I would feel much better if medical doctors did my pat downs instead of the people who are doing it now (dropouts, thieves, etc.). Same goes for the AIT scanner viewer.

Heck, why not throw in a free prostate exam for men and breast exam for women?

Probably save some lives!

Are there actually that many MDs in America with that much free time on their hands to stand around at the airports and scan and patdown people and still treat their own patients who come to their office to see them?

And the ones who are attending medical school and are in training to be MDs. They most definately have no time to waste at the airport doing body scans and patdowns.

Yes.. of course... because NO MD has EVER committed any sort of crime against property or person...

...wait a minute!!!

MDs take an oath to do no harm. We won't go there.

Sorry.. I think we have to...

I have as little time for intrusive (and ineffective) security theatre as most folks...

The difference is I believe in a bit of consistency.

We see a lot of this sort of thing... tarring ALL TSO's with the sins of the few.. yet EVERY industry and profession (including the medical profession AND yours and mine) have been the source of individuals who have stolen from/assaulted/financially harmed and possibly even killed other people...

(KILLED particularly in the case of MD's.. how many "Doctor Deaths" are there around the world? That oath thing doesn't seem to have worked out too well if you ask me....)

..yet I'm sure we would strenuously (and rightly) object to any categorisation of US based on those few individuals in OUR fields who have... transgressed...

Why is it OK when it is the TSA/DHS? Makes no sense to me, and (IMO) weakens the legitimate arguments against the current security procedures...

YMMV ... of course.

I don't think several years of Med School, numerous years of residency, including crappy hours and 17-hour work days would make one feel excited they could pat complete strangers down for no medical reason.

Another way to look at it: if the TSA is resorting to putting ads on pizza boxes and at gas pumps, what makes anyone think that a doctor would want to do that?

Because the objectionable behavior is *what they do*. It's what they were hired to do - grope people.

Now add to that the simple fact that when TSOs steal from passengers, they get probation. When they're charged with molesting a minor and attempting to make her into a "sex slave," they get probation.

Just on percentages, the TSA consists of a higher concentration of thieves and perverts than any other group examined with the possible exception of the entirety of the Catholic Church.

If they were serious about their jobs, they'd clean house - in a big way - but to claim that they're looking for terrorists in the traveling public while being unable to identify their own bad apples really doesn't help their case, does it?

Being groped by an MD at the checkpoint would be no less invasive and disgusting than having it done by a smurf. I consent to MD's and other medical professionals viewing and touching sensitive areas of my body when absolutely necessary to preserve or restore my health. If the same person put their hands on me at the airport I'd want to punch them in the face. It's the context of the groping, not the credentials of the groper.

Wow... Someone gets it.
+100 ^

Of course they have. What does that have to do with anything?


No reputable MD would ever want to be any part of this security charade (that is, actual groping / screening part... I would GLADLY lend any expertise I could regarding possible effects of radiation, risk assessment to travelers, etc.)

Getting an exam by a doctor is not really all that fun, or in the case of having them working the checkpoint, not cost effective.

I suggest the TSA hire people with more pleasurable qualifications:

No, in fact, in my opinion, it's quite the opposite. I would guess most medical people would have a "You want me to what?" moment at the checkpoint -- on either end of the equation.

Yes, my OP was not really serious. I've just been thinking about how I've been avoiding certain invasive exams from doctors, and the amusing thought came into my head. I *was* serious that it could save lives. But it was more of a thought exercise.

MDs already are well experienced in the digital rectal exams. No learning curve.

Physicians are taught to do exams that are cost-effective (costs including time, money, costs of false positive, costs of patient fears/anxiety etc).

I don't think anyone at the TSA understands these concepts. To me it is quite clear that they make the pat-down as unappealing as possible to have people go through the body scanners. (As a radiologist, radiating millions of people a day even at very low doses is appalling, and I'm still waiting on someone to explain to me how these scanners could use a type of energy that penetrates clothing but not skin.) I don't know if there is some kind of lobby from the companies making the machines or what, I'm not sure how someone decided that metal detectors were not effective enough.

Then again, considering what comes from government bodies on health care, I guess I can't be surprised at what they decide is worth their money and time.