Physician's perspective

I really can't express of my disgust Elon's email that we have to mention our weekly accomplishments . I am actually still working this weekend and will continue to work through the next weekend—a total of 14 consecutive days—due to the demanding nature of our schedule. Many physicians, including myself, joined the VA because we were wanted to serve an underserved population. Veterans require specialized care due to the unique illnesses and long-term complications they face as a result of their service. Additionally, we were drawn to the VA because it feels like a family—a place where the focus is entirely on providing care for veterans, rather than being consumed by profit margins or meeting arbitrary financial targets.

We joined the VA because it offers opportunities to engage in research, quality improvement projects, and teaching—all of which ultimately serve one purpose: improving veterans' healthcare. However, the VA is not a place where physicians across various specialties come to earn more than they would in private practice. In fact, the compensation is generally lower, and we are further restricted by federal laws that prohibit overtime or moonlighting. The sacrifices are significant, and the added pressure of having to justify our accomplishments weekly, coupled with cuts to federal research funding and the elimination of essential roles, only serves to discourage physicians from joining the VA. Worse yet, it pushes current physicians to consider leaving.