VISTA Archived Blogs

The bush pilot gunned the engine of the DeHaviland Beaver floatplane as it glided across the bay. We gently lifted off from Ketchikan, Alaska, on the final leg of a journey taking me to a five-week locum tenens job in Klawock, Alaska. During the 45-minute flight, I surveyed the stunning scenery of the vast Southeast Alaska wilderness, which spread out in all directions.

I am excited about my future. I will be starting as a hospitalist with Southwestern Vermont Health Care in July. Currently a 3rd year Internal Medicine Resident, and chief resident, at Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Connecticut, I started considering positions last summer. I was considering a fellowship and other hospitalist positions when I received an email from VISTA’s Search and Consulting division about an opportunity in Bennington, Vermont. The opportunity appealed to me because of its location and the drastic change of pace from Fairfield County and I am looking forward to the challenges of a rural hospital, working in an area in need of physicians, and being in a nice community to raise a family.

As for my experience with VISTA, it was so easy, I was sure we were missing something! From the beginning, I was partnered with a dedicated recruiter, Kelley Hekowczyk, who walked me through every step. Kelley helped me prepare for interviews by briefing me on what to expect so there were no surprises. I appreciated Kelley’s knowledge of the job, position, and hospital and I felt that her relationship with the hospital was almost as if she were one of their employees. Her knowledge and the fact that she kept in constant contact with me made the interview and hiring process an easy and pleasant one.

Bennington, here I come!

I went off to Anchorage to work for three weeks and to find out what spring was like in Alaska. I had been there twice before in August and September and had seen late summer and early fall and had watched the snowline gradually move down the Chugach Mountains. Yes, break-up is over and spring will be getting going, they assured me. Well…

The last 20-30 minutes of the late afternoon flight into Anchorage were past range on range of rugged snow-covered mountains. There was still lots of snow around on the ground, including those dirty late season heaps piled along the roads and at the edges of parking lots. The woman who let me into my apartment, when I made some comment about it looked like a lot of winter was still around, said, “At least the light is back…”

In what may be a strange tribute to the memory of 911, TSA has launched the 3-1-1 campaign to help travelers adapt to the new restrictions on liquids in carry-on luggage. We thought we’d remind you about it as you prepare for your next locum tenens assignment. Here’s how it goes:

3-ounce bottles or less (by volume)
1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag
1 bag per passenger, to be placed in the screening bin as you approach security.

TSA reports that the one-quart bag per person limits the total liquid volume each traveler can bring. The three-ounce container size is a security measure. Packing all the bottles into one clear, not-likely-to-fly-open bag that can be X-rayed separately will speed screening.