The Defense Department has ordered the services to stop recruiting under-trained doctors and sending them to isolated billets where their performance can't be checked.
MAJ John Bini, an Air Force neurosurgeon is featured in a recent story in NavyTimes. Bini was described as surgically removing an unexploded round from an Afghan National Army soldier's head. A CT scan showing the patient's skull and round is also featured in the article!
Normally this site focuses on the United States' military medical system. However today we are making a special exception. We bring you the story of Dr. Ramin Pourandarjani, a physician in the Iranian military who worked in a prison but stood up to authorities by allegedly refusing to falsify medical documentation concerning abuse. According to this story published in the Wall Street Journal, he died standing up for his beliefs. Here are some select quotes:
At the height of Iran's bloody civil unrest this year, a young doctor named Ramin Pourandarjani defied his superiors. He refused to sign death certificates at a Tehran prison that he said were falsified to cover up murder.
Army dentist Capt. Tina Mahuika's struggle to resign from military service is featured in a recent Stripes article. Apparently Mahuika took a 3-year HPSP scholarship for dental school graduating in 2005. Her 3-year payback was fulfilled in 2008 but she has been unable to leave active duty due to a lost request for release and a stop loss order:
Army Capt. Tina Mahuika finds herself in a rat’s nest of red tape.
It's been widely reported that Army SGT John Russell on his third deployment in Iraq killed 5 active duty personnel at a combat stress clinic. Among those dead were Army Psychiatrist Matthew Houseal and Navy Social Worker CDR Charles Springle. This is shocking and sad news. Our hearts go out all the families impacted and especially those of the medical personnel dear to our heart.
