I also enjoy the other forum (not just the mil-med but many others as I enjoy engaging with all of the "team" members and usually there is a pretty good mix over there even if it is geared toward med students). I do especially like the mil-med and mil-dental as I am relatively new to the service and this forum isn't quite as active as over there. We do okay, though!
i'm looking forward to gaining more personal experience to back up my ramblings....
That being said:
Originally Posted by tanzbodeli
: why doctors seems overwhelmingly unhappy with the military system whereas other health professionals aren't?
I think the Major above me hit it pretty square on the mark. Though I'll grant they do believe there are some gripes that truly are grounded in genuine patient care concern, the majority(the GREAT majority) of the issues they recycle ad nauseum are about "others", mainly nurses, who are 'allowed' to actually function in the role that that they were educated for and who somehow, by virtue of existence and close proximity, serve as a constant affront to their oversall superiority. They express great umbrage that a mere nurse would have any input into a plan of care or that, yes, most grievously, an RN may outrank them and thus be allowed to actually give them orders.
I'm not kidding, that is the source of the majority of their expressed unhappiness. I try to cut them some slack, generally, by remembering that these budding docs have never practiced medicine in the civilian world. They have basically been educated inside a bubble. Even if they landed a civilian residency and so spent some time away from the military they were still functioning under the educational model so they have no real clue or comparison to how things actually are out in the "real world."
It almost seems like these poor folks, once out, are anticipating practicing under some old school vision they still hold of healthcare(y'know, before HMO's, Mid-levels, JCAHO,EMTALA) when the whole 'captain of the ship' philosophy reigned mightily and that they now don't seems aware doesn't quite exist anymore. I kinda feel sorry for them sometimes.
We all know the tangible rewards of pursuing medicine have begun to decline in recent years. Perhaps this weighty awareness becomes more acute the closer one gets to completing formal medical education. FWIW, the dentists on the whole are much more positive about the miltary services in general.
Also, many of them do admit they're just plain old peeved watching old med school friends greatly surpassing their monetary and professional achievements while they are "stuck" fulfilling their military commitments.
Again, I kinda feel bad for them.
However, under that same outdated 'I am God' view that some express, it is actually disappointing to see such open and blatant hostility vented toward co-workers (again, pretty much nurses only) and fellow officers.
In a threas just yesterday, which I don't think any RN had engaged, I certainly hadn't, this was posted by a (thankfully) soon-to-separate AF physician:
"The coven are nurses. They are not doctors. They only care about their rank and making the next rank. They are pathetic pieces of dogs#it that only serve to undermine good patient care.... Military nurses are pure f*&*ing evil. They are the devil incarnate.
The coven are referred to by their rank. Since they have no title of any importance whatsoever, that is all we can call them... besides bi#%$hes."
Sorry ladies, think this one is taken......Classy fellow, eh?
Look, nobody becomes a BSN these days without knowing there are still plenty of throwbacks out there who not only hold no regard for the nursing profession but who also feel strangely free to spew inaccuracies and insults about who or why a colllege student today would choose such a career path. Sadly, no one small group holds the monopoly on baseless insult hurling while at the same time lacking the intellectual curiosity or sense of maturity to gather adequate knowledge to back such vitriol.
Again, whatever......
What did disturb me, though, was that no fewer than 12 active duty military officers were participating in that thread and that misogynistic and hostile rant/tantrum quoted above appeared to be accepted as nothing more than very much business as usual. By that I mean it just went by un-remarked upon. Tacit agreement apparently...I just found it so pathetic.
Anyway. Your question just seemed very timely so forgive my lengthy attempt to properly answer.
All it really did for me was again remind me why I am so grateful that my nurse AFSC falls under the OPS command and does not interact much with the mil-med side.
Selfish, ain't I?
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