This whole string is really depressing and is not representative of the true military medicine that exists despite the few bitter and disrespectful members who don't appreciate what the military actually did for them
Well, that's fairly subjective, isn't it? I would argue that most of this thread is very representative of military medicine. The data on safety and outcomes would agree, as would the retention rates for almost every specialty. But, this is a "cons of military medicine" thread so, you know, what did you expect?
Of course there are shortcomings, but if you don't understand and accept them when you volunteer to serve then I do not feel sorry for your current misery.
And if you took a minute or two to step outside of your own shoes, you might have some insight into what -probably most- of your colleagues in the DoD are experiencing. It's great that you have enjoyed your time, and the associated benefits (and there are benefits). There are plenty of issues in military medicine that would have been completely unpredictable when I and my temporal colleagues signed on the line. When I joined, you could have asked anyone in the DOD about sub-specialists in brigade surgery billets, morale and support issues, CME support, research opportunities, promotion rates - none of these things were issues at that time. The decline in satisfaction, at least in the Army, was palpable between when I started residency and when I finished residency - and even worse when I completed my ADSO. That's not because pay changed, or PT became more frequent, or because the work load was different. It does have a bit to do with duty station changes with sweeping base closures. Changes like these happen in the civilian world, but I would argue not as frequently. Plus, you can always find a different job if it's too much to shoulder.
I would agree, generally, that if the major issues someone has with military medicine are things like pay, duty stations, deployments, etc., it's hard to feel sorry for them because those things have always been around. But for some of us, those things were never the issue. (well, to be fair, poor duty station was an issue. When I was looking in to HPSP many years ago, no one ever mentioned that I might be stationed somewhere in which I can't actually practice my specialty. You only ever hear from guys at MEDCENs or at least large MEDDACs, and they're doing just fine.)
Certain duty stations are crap, but others are awesome.
Others are...ok...but this is also service-specific. There aren't a lot of "awesome" Army posts, and a lot of this also depends upon your specialty.
Your performance as a student, resident and military officer plays a large role in where and when you go to each place.
Bull$#!t. Obviously, it plays -some- role, but mostly it's a game of politics, who you know, and rank. period. Perhaps you've had luck with your consultants, and I hope you always do. But I have seen consultants come in with a chip on their shoulder or a mind to "make changes" who have gone on witch hunts with regards to PCS moves. And there is zero recourse for this.
If you get stuck at a crappy place with low case load for a while then pick up a hobby!
I didn't go in to medicine, or join the Army, to learn how to knit. I assume you're being a bit facetious here, but it really does downplay the issue.
You are still debt free and making a great salary compared to 95% of the country, plus full benefits
That is true, and I was personally never unhappy with the amount of pay I received compared to the amount of work I had to do. But, FYI, most physicians have full benefits on the civilian side as well. And as a bonus, you don't have to be seen at a military hospital.
If you compare your salary to other docs then you will depress yourself, but if you signed with the military for the right reasons you shouldn't care about comparing your salary to civilian docs
Agreed. It's not about the salary.
Be sure to factor in debt level, lifestyle, etc. to the overall equation
Both important. I don't think it would have taken me very long to pay off my debt had I not done HPSP, but the fact remains that I didn't have any when I got out. However, my lifestyle is SO much better now than it was when I was in the military.
The military is exactly what you make of it.
So is life after a stroke, but it's nice to not have a stroke in the first place.
Ultimately, the military experience is very, very dependent upon what cards you draw while you're in service. This has been mentioned multiple times. Some people get good assignments, the fellowships they're after, and ultimately enjoy their time. Others get none of that. I don't for a second believe it's a system in which hard work and a smile on your face will let you get what you want. That's incredibly naive, and was definitely never true for most of the guys I knew.
So far as service to the country goes: I don't really feel like I did anything of any real impact for the country. I didn't deploy, was told the line to do so was so long that it wouldn't happen during my ADSO. All I did was see clinic and do exactly what I would have done had I not done HPSP. Furthermore, I've had civilian counterparts who see almost as many AD tricare patients as I saw at my slowest station. So what I felt like was a wasted resource. Again, that in particular wasn't my only issue - nor was it my biggest issue - with the Army. it was just another straw on the camel's back. I understand that the Army is a warfighting machine, and that it's primary focus is just that. But I really didn't feel like I was doing anything necessary. I liked taking care of soldiers and their families - that was a redeeming factor for me, but I still do that now that I'm out. A lot of this also has to do with my specialty.
There is no hiding that military medicine is similar to a huge hospital-based or multi-specialty group. Nothing close to private practice...but this should already be well known to someone signing up to serve.
Again, Bull$#!t. If you listen to any recruiter, watch any TV advertisement, or read any promotional material the DoD has ever released, they'll all talk about how you're going to be a busy, productive surgeon or physician doing everything your civilian counterparts are doing, only for the military and with pride and honor! The only way any applicant would hear anything different is by personally knowing someone, going out of their way to find a milmed doc who is willing to speak with them and who hasn't become drunk on Kool-Aid, or reading this thread. That's the point of a "cons of military medicine" thread - to let people know that they're going to be slow, unproductive, and suffer skill rot. THIS is where they hear that sort of thing, because it isn't coming from anywhere else. So coming on to the thread and talking about how everything said here isn't representative of milmed, and everyone who comments is just a naysayer, while at the same time saying that everyone should just know what the problems are with milmed is very disingenuous.
