege to take care of the common soldier and give back to the backbone of the military. Also, the hours and pay couldn't be better. I work about 40hrs/week and with all specialty pay, bonuses added up make close to 100k/yr. As a GMO overseas in an outlying branch clinic, my patient panel size is significantly smaller than a CONUS physician at or near a MEDCEN (ie USAFDoc). Practicing semi-independently on my own license and making clinical decisions on my own have also helped me mature somewhat as a physician. Make no mistake about it though, I feel that the military is doing a dis-service to the community I serve by not providing them with a board certified family practice physician. I also feel like my clinical skills are deteriorating by the day and look forward to starting a civilian residency soon.

 

[hosskp1]

I am GMO right now serving for the last 2 years as a Brigade surgeon for one of the new Units of Action. I am going to an army hospital to finish my residency in june. (since I changed residency specialties- I will have to start over at PGY-1). I may be in a different boat than most GMO's because I did not become someones's clinic bitch (it happens to most GMO's ). I was a staff officer and a Medical expert to the brigade commander. It was just luck that I did not wind up in a TMC- they had 3 GMO's and they just picked the one that would be the best fit for the Brigade- and that just happened to be me. I lucked out- I did not have a nurse as my boss. MY boss is the Brigade commander and I am a CPT in a MAJ's slot.

I did some clinical work, but there was so much time devoted to being on the battle staff. I personally have enjoyed my time in the real army so far- when I finish residency, I will try and go to be physician for a Special operations unit before heading off to fellowship. My opinion is that most of the primary care billets in the army are painful. The operational world was a better fit for me and looks better on the resume than working in a clinic. I had a great time being the medical adviser for PA's and medics. I really enjoyed training them up and going out to the field with them. I also enjoyed working with officers from Armor and Infantry- they have taught me so much. They always treated me with respect because they knew I would give them good care as their doctor.

I can not stand the small hospitals and the TMC's, but I really like the large MEDCENS and operational medicine.

Would I do it over - hell yeah. I have had great experiences and am a much better leader now (it could have easily been different though). Also - I got all my medical school paid for. Everybody's different- so what ever worked for me may not be what is best for you.

 

[FliteSurgn]

1989-1993 Radio teletype operator, enlisted E-5, Army
1993-1997 USAF HPSP
1997-1998 Civilian general surgery internship
1998-2000 Flight Surgeon
2000-2004 Civilian General Surgery residency
2004-2006 Completely underutilized USAF general surgeon
Summer 2006 Civilian general surgeon.

Although I have had some good experiences, I would never do it again. Take out loans for med school and then do FAP if you really want to serve. Get residency training done first (the residency of YOUR choosing...at the time of YOUR choosing) The bad experiences I've had as a general surgeon far outweigh any positives that I can think of. As a board certified surgeon, I averaged 5 "cases" per week for the last 2 years. And 80% of those cases were colonoscopy. So, I average 1 actual surgical case per week and that includes little things like hemorrhoids, hernias, breast biopsies, etc. Not only is this a complete waste of my skills, it allows those skills to atrophy to the point that I would be useless after a few more years like this. My only saving grace has been that I only had 2 years left on my commitment when I re-entered active duty as a surgeon.

 

[USAFGMODOC]

1985-1995 USAF Enlisted - Lab Technician, Air Traffic Controller
1995-1999 USAF Physician Assistant (PA-C) Family Practice Clinic
2000-2003 HPSP
2003-2004 Civilian Family Practice Internship
2004-2006 (June) USAF GMO Flight Surgeon (Deployed once)
2006-2010 USAF Radiology Resident

Would do it again--- yes, but..... If I were non-prior service, I'd have to think twice about it; but with my years/background and getting Rads.... it is SWEET!

 

[ExNavyRad]

Well, I'll chime in, since I've been lurking here a while after finding this site trying to help out a Navy HPSP student who recently rotated through our department.

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine grad - 1987
DO internship 1987-88
NAMI 1988-89
Flight surgeon 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing MCAS Cherry Point 1989-91
-VMA(AW)-224 UDP Iwakuni Japan 1989
-MAG-14; VMGR-252 1989-90
-MAG-40 USS Nassau Desert Shield/Storm 1990-1991
Radiology residency Naval Hospital San Diego 1991-95
Naval Hospital Keflavik 1995-96
Naval Hospital Newport 1996-1997
IRR/Active Reserves off and on 1997-2005

I resigned my commission a year ago as an O-6 select after a complete cluster-f*ck of a mobilization. I was slated to go to Kuwait for 6, wait, 9, oh wait, maybe 10, oh well, maybe 12, we don't know, months back in late 2004/early 2005. As it happened, I got sent back after a month at my mobilization station for a medical problem that required surgery, but was thankfully benign.

Anyway, feel free to pick my brain, though most of my information will be hopelessly out of date for most of you young bucks.

On the whole, I would have to say my experience on the whole was a good one. My wife and I got to do and see things that we might not have ordinarily done, though some of them I was too bored, homesick, or scared to realize how much "fun" I was having at the time. Our marriage survived, and I got excellent training in a great residency..

That said, I have believed for a long time that Navy medicine is in the "hurt locker", and there are too many apple-polishers, chair-warmers, place-holders, and oxygen-thieves in the upper echelons of Navy medicine to fix things anytime soon.

Well, I could go on, but I won't.

Doc H.

 

[GMO2003]

That said, I have believed for a long time that Navy medicine is in the "hurt locker", and there are too many apple-polishers, chair-warmers, place-holders, and oxygen-thieves in the upper echelons of Navy medicine to fix things anytime soon.

Doc H.

 

[dtn3t]

I think an unintended consequence of this thread is that it shows how unbalanced things are. Basically there are 4 disgruntled former military physicians here and myself. I guess everyone else is neutral.

I would suggest appointing an additional moderator from the neutral category such as yourself maybe (?). It's very hard for me to make any pro-military point when I get 4 reflexive name calling replies.

So, um, you left out the part where you tell us your specialty, your years of service, where and how you served...

 

[island doc]

So, um, you left out the part where you tell us your specialty, your years of service, where and how you served...

He is not going to because he knows that if he does he will lose credibility.

 

[dtn3t]

He is not going to because he knows that if he does he will lose credibility.

Does he have any left?!?

 

[dtn3t]

double post, sorry

 

[chickendoc]

HPSP - 1994-98
OB Intern NMCSD - 98-99 turned down residency
NAMI 99-00
Flight Surgeon 00-06 Mult deployments...
Starting Internal Medicine as intern (my choice) in June

Would I do it again Yes.

 

[IgD]

So, um, you left out the part where you tell us your specialty, your years of service, where and how you served...

How about this:
When USAFDoc posts his 15 page rant to congress and Island Doc posts his USAFTimes letter crying about not getting picked up for a residency position I'll post the info.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

How about this:
When USAFDoc posts his 15 page rant to congress and Island Doc posts his USAFTimes letter crying about not getting picked up for a residency position I'll post the info.

Why the bargaining, IgD? No one else needed "special" terms.

 

[usnavdoc]

How about this:
When USAFDoc posts his 15 page rant to congress and Island Doc posts his USAFTimes letter crying about not getting picked up for a residency position I'll post the info.

Youre not even a physician are you? You are some type of ancillary occupational health officer.

That would make sense with all your comments that seem detached from the reality of patient care.

 

[Galo]

How about this:
When USAFDoc posts his 15 page rant to congress and Island Doc posts his USAFTimes letter crying about not getting picked up for a residency position I'll post the info.

As much as I want to crucify you right now, I'll hold my tongue. USNAVDOC is probably right on. Why make conditions to post your information? All of us have without any. Are you afraid you will loose more credibility than you already have? This has to be a sick joke.

 

[Globus P]

Youre not even a physician are you? You are some type of ancillary occupational health officer.

That would make sense with all your comments that seem detached from the reality of patient care.

I betcha "he's" a guy-NURSE.

 

[iatrosB]

How about this:
When USAFDoc posts his 15 page rant to congress and Island Doc posts his USAFTimes letter crying about not getting picked up for a residency position I'll post the info.

That's cheap man. Don't lose more credibility with crap like this!

 

[IgD]

Why the bargaining, IgD? No one else needed "special" terms.

That's funny. The main theme of the forum is about a few people whining about not getting special treatment.

 

[militarymd]

That's funny. The main theme of the forum is about a few people whining about not getting special treatment.

You are incorrect.

The main theme of the forum is a public message board allowing multiple board-certified physicians with actual experience in military medicine to accurately inform potential future military medicine officers.

The open posting of the information will allow potential recruits to enter the service with eyes wide open....allowing for a good medical corp that is truly committed...

....although my personal opinion is that the real information about military medicine will cause it to have no recruits....forcing it to restructure, so that the beneficiaries of military medicine won't be screwed any more than they have to be.

IgD, you are a discredit to the uniform that you are wearing in the worst tradition of the Navy.

 

[colbgw02]

Starting Internal Medicine as intern (my choice) in June

Wow, what's the reasoning behind that? I'm not sure if that's really admirable or just plain crazy. Then again, I'm pretty lazy.

 

[usnavdoc]

Wow, what's the reasoning behind that? I'm not sure if that's really admirable or just plain crazy. Then again, I'm pretty lazy.

The reasoning behind that is that he was a Flight Surgeon for what EIGHT YEARS. I mean jeez I thought my skill/knowledge erosion was bad with 4 years as a GMO. I can’t imagine another 4 years out here. If I were going into IM I would be repeating my internship. I mean can you imagine if they were to start you off in the ICU as a PGY2 and you are expected to run the place. Besides he did an OB Internship and is now doing IM.

 

[GMO2003]

The reasoning behind that is that he was a Flight Surgeon for what EIGHT YEARS. I mean jeez I thought my skill/knowledge erosion was bad with 4 years as a GMO. I can’t imagine another 4 years out here. If I were going into IM I would be repeating my internship. I mean can you imagine if they were to start you off in the ICU as a PGY2 and you are expected to run the place. Besides he did an OB Internship and is now doing IM.

amen to that brother as a PGY2 you would essentially be leading the "team" and making the major clinical decisions about patient care (with direct supervision of the attending), but still...after 8 years..It's like becoming a 4th year medical student again...just kidding

 

[chickendoc]

amen to that brother as a PGY2 you would essentially be leading the "team" and making the major clinical decisions about patient care (with direct supervision of the attending), but still...after 8 years..It's like becoming a 4th year medical student again...just kidding

After 8 years of taking care of outpatient medicine with only one yr of Ob/Gyn as training I would surely kill someone as a PGY2 in IM. I am not ready to take care of anyone with an acute medical problem and I have no problem saying so. It is my own fault for not knowing what I wanted to do and so know I will pay the price with one year of slavery....after a year of OB/Gyn internship before the work hour rules this should be a piece of cake!

 

[GMO_52]

Civilian undergrad (Rice U)
USUHS
IM Internship
Shipboard GMO
IM Residency

 

[island doc]

After 8 years of taking care of outpatient medicine with only one yr of Ob/Gyn as training I would surely kill someone as a PGY2 in IM. I am not ready to take care of anyone with an acute medical problem and I have no problem saying so. It is my own fault for not knowing what I wanted to do and so know I will pay the price with one year of slavery....after a year of OB/Gyn internship before the work hour rules this should be a piece of cake!

This clearly illustrates why military medicine is indeed "dangerous medicine". Here we have a military physician, have been compelled to practice with insufficient and inadequate training, admitting that he/she is not prepared to take care of a patient with an acute medical problem, which is in fact part of the basic skill set for any practicing physician. Pathetic...

 

[RichL025]

...which is in fact part of the basic skill set for any practicing physician. Pathetic...

Quit living in your fantasy world. I know plenty of physicians who are smart enough to realize they don't belong in a ED or ICU. Many of them are competent shrinks, pathologists, or even outpatient FP / medicine docs.

The OP has enough insight to see where his deficiencies lie, and voluntarily chose to rectify them. You shoudl be commisetating or congradulating him, not busting his balls because the army sent him somewhere where his skills atrophied.

 

[mitchconnie]

Here's my experience:

3-year Air Force HPSP
5-year General Surgery Residency in a military program that became essentially a civilian program once the military "medical center" collapsed post-Tricare
1 year as a general surgeon (40 cases total--significant skill atrophy)
2-year civilian-sponsored Vascular Surgery fellowship
2 years in practice at a teaching hospital

2 deployments--one to OEF (small airfield in Oman--zero cases) and one to Iraq (where I currently reside).

I have held priveleges and taught residents at Army, Navy and Air Force hospitals


Joining the Air Force was clearly the dumbest thing that I have ever done. I would STRONGLY discourage anyone interested in General Surgery or it's subspecialties from becoming involved with the military at this time. I have no firsthand knowledge of other specialties and would not presume to comment.

 

[GMO2003]

Quit living in your fantasy world. I know plenty of physicians who are smart enough to realize they don't belong in a ED or ICU. Many of them are competent shrinks, pathologists, or even outpatient FP / medicine docs.

The OP has enough insight to see where his deficiencies lie, and voluntarily chose to rectify them. You shoudl be commisetating or congradulating him, not busting his balls because the army sent him somewhere where his skills atrophied.

reread the post...I think that's exactly what islandoc was trying to convey in his message...islandoc wasn't attacking the OP. Instead, he was pointing out the flawed military system of sending out GMOs to practice as independent providers

 

[militarymd]

Quit living in your fantasy world. I know plenty of physicians who are smart enough to realize they don't belong in a ED or ICU. Many of them are competent shrinks, pathologists, or even outpatient FP / medicine docs.

The OP has enough insight to see where his deficiencies lie, and voluntarily chose to rectify them. You shoudl be commisetating or congradulating him, not busting his balls because the army sent him somewhere where his skills atrophied.

that's exactly what island doc said.

 

[Pemberley]

Anybody seen a club-wielding caveman around here?

 

[Homunculus]

i'm here. still waiting for IgD to enlighten us on his background.

he certainly is not obliged to, but i think we deserve to know. especially after everyone else volunteered theirs.

-your friendly neighborhood tapping his foot waiting caveman

 

[usnavdoc]

i'm here. still waiting for IgD to enlighten us on his background.

he certainly is not obliged to, but i think we deserve to know. especially after everyone else volunteered theirs.

-your friendly neighborhood tapping his foot waiting caveman

I think his silence just proves my point that I made previously. His comments and his detachment from the reality of military medicine makes me believe he is not a physician. I think he is a Medical Service Corps type. Which means Ancillary staff, recruiter, detailor, occupational/prev med or rad health, something like that.

 

[RichL025]

that's exactly what island doc said.

You're both right, and I apologize for misreading Island Doc's post.