Rand Paul's National Board of Ophthalmology mailing address

[alfredo]

turns out to be a UPS store drop box. His certification board only has seven members and all except one also has certification through the American Board of Ophthalmology. That one without is Rand Paul.

The more you know about Rand Paul, the sleazier he appears.

[rocktivity]

1. I believe I read that his wife helps run it, too.

I don't know how big a certification board should be, but--well, just wow.

:banghead:
rocktivity

[alfredo]

2. When there is a nationally recognized board of certification

and one run out of a UPS drop box, which one would you say is more credible?

[sharp_stick]

3. I read that Rand started this "board"

because he didn't want to send more money to the real board. He claims that he didn't like the fact that all Ophthalmologists had to test regularly with the real board except the board members who had been grandfathered out. Instead of being an adult about it and trying to get the board to change it's position he followed in his old mans insane footsteps and decided to take his ball and go home.

Not knowing the practice of Medicine at all in KY and being quite out of date with it everywhere else I really don't know if Paul can actually get any hospital privileges in KY, I know he sure as hell shouldn't have them.

No matter what you think of any certifying board never ever, ever, ever go to any Doctor that refuses to display board certification in their office.

On another level I think this new board is just a scam to pretend to be board certified and rip off potential patients.

[bmbmd]

4. I disagree with part of that.

"No matter what you think of any certifying board never ever, ever, ever go to any Doctor that refuses to display board certification in their office."

I am, in fact board certified, passed with flying colors on the first try, and have remained board-certified through my entire career. I am old enough to be "grandfathered" as permanently certified, and do not have to re-test. Some of my younger partners do, however, have to retest. They take a week out for a refresher course, take a week to take another exam, and pay thousands of dollars for the privilege. I have yet to see that such testing improves outcomes. Our state licensure board already requires continuing education for each year-I don't know anyone who skips that. I know a lot of highly competent, well trained, board eligible physicians in a variety of specialties who have, for whatever reason-allowed their board certification to lapse. In fact, the chief of medicine at UT Southwestern when I was a student was not board-certified in Internal Medicine. More than once, I heard him ask "why I should take a test written by people who know less medicine than I".

I do, agree, that there are a number of phony organizations, such as the one fronted by the Pauls, that are paper mills and lend a false impression of scholarly achievement.

[sharp_stick]

6. You're right

I think I mixed up board certification with licensing when I wrote that. I still think the only reason he started his was to con his patients into thinking he had a certification that he didn't have. Perhaps he also thought it was a nice way to scam a few bucks and keep his wife "employed"

on edit: typos, never type while trying to talk on the phone.

[alfredo]

7. I'd be wary of anyone certified through a board that is

run out of a UPS store drop box.

[alfredo]

5. That's it. He's just a spoiled brat.

He meets all requirements to be certified, so maybe it is the pledge that he objects to:

"All applicants are required to agree to a pledge upon application stating their commitment to provide ophthalmic services with compassion, respect for human dignity, and integrity."

[rocktivity]

8. DING DING DING! Sharp_stick, you're our grand prize winner!

(Rand)...claims that he didn't like the fact that all Ophthalmologists had to test regularly with the real board except the board members who had been grandfathered out. Instead of being an adult about it...he...decided to take his ball and go home.

And that's the real tragedy here--maybe Rand is absolutely right. I don't know if the grandfathering is a privilege of tenure/seniority or a board member "perk." But whether he sees it as a basic unfairness or a threat to the quality of patient, he runs off the field rather than fight back. And his colleagues clearly aren't willing to gamble their hospital privileges!

:rofl:
rocktivity