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Though she has served as president of the Alabama Medical Association and she did attend USA Med School, if I am not mistaken, I think there were much better candidates than her, and will reserve my judgement otherwise. In this current situation we find ourselves in (healthcare debate), I am afraid she may be out of her league. I hope I am wrong, as I certainly would support a physician from Alabama in this job, but having served in the amred forces, does not make me qualified to lead the Army.
quote:
Originally posted by teyates:
Though she has served as president of the Alabama Medical Association and she did attend USA Med School, if I am not mistaken, I think there were much better candidates than her, and will reserve my judgement otherwise. In this current situation we find ourselves in (healthcare debate), I am afraid she may be out of her league. I hope I am wrong, as I certainly would support a physician from Alabama in this job, but having served in the amred forces, does not make me qualified to lead the Army.


I believe you are mistaken,She never attended USA Medical School but she was a Dean at USA Medical School
Unlike most of Obama's picks for a position, at least this lady has background and experience in the job she is being chosen for. A FIRST!


Benjamin received a bachelor's degree in 1979 from Xavier University of Louisiana, attended Morehouse School of Medicine from 1980 to 1982, and received a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1984.

She completed her residency in family practice at the Medical Center of Central Georgia in 1987.


Her medical training was paid for by a federal program, the National Health Service Corps, under which medical students promise to work in areas with few doctors in exchange for free tuition, one year of service for every year of paid tuition.

Benjamin founded the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic in 1990 in the fishing village of Bayou La Batre, Alabama, and has served as its CEO since.

Benjamin has served as the associate dean for rural health at the University of South Alabama's College of Medicine and as president of the State of Alabama Medical Association, from 2002-2003.


She was the first African-American woman board member of the American Medical Association, and she just served a term as chairwoman of the group's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs.

The position of surgeon general, whose effectiveness is largely in its use as a bully pulpit, requires Senate confirmation.
She is a GP with a family practice, not an OB-GYN or a surgeon. Keep your racist comments to your friends at the klavern or wherever it is you lot congregate, please. To the victor belongs the spoils, and Mr. Obama defeated Pappy McCain soundly. His choice. Better than Brownie as head of FEMA, at least she never judged rules on Arabian horses . . . . and is qualified as an MD for the position, by default of her having an MD.
I guess Pres Obama is playing the race card. The human race card.

Hillary Clinton - white
Secretary of State

Timothy F. Geithner -white
Secretary of the Treasury

Robert M. Gates - white
Secretary of Defense

General Eric H. Holder, Jr. - black
Attorney General

Kenneth L. Salazar - Hispanic
Secretary of Interior

Thomas J. Vilsack - white
Secretary of Agriculture

Gary F. Locke - Chinese American
Secretary of Commerce

Hilda L. Solis - Hispanic
Secretary of Labor

Kathleen Sebelius - white
Secretary of Health and Human Services

Shaun L.S. Donovan - white
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Raymond L. LaHood - German/Lebanese American
Secretary of Transportation

Steven Chu - Chinese American
Secretary of Energy

Arne Duncan - white
Secretary of Education

Eric Shinseki - Japanese American
Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Janet A. Napolitano - Italian
Secretary of Homeland Security


I can continue but I think I have proven my point.
I calls 'em like I reads 'em, plain and simple. Want a rich old white dude who is more interested in his golf game and stock portfolio in Glaxo than being surgeon general? I am sure there are many who would be happy to oblige, just not under this current administration, which won, lock, stock and barrel, control both houses of the Congress and you lot can do nothing about that until next year and you know in your heart that ain't gonna happen -- no GOP landslide can be foreseen until maybe 2020. Good used to a bunch of uppity women of color being on the TV and not on a sit com or as a perp on a crime drama.

"Looks like the bottom rung be on top now!" -- a famous quote from an ex-slave contained in the Ex-Slave Narratives when meeting his barefoot former master on the road while he road a horse!
quote:
Originally posted by Lionel Richie:
quote:
Originally posted by teyates:
Though she has served as president of the Alabama Medical Association and she did attend USA Med School, if I am not mistaken, I think there were much better candidates than her, and will reserve my judgement otherwise. In this current situation we find ourselves in (healthcare debate), I am afraid she may be out of her league. I hope I am wrong, as I certainly would support a physician from Alabama in this job, but having served in the amred forces, does not make me qualified to lead the Army.


I believe you are mistaken,She never attended USA Medical School but she was a Dean at USA Medical School

I too beleive you are mistaken. She was "associate" dean, there is a big difference. I knew she was affiliated with USA Medical School, and I knew she at one time was president of the Alabama Medical Association. Like I said however, being a physician does not make her qualified for the job. We have not had a decent surgeon general since Koop, IMO.
quote:
Originally posted by flotown79:
I guess Pres Obama is playing the race card. The human race card.

Hillary Clinton - white
Secretary of State

Timothy F. Geithner -white
Secretary of the Treasury

Robert M. Gates - white
Secretary of Defense

General Eric H. Holder, Jr. - black
Attorney General

Kenneth L. Salazar - Hispanic
Secretary of Interior

Thomas J. Vilsack - white
Secretary of Agriculture

Gary F. Locke - Chinese American
Secretary of Commerce

Hilda L. Solis - Hispanic
Secretary of Labor

Kathleen Sebelius - white
Secretary of Health and Human Services

Shaun L.S. Donovan - white
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Raymond L. LaHood - German/Lebanese American
Secretary of Transportation

Steven Chu - Chinese American
Secretary of Energy

Arne Duncan - white
Secretary of Education

Eric Shinseki - Japanese American
Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Janet A. Napolitano - Italian
Secretary of Homeland Security


I can continue but I think I have proven my point.



I have only one correction to make to your list. Hillary Clinton-white? Do you remember the television show "V"? I wouldn't trust her around any insects...
flo,
The woman ran a small clinic in Bayou LaBatre. The majority of the really sick patients from that area were actually treated and taken care of at USAMC or Mobile Infirmary in Mobile.
This lady who is from a rural background, with a bunch of preconcieved notions about what she thinks healthcare ought to be, will be tasked with setting medical "doctrines" and overseeing treatment protocols. Now to her credit, she will not really have a whole lot of authority. One of the worst surgeon generals of recent history was Jocelyn Elders and she managed to get thru it without doing much damage, though she did do a pretty good job of embarassing herself and the administration. This is the lady who when confronted with defective condoms, said to keep it quiet lest it would undermine the public's perception of birth control....geesh.
The Alabama Medical Association, like every other state medical association, has essentially become a job that is taken by those who want a stepping stone for politics. Dr. Benjamin may do a fine job, but I think her experience thus far is going to be frowned upon by the large academic centers who help guide research and treatments. A FP has very little experience with those types of things. They have the least amount of post graduate training of any of the physician specialities.
The one good thing she may bring to the table is that she may have some insight in to how we can cultivate more primary care physicians, but with the current Obama Health Care initiative I am not sure anything is going to bring them into the folds.
You can pick pros and cons all day long. The fact is she is just a qualified as any other doctor. You speak of preconceived notions, and you previously spoke of Dr. Koop. If not mistaken Sen Dole and Congressman Kemp demanded his removal. He often bumped heads with Pres Regan.

"What has given me so much trouble in this job from the right is that I separate ideology, religion and other things from my sworn duty as a health officer in this country."
quote:
Originally posted by teyates:
quote:
Originally posted by Lionel Richie:
quote:
Originally posted by teyates:
Though she has served as president of the Alabama Medical Association and she did attend USA Med School, if I am not mistaken, I think there were much better candidates than her, and will reserve my judgement otherwise. In this current situation we find ourselves in (healthcare debate), I am afraid she may be out of her league. I hope I am wrong, as I certainly would support a physician from Alabama in this job, but having served in the amred forces, does not make me qualified to lead the Army.


I believe you are mistaken,She never attended USA Medical School but she was a Dean at USA Medical School

I too beleive you are mistaken. She was "associate" dean, there is a big difference. I knew she was affiliated with USA Medical School, and I knew she at one time was president of the Alabama Medical Association. Like I said however, being a physician does not make her qualified for the job. We have not had a decent surgeon general since Koop, IMO.


Why is she not qualified in your opinion?
quote:
Originally posted by Lionel Richie:
quote:
Originally posted by teyates:
quote:
Originally posted by Lionel Richie:
quote:
Originally posted by teyates:
Though she has served as president of the Alabama Medical Association and she did attend USA Med School, if I am not mistaken, I think there were much better candidates than her, and will reserve my judgement otherwise. In this current situation we find ourselves in (healthcare debate), I am afraid she may be out of her league. I hope I am wrong, as I certainly would support a physician from Alabama in this job, but having served in the amred forces, does not make me qualified to lead the Army.


I believe you are mistaken,She never attended USA Medical School but she was a Dean at USA Medical School

I too beleive you are mistaken. She was "associate" dean, there is a big difference. I knew she was affiliated with USA Medical School, and I knew she at one time was president of the Alabama Medical Association. Like I said however, being a physician does not make her qualified for the job. We have not had a decent surgeon general since Koop, IMO.


Why is she not qualified in your opinion?


Your endorsment alone sours me on her.
quote:
Originally posted by flotown79:
quote:
I don't think anyone considers Morehouse or even USA in the top tiers of med schools.


While it may not be the best med school, I don't think LSU or Tulane are either and that is where Dr. James Andrews went, and he is now a world renowned orthopedic surgeon.


It's not whose table (school) you came to but what YOU brought to the table. Going to the best school doesn't make you the best doctor...they are all teaching modern medicine, the quality of the doctor is directly proportional to the quality of the individual being trained to practice medicine. Now, her qualifications aside, the role of Surgeon General will not likely involve too much hands on medical practitioning.
Last edited by SHELDIVR
quote:
Originally posted by SHELDIVR:
quote:
Originally posted by flotown79:
quote:
I don't think anyone considers Morehouse or even USA in the top tiers of med schools.


While it may not be the best med school, I don't think LSU or Tulane are either and that is where Dr. James Andrews went, and he is now a world renowned orthopedic surgeon.


It's not whose table (school) you came to but what YOU brought to the table. Going to the best school doesn't make you the best doctor...they are all teaching modern medicine, the quality of the doctor is directly proportional to the quality of the individual being trained to practice medicine. Now, her qualifications aside, the role of Surgeon General will not likely involve too much hands on medical practitioning.



So we do agree. Big Grin

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