What should physicians know about military thats often overlooked in their limited military training?

2014-02-20T21:47:51-05:00

You have just gone through OTS (or equivalent), gone through 4 years of medical school, we are going to pin Captain on and you're off!<div>Because the military pays for school for many physicians (and other educational experiences) many people join just to get school paid for. In doing this, they don't try very hard to learn about the military and often times comments are made that they are just "serving their time until they can get out." What things should they learn that would help them navigate this short time without making enemies, or what things might change their mind if they looked at it differently? (although I plan on staying in much longer than my required service, this has always been a question I think many could benefit from.)</div>

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 20 at 2014 9:52 PM

2014-02-20T21:52:26-05:00

Participate in unit training as much as possible.

Response by CW2 Joseph Evans made Feb 21 at 2014 2:28 AM

2014-02-21T02:28:50-05:00

Sports medicine... as a unit surgeon, part of your job is fitness of the force. Spend time at unit PT to assess the programs. Preventive maintenance saves knife time for most Soldiers.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2014 3:34 PM

2014-02-21T15:34:41-05:00

2LT David G.

I have to second CW2 Evans recommendation. But take it a step further: MD Researchers.

You should consider the troops, most particularly Marines, Army Infantry, and Special Forces (MACV SOG or whatever they are called now) to be high performance athletes. They must be in absolutely top shape to compete effectively as possible in training and on the battlefield.

I would recommend googling the DARPA Persistence in Combat, Wounded Warrior, and Prosthetics Research Programs. This is in addition to a wide range of DoD CDMRP sponsored medical research programs in traumatic brain injury, prostate cancer, breast cancer and many many other fields. Then there is USAMRIID our biological war offense / defense team.

If you may be interested in exceedingly critical military medical research supporting the persistence and effectiveness of our combat personnel you will find a plethora of highly motivated collaborators and exceptional internal and external funding opportunities!!!

One last very deeply felt personal recommendation. Spend some significant time deployed in a military field or evacuation hospital. It is very hard work. It can be very traumatic. You will work with an exceptionally supportive team doing all that is possible for the most terribly sick, injured, wounded, burned and dying military, friendly, enemy, and civilian patients. This is some of the most intellectually and personally rewarding work you will ever perform. You may be surprised that our troops rather often view enemy patients with compassion and humanity and they will call you over to give more sedative / pain relief to the very men they were fighting only an hour ago. There is no equal experience in the world. Indeed, it is very hard to return home. But, be alert to Compassionate PTSD in yourself and your colleagues.

Warmest Regards, Sandy ( http://www.linkedin.com/in/armynurse )

p.s. Treat your colleagues, nurses, and staff with kindness and compassion and they will make certain you remain personally and professional intact and they will teach you combat medical methods that cannot be taught in any medical school or training program.

Response by SSG Laureano Pabon made Feb 21 at 2014 3:38 PM

2014-02-21T15:38:51-05:00

Sir thank you for your service and if not minded I would like to say some what something about this. Lets see, I been out for some time, while it is rare that I use the VA, because I don't get sick as often, or perhaps I know what they are going to give me or do, I find the VA is still open to me for my use in case I get to the point that I need medical attention.However when the VA is not close I use civilian hospitals, and one thing I have noticed and the amount of knowledge gained from the military. Words like trauma where words not used before I joined the military. I found many things that are extremely related to how medicine is practice in a WAR condition that perhaps only the military actually are the real authors of. I would perhaps image that those whom have entered the military just to get there education paid then leave, leave with something rather interesting they've learned that it's used or implemented in the civilian sector as well.A few years back I went to the VA to have a lipomas removed from my back top right shoulder,  the doctor was a military SM and I don't know why (Perhaps because of my good looks), but it went so well that today if I were to show anyone where the surgery took was done, it would be very difficult because there are no scares seen.

Response by SFC A.M. Drake made Feb 21 at 2014 3:49 PM

2014-02-21T15:49:34-05:00

Sir, I need for you to contact me directly. I have been in AMEDD Recruiting for 12 years. I can give you what I know to be accurate and up to date. I wont give my number out on this forum but you can send me a reply back and lets go from there.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Feb 21 at 2014 3:53 PM

2014-02-21T15:53:21-05:00

The hard part is that for medical types, there are actually 2 chains of command.  The first one is the most traditional for the military.  Rank. Top to bottom, Officer to Enlisted.  Pretty straight forward.  The second one is the traditional MEDICAL chain of command....Doctor, Nurse, LPN/Tech, Admin.... the challenge in the military medical system is to recognize which chain is right at that moment...  Easiest way to see it, if it is a MEDICAL decission, it is the medical chain.  If it is a MILITARY decission, it is the RANK chain.  I have seen doctors that feel they are "the doctor" so will not accept a nurse telling them what to do....except that what they are being told by a higher ranking individual do accomplish something MILITARY.  It is a complex dance that must be done...but it CAN be accomplished successfully.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Feb 21 at 2014 4:22 PM

2014-02-21T16:22:59-05:00

I agree with CW2 Evans's point that you should spend time with units -- especially line units -- to experience how they train and conduct PT.  That could be really helpful for understanding the physical/medical issues that personnel are bringing your way.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 21 at 2014 4:28 PM

2014-02-21T16:28:29-05:00

I do like the PAs who seem to get the patient first  ideology.   Most PAs seem to have the right mindset and do well with the older VA patient especially.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2014 2:42 PM

2014-02-24T14:42:20-05:00

More focus on how they are there to support the command and advise commanders on medical readiness. Sometimes providers lose focus of who they are really there yo care for, both the patient but also the military as a whole. But I think that is difficult to teach because malingering in the civilian sector is not punishable, but in the military it affects readiness and morale. 

Response by SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA made Apr 19 at 2015 3:14 PM

2015-04-19T15:14:58-04:00

PRT -- Physical Readiness Training. I had a femoral neck stress fracture. My orthopedics PA was an Army Captain. At one point in my recovery process, I asked him if I could do PRT. He had never heard of it!