Monday, August 03, 2015

Where would you rather serve?

Which is more hierarchical, the military or health care?

A medical student who had served as a corpsman in the military attended our Telluride Patient Safety session last week.  She noted her experience while on clinical rotations:

I thought that when I got into medical school that I would be in a safe place to learn. . . and it wasn't. 

I couldn't believe that I was now in a system where I couldn't speak up.

As a medical student, I feel like my concerns are disregarded. Coming from the military, where every concern is heard, it's critical.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am also in the Navy. TeamSTEPPS has been part of my training for more than 10 years. Anyone is empowered to "pull the andon" at any time during any procedure or for any concerns without fear of retribution or retaliation.

When the Navy goes to sea, they must make do with any resources and assets they have onboard at the beginning of the journey. There is no additional manpower available in the middle of the ocean, and there is no long supply tail as there is in the Army. System processes and standardized procedures become the way to maximize manpower, ensure competencies, and maintain safety.

I am proud that this Navy hospital corpsman found her enlisted training so valuable and with her the best in her new career!

Carole said...

Maybe it's just me! but what I read sounded like a disappointed young lady. She obviously wrote this for a reason and probably wanted to share more but for whatever reason-didn't, which only left me curious about the post? Bless her heart I sincerely hope it works out for her.

Paul Levy said...

She didn't write it. She said it.

She's got great energy, and I'm confident she'll get past this issue.

Carole said...

It was just the vibe I got from what she said, Sorry. And I would want nothing less for her but to happily get past the issue.

nonlocal MD said...

I hope that this student not only 'gets past the issue' but uses her experience in the military to speak up and point out the defects in our medical 'system' (I use quotes because of course it is not a system at all).
It is pretty telling, and should be quite shaming, when the military is seen as more egalitarian than a medical school.