I'm thinking of a change...

Is there anyone here who works in Tribal medicine?

Are there any special considerations that aren't in the general population or is it mostly the same as family med?

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

my suggestion is find out what tribe you want to work with and check some of their religious
beliefs and the tribes medical practices since with some tribes they are linked.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: RMA-LPN

Are You Still In School? no

Are You Working? volunteering

Thanks mitch!!

That isn't something I would have thought about on my own.

I did apply, now I'm waiting to hear back. With any luck I have enough points even without blood status, kind of sounds like a twisted Harry Potter world.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

Hi there, I think its cool that you want to work for a tribe or tribes...more power to you. Most tribes want someone from their own tribe or someone with Native American blood in them. I would reconmend going to IHS website...just google it. You never know what will happen...I do wish you luck with this,I wish other people would be interested in working with the Native American People we owe them so much.

Good luck brother,

Matt Edler, NCMA

Your Professional Title/Credentials: NCMA, CNA

Are You Still In School? No.

Are You Working? Yes.

I know there is a preference to hire for the tribes. As I understand it there is a point system, 3 if you are local, 2 for another tribe, 1 for descendants and so on.

I have a niece who works in a tribal clinics billing department, she said the last time they had an opening they ended up with only a handful of applicants. Most were easily eliminated by education, their resume or experience, the one they ended up training was the one who showed up for the interview. I figure if no one thinks they can get the job, that is less competition.

Heck, even the job posting I applied for was a mess. The only requirements were HS/GED and CNA. I have never been or worked as a CNA, but what the heck I am a CMA and the bulk of the things they are asking for as job skills or duties are things taught in MA programs. I figure they will overlook not having been a CNA, possibly get points for veteran status and they might hire an old guy wanting to do what he loves.

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)

Hey mitch,

I've been reading a little history.

From: http://www.ctsi.nsn.us/chinook-indian-tribe-siletz-heritage/our-history/part-ix#content

” Our ancestors, experiencing mistreatment and unequal treatment all around them & looking for a reason for all of their woes, took to finger pointing. In traditional ways of thinking, most disease could be tracked back to another person having unfriendly intentions against the person who was ill. Our traditional doctors had lots of sickness to deal with here. Another doctoring tradition was that if a doctor accepted a patient, they accepted responsibility for their patient's well being. If their patient died, the family of the deceased would often seek revenge on the doctor for failing.”

Imagine “doctoring” in that climate. So as diseases of the early Europeans swept through the continent, doctors fell as fast as the ill.

If I'm selected for the job, I sure hope they treat their medical people better these days I don't need to loose my life and my job at the same time.

Jeff

Your Professional Title/Credentials: CMA (AAMA)