How are you feeling??

[soImarriedAnerd]

How did your follow up appointment go today?

[greeneyes]

It was very, very long. I talked to the Patient Advocate rep (a civilian doctor) about what all happened on Wednesday. She explained to me that the doctor I saw is a first year intern and they've had complaints about her in the past. She also told me that if I'm ever assigned to her again, I can just request a new provider and they will have no problem switching me. I have made absolutely zero decisions about what to do at this point. I'm still going to tour the civilian hospitals and weigh options, but at least I know in the mean time that I don't have to see Dr. A-hole if for some reason I need to go back to L&D triage.

As far as the food poisoning, I feel 100% better!! Although, probably going to stay away from eating out for a looong while, lol.

[*Anna*]

Glad to hear you are doing good. Scary to think going out to eat can be sooo bad!

[bittersweet]

Awe, Kate. I just read your other post about your horrible (but somewhat funny) experience. I'm sorry you had such a crappy time. While I have zero L&D experience in the military, I can give you the insiders view for the system.

Most major military hosptials are considered teaching facilities. This means the majority of care is done by military Drs there are recently graduated from med school. In most cases they are very good, and there are senior Drs always around as resources and to oversee them. So if a Dr comes into the room and introduces themself and you're thinking, "wow, you look younger then me" they probably are.

If you are for sure don't want a resident/intern or military dr as your primary care provider ( you cant avoid them completly though), just request a Dr 'on staff' There are plenty of civilan Drs that work at military facilities. And you can go to any military military you want, it doenst have to be AF. I know the Army has a big medical center there, Brooke. It's a big beautiful hospital. And the Army nurses that work in L&D are very good. They have to work as staff nurses in medical-surgical (so they become very good at things like drawing blood gases!) areas for at least a year, then they go to a 4 month specialty course in L&D before they can step foot on that type of unit. I don't think the AF does this specialty training (sorry AF if I have that wrong).

There are pluses and minuses to military medicine. Overall it is a good system.