"we have national academies to train soldiers, sailors and airmen,"No tuition. Why not nurses,docs?

[midnight]

"I have also spent more time in French hospitals than I ever could have imagined. My impression is that French “socialized” medicine, with much less technological gadgetry, is better than American ultra-technical medicine. There came a day in our lives when my wife needed a brain scan and there were only two MRIs in the country, and the one in Marseille was broken.

On another day, you try to pay the surgeon at Institute Rothschild who saved your wife’s life, and he says: “I work for a government salary. I’ve never taken a dime and I don’t intend to start now.” So you send him a case of good Chateauneuf du Pape.



The difference is that you have a true one-on-one relationship with a real person in France, rather than the “team” system used by America’s best research hospitals. The teams, in green and white, come in and take their readings and measurements, and then march into the hall. Then you find they have put a “central line” backward into an artery rather than a vein. Your wife has a stroke.
Now we are told that the United States has a shortage of physicians, particularly primary care physicians, family doctors. The money is in dermatology and cosmetic surgery. Why deal with some kid with whooping cough—to pay off your six-figure tuition loans—when you can do nose jobs?"http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/train_doctors_and_nurses_not_soldiers_20120803/

[Jim__]

1. Very good question. - n/t

[Horse with no Name]

2. Because people are still willing to pay to become a nurse

and the road to becoming a physician is very costly so that it precludes gifted people from being able to pursue it--unless you are a legacy.

If you think that it by mistake, you would be incorrect.

[midnight]

14. The affordability of nursing school is coming to an end... The fees for clinicals, and just classes

at a four year university is higher than engineering, education, etc.... Plus nursing students are being blocked from clinical spots for reasons that fluctuate from jobs contracted with area hospitals after graduation, to competing with surrounding tech schools at their university for their clinical spot. Turning a two to three year wait,for clinicals, into a six year wait...Think of those tuition dollars... Now you add the fact that attorneys are roaming the country showing H.R. how to not hire Americans, and this includes nurses, but instead, hire those outside of the U.S. Lots of threads that are driving this nursing/medical shortage... They need to be removed and American education allowed to be provided to those dedicated toward creating a healthy outcome for all in need of health care.... With the loss of affordability coming down the pike we need to move on this problem.... But what I think is going to occur via the privateers is that they are assisting in this "problem" and then they will have the "solution" private solutions...


Black water, waken hut, diebold, etc.....

[Heddi]

33. My nursing degree (ADN, 2 year) cost me upwards

of $30,000 in student loans because I was unable to work during the time I was taking pre-req's (2 years) and doing the core nursing class programs (2 years)

I was luckily able to get a job directly out of nursing school. Graduates that are graduating now don't have that luck. Hospitals aren't bringing in $$, and it's HARD to get a job as a fresh-out-of-school new grad RN.

I know several that could only find jobs in 2nd and 3rd rate nursing home and assisted living facilities. 5 years ago, the only new grads that went to LTC (long term care) were the ones who were marginal students to begin with, or LPN's trying to work while they got their RN. Now, if you're a new grad, even with a bachelor's degree, you're hard pressed to get a job in a hospital unless you've worked there previously or know people there that can give you strong reccomendations for work.

There are a bunch of BSN students at my hospital that graduate in a week, adn only 2 of them (the ones that work in my hospital) have jobs lined up. One is going to keep working at Starbux while she waits on something to open up at a hospital. The others are doing home health care and long term care caregiver/nursing tech jobs. No idea if they will be hired there as RN's, as most LTC and nursing homes only have, at most, 3-4 RN's on staff at any time

[SoCalDem]

3. Because the powers that be, in the AMA especially

LIKE the doctor "shortage". It's built-in job security and a perfect pathway to a lucrative career.

We've never really had a "plan" in this country. We always REact instead of planning for the probable or possible.

In a fair scenario, the top 5% of ANY high school should be guaranteed a "free ride" at any public-supported college nearest to them...as long as they maintain at least a B average, and are enrolled in a "necessary" curriculum, such as public health, teaching, etc.

In exchange for the free education, they would be on the "public payroll" for 8 years. After that, they would be free to "cash in" on their experience and that wonderful free education they got.

[rfranklin]

4. and they can import filipino nurses who are already trained and will work for less...

why bother to train Americans?

[midnight]

15. This is part of the private corporate strategy... It has been in the works for a long time...

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Luckily, here in small town paradise

Our local docs are community members, inexpensive compared to city docs, and do a pretty good job overall.
Obviously brain tumors are referred to a big city hospital.
but not all hospitals are "research hospitals with teams".

[99Forever]

6. 'Cuz.......................................

... those occupations don't feed the Human Meat Grinder?

[nichomachus]

7. And even when you have the best equipment

your insurance may not cover it.

My brother in law needed surgery. The best surgical technique is a minimally invasive process. However, there was only one doc in his area who did it and he didn't accept brother-in-law's insurance. So, back to the old way.

[midnight]

19. The insurance companies are stocked with attorney's making sure that they can block your

brother-in-law from getting what he needs... These insurance companies are another thread to the disaster that is allowed to be called health care in this country....

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

8. You can most certainly be trained for "free" as a nurse or doc by the armed forces...

If you're willing to serve our country for several years thereafter. A relative of mine is a BSN in nursing and halfway through her CRNA (nurse anesthesias) graduate program. Just this past month the army approached her with a deal: fully & retroactively fund her college education if she signs up for the Army (medical unit, obviously).

She told them to piss off. She's got impeccable grades and a CRNA will make WAY more than enough to pay off loans in only 2-3 years without having to be in the Army.

[aikoaiko]

9. +1 my first thought as well.

[99Forever]

11. Oh heck yes.

Heaven forbid we give an education to anyone wanting care for their fellow human beings in a way that doesn't help feed the Human Meat Grinding Machine.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

12. Everything you do feeds the Human Meat Grinding Machine.

You pay taxes, don't you?
Most of your taxes funds our Military.

[99Forever]

25. And that's my fault because...

... _____________________________________________. (please fill in the blank for me)

I realize of course that I CHOOSE to have my taxes to be spent killing people and blowing the fuck out of nations all over the Earth so the 1%ers can turn a nice healthy profit.

[99Forever]

28. HELLO... ARE YOU THERE?

... going to tell me how it's my CHOICE to have my tax dollars finance The Human Meat Grinding Machine or was that just a driveby MIC talking point?

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

29. Are you a captive of this nation or do you CHOOSE to maintain citizenship and residence here?

[99Forever]

30. Nice cop out.

About what I expected.

[Zalatix]

36. I can't describe your arguments in the way they should be described

lest some jury hide my post for being uncivil.

[Zalatix]

37. Do you live in the US?

Then you feed the Human Meat Grinding Machine.

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

39. Not only do I live in the US...

I work in the defense industry

Edit: In the grand scheme of things... I don't get upset about paying taxes because that's pretty much where all of it comes from to begin with.

[raouldukelives]

18. Exactly. If your willing to assist in the population suppression

and believe in defending the right of Wall St to have unfettered access to natural resources. They'll pay your way to a good career.
As long as you can be exploited in some way to make money in this country they will find a way to educate you.
Want to be a linebacker? We got your back. Want to kill people? We have a program for you. Great at math? Goldman will foot the bill to have you come and devise new schemes for them. Want to study philosophy and literature? Get the heck outta here freak! We can't make money off that!

[midnight]

21. Most assuredly our tax dollars do need to be spent on "free" education of nurse and docs...

However, I don't see that it has to be only from the armed forces...

[Care Acutely]

22. If she's willing to take a job providing to underserved populations

tell her to look into the HRSA loan repayment programs.

[Heddi]

35. I'm an RN and I "serve my country" just as well with a stethoscope as I would with a gun

Because when all hell breaks loose, and a bomb goes off in a major city, what the fuck is a gun gonna do for the wounded? What is an army brigade gonna do for people suffering from radiation sickness? Not a goddamn thing.

I'm tired of the notion that the only people that 'serve their country" are those that can kill people in creative ways. I find creative ways of helping people live. We give food to the homeless and others who haven't eaten in days. We give clothes to those who are covered in lice, or shit, or blood. We help out people who don't have cars, or who were flown in from 5 states away with getting back home. We assist victims of abuse, rape, neglect. We assist children who have been abused or neglected.

We tend the wounds of those who were shot multiple times via gang-related violence. we console their family and wash the blood from their dead and dying bodies.

How is that not 'serving my country?"

[bakpakr]

10. Agreed

Back when I was the ripe ole age of 46 in 2008 I kind-of went through a midlife crisis. I was laid-off from a job. I had been working as a mechanic, (automotive, industrial) and had risen to through the ranks to becoming a supervisor. I was and am a very good mechanic. Upon being laid-off I was reevaluating what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I was sick and tired of turning wrenches for a living.

While I was in the military I had, had offered some advanced medical training. I decided at the time to avail myself of this opportunity. I found that I enjoyed it.

Fast forward to 2008. I decided I wanted to get back into the medical field. Now just to decide how to do this. I thought at my age before I finished medical school and became an MD I would be close to retirement. So I decided on Nursing. Now how to go about it. I was lucky I had a Dr. appt and while signing in I was speaking to the receptionist and mentioned my interest in entering the nursing field. She mentioned that a local organization had just that morning put up a poster on Certified Nursing Assistant training. I read the poster and later called the number. I was able to enroll and receive all the training and testing to become a CNA free of charge thanks to a local foundation that financed the training and still to this day does.

During the training I mentioned that I wished to go further than CNA. I also mentioned that I did not really want to incur a large dept to do so but would if I had to. I was told by many that if I did my research that I could become a nurse with no out of pocket expenses.

I did the research and low and behold they were correct. I was able to do it through grants and scholarships. No student loans or out of pocket at all. It took a lot of work and letter writing but I was able to get it done. Many grants and scholarships were for low amounts compared to the total cost of the schooling. But they do add up. Now this is not typical and easy to do but with perseverance anyone can do it. Plus I was considered a non typical nursing student as I am male. Now here in 1012 I have no student loans to pay off.

But a national academy would be a great opportunity for many to enter the medical field and I whole heartedly back this idea.

[midnight]

23. Are these grants via your military service? Because my nephew recently finished three tours

of Dick Cheney's cake walk and is going through nursing school ,free of charge, too... However, my thrust in this article is that our tax dollars need to be spent on free training of nurses, and docs. just like on military... however, I'm not promoting the military be in charge or the recipients of these trained nurses and docs...

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. After Romney made his remark about medical costs in Israel, I asked an acquaintance

who had lived in Israel for a couple of years how the system worked in detail.

He said that everyone was entitled to a basic level of care, with the possibility of buying insurance for extras, AND that tuition at the country's three medical schools was FREE for those who met the strict entrance requirements. For that reason, doctors didn't graduate 100s of thousands of dollars in debt and didn't expect to become rich, although they certainly weren't hurting.

[RobinA]

16. Actually,

there are programs that will pay for medical training if you agree to go to an area of the US where there are extreme shortages for a certain amount of time. Plus, you don't risk getting your head shot off or some exotic disease. Part of the problem is you apply AFTER you have incurred all the debt, so basically you are jumping out of tha plane and hoping someone floats by with the parachute before you hit the ground. They probably aren't very popular because you have to do the time in East Jappip, but hell, it IS worth a couple 100 thousand... And you do get paid.

[COLGATE4]

17. The Armed Services do have their own medical school.

[midnight]

31. I did not know that... Thanks for info... However... the civilian population is experiencing a

shortage and should not have to use the military as a route to provide our health care providers....

[COLGATE4]

40. Actually, we are doing that right now. Most military

doctors tend to leave the military relatively soon and enter the civilian practice world.

[kskiska]

20. The military pays full tuition for doctors in med school

in exchange for serving at a military hospital for each year of tuition paid. My doctor's training was paid for by the Air Force. He practiced at an Air Force base in Oklahoma for four years and left the Air Force as a Major and returned to SC. They also provided a yearly stipend while in med school.

[HooptieWagon]

24. My father got govt paid medical degree.

And spent 12 years in the Public Health Service, which was a uniformed branch of the military. I don't thinl its done anumore... thats too bad

[HiPointDem]

26. there are only two mri machines in france? not according to this:

On average, European countries possess 17 MRI machines per one million people. With only 9.4 MRI machines per million people, France ranks between Portugal and Turkey, putting it among the least well-equipped in Europe, according to the Société Française de Radiologie...

France has four times less MRI machines than neighbouring Germany and two times less than Spain or Italy. In all, some 592 MRI scanners are operational (40 were installed only last year), which is simply insufficient according to radiology experts. France stands far behind Japan, or the USA, for the best rate of equipment and falls far below its own national programme to combat cancer (Plan Cancer 2009- 2013) (which suggests 10/million).

http://www.european-hospital.com/en/article/8808-France_ranks_low_in_Europe_for_MRI_equipment.html


hopefully just hyperbole.

[midnight]

32. Article may have been accurate back in 2011...

[HiPointDem]

38. i doubt it....the article i linked is dated 2011.

[IggleDoer]

34. MRIs are overused anyway. Just because someone saw it on Gray's Anatomy doen't mean that

Everyone should get one.

Perhaps the French have better guidelines on their use versus misuse.

[Kingofalldems]

27. K and R for the Teabaggers to ponder