One of the students who was involved in the promotion of a "PMA Bus Trip" wanted to share his experiences. He asked that his name not be used because he has filed a lawsuit against PMA for failure to uphold their contract. For the purposes of this interview, we will call him "Dr. Jones."
"DC": Why does PMA promote these bus trips?
Dr. Jones: You are separated from your school colleagues and family in an arena of glitz and glamour. You are with PMA doctors who are all smiling and calling you 'doctor.' They make you feel like a million bucks!
"DC": In your opinion, why do students sign up with PMA?
Dr. Jones: Prior to signing the contract, they tell the student, who is untraveled in business, that without PMA, the chances of failure are great, but with PMA, the chances of success are great. It doesn't dawn on you until some days after the PMA meeting what you have done. It isn't until graduation that you realize that PMA isn't coming through for you.
"DC": In retrospect, how do you feel now about your involvement in the PMA bus trip?
Dr. Jones: The bus trip probably caused hardships with the other students on the bus who signed PMA contracts. The school was very unhappy with my actions. I'm sorry I ever did it. It's still something that haunts me.
"DC": How would you change the way students are exposed to practice management so that this kind of problem doesn't continue to occur?
Dr. Jones: I wish that college presidents would change their tune. They tried to shield us from practice management consultants. This only caused us to want it more. Let the management people come into the college and let the faculty put them on the spot. And let the management people put the faculty on the spot. A national consultant organization needs to be formed and come to the colleges to help teach students management practices."
Editor's note:
When PMA asked Dr. Jones to organize another bus trip, Dr. Jones just said "no."
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