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History
Been there, done that.
Thu Jul 5, 2012 7:35pm
72.45.184.100

I was a military physician for my first four years. And I have no regrets at all in doing so in return for a scholarship that covered the cost of medical school. However, I learned this system of healthcare was neither ideal or desireable for me.

Military medicine was my first experience with rationed care where administrators determined what services and in what circumstances a physician or hospital could or could not provide to patients. THAT more than the low pay and the lack of control of deciding where I would practice and where I would raise my family led me to depart the service.

In retrospect, this was a foreshadow of the changes I see occuring in the health system in America today. There is little personal incentive under a government run (socialist style) health care system. That I was willing to stay and work beyond 4pm on my own initiative, correct inefficiences in my Department (of which I was Chair at West Point), or volunteer to perform procedures for military personnel and their families that would otherwise be performed at civilian medical centers at taxpayer expense earned me the respect of my superiors and the shrugging and shaking of heads of my physician peers who were career military. I was young and idealistic then.

It took five years, but after leaving the military I tripled my salary as a private practicioner, had control of the medical decisions for my patients, and had no fear of abruptly needing to relocate my family (or leave them for months or years) whenever the Government decided they needed my skills.

That the government assumes liability for the negligence of its personnel does not address the problem of both identifying and correcting incompetent physicians and the unjustifiable multi-million dollar reward medical malpractice business.

Respectfully,
History

  • The flaw in the argument about availability of doctors. — Clawson, Wed Jul 4 9:41pm
    When the subject of doctor shortage in the USA is brought up, we are told that the shortage is caused by other occupations having higher salaries. Moreover, the only suggested solution is to attract... more
    • The military trains doctors. — kw, Fri Jul 6 4:25am
      ...and uses the wounded to gain experience. Such a dichotomy; to put men in harms way and then practice medicine on them.
    • I have never heard anyone say that the — Sprout, Thu Jul 5 5:46am
      reason we are facing a shortage of doctors is that being a doctor doesn't pay enough in the US. I think that the ultimate problem is that there are relatively few indivdiuals in society who are... more
      • Sad, but true (nm) — greenman, Thu Jul 5 4:47pm
      • An insider's view — History, Thu Jul 5 11:11am
        Yes. That's pretty much it. Most decisions sane people make are determined by the benefit-cost ration. The benefit from one's choice need at least be equal to the cost one pays, and preferentially... more
        • Pharmacist becomes doctor — ChristopherBlackwell, Thu Jul 5 7:39pm
          When K-Mart came to town they bought out a local pharmacist. He went back to medical school and became an MD. When Walmart came to town they could not find a Pharmacist that could run a pharmacy, so... more
        • Salaried government employees don't worry about liability — Clawson, Thu Jul 5 3:04pm
          ...and reimbursement. The answer is simple. Government paid tuition grants and government paid jobs for doctors. Any doctor following the traditional route is OK, too, but that route doesn't have... more
          • Been there, done that. — History, Thu Jul 5 7:35pm
            • Military medicine certainly has its strengths and — Sprout, Fri Jul 6 12:15pm
              weaknesses. I saw good docs and lousy docs when I was in the service.. But I wonder, down the road, if we continue to move towards a gov't run and funded medical system, how many people who cheer... more
      • I agree. — SES, Thu Jul 5 5:55am
        I have never heard the following statement made: "I'd become a Doctor, but they just don't make enough money". lol My Daughter just graduated from Nursing School. It was four years of HARD work. I... more
        • She will be better off ... — Mondo Fuego™ , Thu Jul 5 9:42am
          ... working a few years as a Nurse, then going back to school to get the Nurse Practitioner degree. Just my opinion, of course.
          • That's her plan. — SES, Thu Jul 5 10:49am
            She said she'll work as an RN for a couple of years, and THEN get her Nurse Practitioner. BUT...I've heard of people who INTENDED on doing that, but then got involved in marriage and kids and a house ... more
            • 10 years ... — Mondo Fuego™ , Thu Jul 5 1:30pm
              ... is not that long to wait. I know people who got their NP degree in their 50s and 60s.
          • It should definitely help in seeking those — Sprout, Thu Jul 5 10:07am
            higher paying jobs... When her fellow graduates can only list their education on their resume, she will be able to list that she has the same education level, but also has a number of years of real... more
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