Phillip Leveque has spent his life as a Combat Infantryman, Physician, Pharmacologist and Toxicologist.
(MOLALLA, Ore.) - This catastrophe I saw coming up 30 years ago when I first started my medical practice. I was a Medical School Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology when it became possible for me to also become a student for my Dr. of Osteopathy degree.
I had taught in M.D. schools for 16 years and I was a Professor in the D.O. school for 7 years. The last three I was a full time Professor while I was a full time medical student. That may explain why I am a little crazy!
To those of you who don’t know what an Osteopathic Doctor is we do hand manipulations of body joints, mostly backs but we also do surgeries and write prescriptions just like M.D.’s. M.D.’s cannot do manipulations.
It is illegal for them to do them. They say manipulations are of not value but actually some M.D. Orthopedists actually do manipulations for bad backs.
I recently saw on TV news that General Practice doctors were disappearing and only 2 or 3 percent of the new M.D.’s were going into General Practice.
This is really bad but these new doctors know that a G.P. may only get one third of insurance payment the Medical Insurance Company will pay a specialist for the exact same treatment. This has turned Resident Specialty Programs into a financial intelligence test.
Why not invest in two more years of residency and earn twice as much money for about half the work and fewer night calls.
I’m pleased to report that most D.O.’s, Drs of Osteopathy, are General Practicioners and it is probably that D.O.’s will really take over the role of the General Practitioner Doctor.
Already Nurse Practitioners, N.P.’s, and Physicians Assistants, P.A.’s, are moving into General Practice but there still is a wide gap between what D.O.’s and M.D.’s can do and the rest including Chiropractors, D.C.’s, and Naturopaths, N.D.’s, can do. Some places still have Homeopaths and Faith healers.
We have the Medical Insurance Companies to thank or condemn for really screwing up the practice of medicine.
Hail to my fellow Osteopaths!
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More information on the history of Dr. Leveque can be found in his book, General Patton's Dogface Soldier of WWII about his own experiences "from a foxhole".Order the book by mail by following this link: Dogface Soldier
If you are a World War II history buff, you don't want to miss it.
Watch for more streaming video question and answer segments about medical marijuana with Bonnie King and Dr. Phil Leveque.
Click on this link for other articles and video segments about PTSD and medical marijuana on Salem-News.com:Dr. Leveque INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES
General Practice Doctors: DOA OR MIASalem-News.com