# Civilian Surgeons in Kandahar



## Donut (13 Aug 2007)

CTV coverage of civilian physicians in the R3 at KAF:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070813/mobile_hospital_070813/20070813/


KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- They are the battered and broken. Afghanistan's war wounded arrive at the Canadian Forces trauma hospital on the Kandahar base on a daily basis.

Capt. Helen Wright, a family doctor for the military when at home in Calgary, says this is a different kind of practice. 

"I have seen far more acute traumas in the six months," she says, "than certainly I have seen in my entire training and likely more than I will ever see in my time back in North America."

In the past six months, about 400 patients have passed through the front doors of the hospital and into the capable hands of multi-national medical teams. The teams include both military and civilian doctors.

The hospital's commanding officer, Col. Colin MacKay explains that civilian doctors are needed. "We have civilian surgeons here right now, because with the Canadian military right now, we have a shortage of uniformed surgeons at the present time."


More on link

Nice to see some familiar faces hard at work...for a change  >

CTV newsnet also has a piece running on this, but I only caught the last couple minutes of it early this morning.


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## IN HOC SIGNO (13 Aug 2007)

My wife is an OR nurse with over 30 years experience and is interested in finding out about a civilian contract. Does anyone know how to find out about this?


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## PMedMoe (13 Aug 2007)

I worked for Col MacKay when he was Maj MacKay, Bde Surg at 2 Fd Amb.  Great guy!  It's good to see news pieces like this.


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## DartmouthDave (14 Aug 2007)

Hello,

I have heard that civilian nurse are being sent as well.  Anybody have any information about this?  I have been working my way through the PRL for over 18 months and there is no end in sight.

Thank you,
David


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## ModlrMike (14 Aug 2007)

I'll ask at work tomorrow.


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## Donut (14 Aug 2007)

We have PRes NO trying to go over, there seem to be far more hoops to jump through if you're serving then if you're not...they've also tried applying through the Civ providers, too without results.

Good luck,


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## one_speed (17 Aug 2007)

Dr. Dave Puskas is one of the surgeons described in the article... pretty well written.

Solid guy... for an orthopod...

Actually a really nice guy, excellent surgeon, great to work with professionally and a strong supporter of our unit (18. fd amb)

He's back in the fall, and is lined up to take his comission and serve with 18. fd amb as an MO.

Looking forward to it.

Ian


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## Armymedic (17 Aug 2007)

I do not think they are taking civilian nurses over.


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## R711 (18 Aug 2007)

They are taking civi nurses over to KAF for two month tours only at a very good daily rate, but not tax free. You can only work for two months with a possablity of a another two month extension. However they are only hiring Critical care nurses. Which kinda makes me curious about this as from what i am told most of the nurses are being hired from Nanimo(sp), from which I am informed is a hot bed of Critical care HUH? :This leads me to believe that the hiring polocies are of a nature of an old boys hiring club. But hey thats how life works LOL.
R711 OUT


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## Donut (18 Aug 2007)

R711 said:
			
		

> They are taking civi nurses over to KAF for two month tours only at a very good daily rate, but not tax free. You can only work for two months with a possablity of a another two month extension. However they are only hiring Critical care nurses. Which kinda makes me curious about this as from what i am told most of the nurses are being hired from Nanimo(sp), from which I am informed is a hot bed of Critical care HUH? :This leads me to believe that the hiring polocies are of a nature of an old boys hiring club. But hey thats how life works LOL.
> R711 OUT



Interesting, the SNO at CFTTC(W) said the other day that they are no longer accepting applications for this...the line is full from now until 2009, and most who have gone over are willing to go back a second time.


PMT


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## R711 (18 Aug 2007)

yet everyone I know that has applied including myself, have not heard a thing. I did the initial application when this all started and not a peep. Yet they keep telling people to apply to the posn. I do have both care sets ICU/ER. When a follow up e-mail is sent they reply that they are still considering applications makes me wonder who is getting the jobs. 
R711 OUT


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## herseyjh (11 Sep 2007)

I would find it hard to believe that all the lines are full until the end of the mandate.  This is not the case.  My advice to anyone, CF or civi, would be to just keep calling and working on getting a deployment.  As we all know the CF works in strange and wondrous ways and sometime continuous friendly reminders will get you where you want to be.


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