Army short on physician assistants

Army short on physician assistants
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Jan 18, 2008 14:13:13 EST

On the battlefield, no one earns as much respect as the physician assistants assigned to line units to ensure everybody comes home.

That respect also means many people aspire to the position; in 2007, about 1,000 troops applied for the 95 slots in the Interservice Physician Assistant Program.

“We have had problems getting applicants in the past, but not now,” said Capt. James Jones, Interservice Physician Assistant Program manager. “We’re getting the cream of the crop.”

But even as their reputation grows beyond pre-war “sick-call doctor” status to training medics to care for gunshot wounds, shrapnel injuries and explosion burns — as well as commanding aid stations when mass casualties come in — the Army is still short 150 physician assistants.

“The real issue is retaining them,” Jones said. “Right out of school, civilians are making $85,000 to $120,000 a year for a 32-hour work week, and they do not have to leave their families.”


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/military_physassist_080118w/

You mean the Army's having problems convincing doctors to leave their peaceful homes to go get screwed in a war zone?

:crazy:
Who'da thought?