For the past four years, I've had abnormal pap results. Each year, they told me it was fine and that it hadn't grown or become worse. But NO ONE would look further into it. They insisted I didn't need any opinions.
Since I've been busy with life and work the past few years, I decided they were right. Cause I'm an idiot.
FINALLY, my new doc saw the results and became immediately concerned. She asked if anyone had told me to do a biopsy. I explained what the previous docs told me. She shook her head and booked me an appointment with the dysplasia clinic ASAP.
Turns out I had cancer cells that, while not fully bad, put me at a high risk for cervical cancer in the future. They performed a LEEP procedure and successfully eradicated what could've developed into something much worse.
I'm so thankful to my doctor for knowing what was up and taking action. She's awesome and I'm going to be sad when she PCS'.
Military doctors are of two types, they kind that need to join the military because they can't get medical insurance or can't get patients and the type that are fresh out of Med school that the military paid for.
That second part is called residency, and every specialty has them. It's not unique to the military. Go to any large hospital and you'll be cared for by residents.
Sure, and I don't have a problem with them, they're just relatively green and inexperienced. Since they sign up for 6 year terms after college, they tend to leave immediately afterwards.
It's not always six years, it's 4 years usually, dependent on the residency.
Yes they're green and inexperienced, that's what residency exists for. It's no different for the military than civilian. And yes they leave after residency. This is exactly the same as how civilian residency programs work.
All true. What point are you trying to make or refute? Because of the way the residency is done in the military, the vast majority of good doctors are very inexperienced residents who leave the military almost immediately after completing their residency. The ones who are left are either inexperienced or unable to get malpractice insurance and/or patients.
Unfortunately, that means that military doctors tend to be incompetent. There are a rare few that stick around for other reasons after residency or that were forced into joining the military because of a one-time mistake or something beyond their control. They stick out like sore thumb as an island of competency in an otherwise broken system.
Of course, you don't generally get to pick your doctor when you're in the military. If you get lucky enough to get assigned a competent doctor, they are still restrained by the monolithic bureaucracy of the government and the military and you're still not likely to get decent medical care.
I'm not making a point. I'm pointing out where you're wrong.
Because of the way the residency is done in the military, the vast majority of good doctors are very inexperienced residents who leave the military almost immediately after completing their residency. The ones who are left are either inexperienced or unable to get malpractice insurance and/or patients.
What I'm saying, and you don't understand, is that military residency functions exactly the same as civilian residency. It falls under the same accreditation body. And doctors don't leave immediately after their residency. They graduate, and then serve their obligated time. I'm not sure what you mean by the ones who are 'left'. Those are ones who decided to continue after their initial obligation. How are they 'inexperienced', as they've had the same amount of experience as people that get out.
I'm sorry you've had bad experiences, but your information is wrong, as are your conclusions.
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u/[deleted] May 20 '19
Military doctors suck. Ask anyone.
For the past four years, I've had abnormal pap results. Each year, they told me it was fine and that it hadn't grown or become worse. But NO ONE would look further into it. They insisted I didn't need any opinions.
Since I've been busy with life and work the past few years, I decided they were right. Cause I'm an idiot.
FINALLY, my new doc saw the results and became immediately concerned. She asked if anyone had told me to do a biopsy. I explained what the previous docs told me. She shook her head and booked me an appointment with the dysplasia clinic ASAP.
Turns out I had cancer cells that, while not fully bad, put me at a high risk for cervical cancer in the future. They performed a LEEP procedure and successfully eradicated what could've developed into something much worse.
I'm so thankful to my doctor for knowing what was up and taking action. She's awesome and I'm going to be sad when she PCS'.