Question

[EMSGuy1982]

I was recently contacted by a recruiter from Immediate Clinic. They are recruiting new grads for jobs at some clinics they are opening soon. Wondered if any of you have any experience working for immediate clinic in WA or can offer any thoughts on them. From their site it appears that they are a storefront operation. What they are offering sounds fairly generous. Just thought I would see if anyone out here had experience.

[Acebecker]

I have no direct experience with these doc-in-a-box clinics but the idea sounds bad to me.  1. Almost nothing in healthcare is immediate and the suggestion that you can be seen immediately for your cold and get relief immediately is stupid.  2. If you are in an arrhythmia and truly need immediate care, you shouldn't be at a walk in clinic - you should be in an ER.  3. I would feel limited in my ability to care for people because if it requires more than a POC test you likely won't be able to get it.  4.  Not everything is about money.  5.  Money is all that the owners of these clinics really care about because insurances will pay for these visits more frequently than they will pay for others. 

 

It's not a bad way to get a little experience, but it would not be where I want to end up.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

I work for an employer based "snot/cough" clinic and agree that reality says there is no quick fix, as I stand over them with raspy voice. Folks, if there were a magic quick cure, don't you think I'D be using it? As long as they're willing to come in and pay a co-pay and provide for my paycheck then be my guest. I justify it making sure cough isn't pneumonia and there is no peritonsillar abscess.

[Guest Paula]

I think new grads should hold out for a job where you will get more than the quick sick visit so that you will learn a wide differential for presenting complaints.  And hopefully  have other PA/MD/DOs around to support you in your first career path.

 

Then, when you worked for many years and get old and experienced, the quick sick clinic is a perfect place to work. 

[Guest Paula]

GMOTM:  I am not saying you are old!   LOL!   I may pursue a Minute Clinic at some point after retirement.  

 

I still enjoy the investigation of disease and figuring out what exactly is going on with a patient and making the diagnosis.

 

Hate the corporatization of medicine, though.

 

I listened to the PA who is in administration with Minute Clinics talk at the recent Leadership and Advocacy Summit last week.  I wouldn't mind her job either.  There are states that prevent PAs from working Minute Clinics due to language in the laws and Wisconsin is one of them. 

[EMSGuy1982]

Thanks for the input. They are definitely not like the clinics that are popping up in CVS stores. Most are located in strip malls and have a few stand alone buildings. They have on site X-ray and lab services and occ med services. There appears to be about 15-20 clinics spattered throughout the Seattle I-5 corridor. Of course nothing in healthcare is immediate. Just the name they gave the clinic. I most likely won't take an offer but I will at least see what they are offering and see exactly how a new grad would fit into their current "immediate" delivery of healthcare would be beneficial to a new grad when I talk to their medical director. I have 13 years of EMS experience so the whole sick/not sick and determining the proper level of care is not new to me. I am very glad to have this site as a resource and the advice is very valuable, thank you!

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

GMOTM: I am not saying you are old! LOL! I may pursue a Minute Clinic at some point after retirement.

 

I still enjoy the investigation of disease and figuring out what exactly is going on with a patient and making the diagnosis.

 

Hate the corporatization of medicine, though.

 

I listened to the PA who is in administration with Minute Clinics talk at the recent Leadership and Advocacy Summit last week. I wouldn't mind her job either. There are states that prevent PAs from working Minute Clinics due to language in the laws and Wisconsin is one of them.

My dear, no offense ever taken. I'm thankful for the opportunity to be able to consider cutting way back or even getting out in 5+ years.

[winterallsummer]

I would probably leave the profession if I ever had to work at a Minute Clinic. Took someone there for a simple TB test. It is embarrassing the work they do there. Complete waste of your knowledge and training IMHO. These even make urgent care clinics (which I also dislike) look legit.

[EMEDPA]

GMOTM:  I am not saying you are old!   LOL!   I may pursue a Minute Clinic at some point after retirement.  

 

I still enjoy the investigation of disease and figuring out what exactly is going on with a patient and making the diagnosis.

 

Hate the corporatization of medicine, though.

 

I listened to the PA who is in administration with Minute Clinics talk at the recent Leadership and Advocacy Summit last week.  I wouldn't mind her job either.  There are states that prevent PAs from working Minute Clinics due to language in the laws and Wisconsin is one of them. 

agree, the most experienced folks should be doing these jobs, not the least....there is an organization near me that hires all the new grads who can't find other jobs for this kind of set up. major disaster. the local ERs are full of their bounce backs...

[EMSGuy1982]

agree, the most experienced folks should be doing these jobs, not the least....there is an organization near me that hires all the new grads who can't find other jobs for this kind of set up. major disaster. the local ERs are full of their bounce backs...

Another reason why I most likely wouldn't accept an offer. Shift work would be ideal for my situation though (wife works shift work) for childcare. I wouldn't want to be THAT guy. I've responded to quite a few urgent cares that bounce patients to the hospital. When giving my report to the MD or PA they would ask who sent them over... Even though I have a ton of experience in EMS, it only covers about > < that much of the world of medicine. Besides it looks like the oversight and support wouldn't be there.

[Febrifuge]

The oversight and support are key. For anyone, but especially a new grad.

 

My bias is in favor of UC clinics, but only a certain kind. I'm the guy who's here in the building where I don't know how many thousand people have their PCPs, but on certain evenings and weekends I'm it. This means I'm connected to the medical record for everyone who has their care in our system, and there are several affiliated systems here so if there's a need, I can probably have the patient sign a permission slip and I can open up their record with whomever they see.

 

I try not to insert myself into the primary care relationship, because that's a whole other thing, but I do feel like I can supplement it in a meaningful way, at least sometimes. That's a big contrast to a true retail-style walk-in clinic, where they have a menu of 14 things they test or treat for, and the rest is outside their scope.

 

I agree, one of those joints might be nice once each of us hits age 68 and works 8 hours a week just because we feel like it. But for a new grad? Nahhhhh.

[EMEDPA]

I agree, one of those joints might be nice once each of us hits age 68 and works 8 hours a week just because we feel like it. But for a new grad? Nahhhhh.

I hope to spend those 8 hrs at a free clinic or other volunteer activity once I "retire".

[EMSGuy1982]

The oversight and support are key. For anyone, but especially a new grad.

 

My bias is in favor of UC clinics, but only a certain kind. I'm the guy who's here in the building where I don't know how many thousand people have their PCPs, but on certain evenings and weekends I'm it. This means I'm connected to the medical record for everyone who has their care in our system, and there are several affiliated systems here so if there's a need, I can probably have the patient sign a permission slip and I can open up their record with whomever they see.

 

I try not to insert myself into the primary care relationship, because that's a whole other thing, but I do feel like I can supplement it in a meaningful way, at least sometimes. That's a big contrast to a true retail-style walk-in clinic, where they have a menu of 14 things they test or treat for, and the rest is outside their scope.

 

I agree, one of those joints might be nice once each of us hits age 68 and works 8 hours a week just because we feel like it. But for a new grad? Nahhhhh.

Thanks for your input! This is the first urgent care style clinic I've seen that hasn't been a part of a hospital system. I would feel more comfortable in that situation. My next rotation is at an UC that is part of a system and would totally be comfortable working there. This was the first time an employer that I didn't already know about reached out to me. Definitely not used to that!

[Febrifuge]

Yeah, there's a place quite close to my house that does employment physicals and drug tests, and has PT. Apparently, they also do walk-in urgent care. Because I got DOT certified late last year, I guess I came up in some database and a recruiter sent me a message.

 

I checked into it, and they are part of a loose network of franchises or at least branded clinics across 8-10 nearby states, but they're not part of any of our local health systems. I'm sure it's useful for the DOT side of things especially, but to me it just seems to lack the potential benefit to the provider and thereby to the patient of having that connection. Very few health visits are truly isolated, and even the ones that are should be part of a meaningful record. I'd feel weird doing full-spectrum walk-in care in someplace like that.

[GetMeOuttaThisMess]

The thing that I like about the employer based environment is that I can educate. Now, how far that goes, who knows? The only test that I routinely get is a UA for UTI's. Don't find much value in rapid streps and cultures aren't possible since we have no lab contract. Rapid flu if pt requests since s/s greater than strep. Strictly clinical and treat/street.

[RoxannaAlicea]

My neighbor after completing his graduation joined a clinic similar to what you're asking about, that was hiring new graduates for a new branch that they just opened up. This benefited my neighbor friend in giving him experience and an opportunity that many others wouldn't, due to his lack of experience.  That's the PRO.

The CON: I personally think that new grads have a large horizon ahead of them and should opt for getting better employment and range of skills, not just the quick sick visit/fix.  These clinics are a waste of knowledge and training, and considered a poor place to start your medical career.  There's a reason why these clinics only typically hire new grads who can't find doctor jobs elsewhere.  The only advantage that I can think of is that you mention that this is a "part of a loose network of franchises"... so maybe you would be somehow be able to network yourself up the chain of this franchise to a higher role.
 

[winterallsummer]

I strongly urge new PAs against joining any minute clinic or similar clinic inside a mall, store etc. it is a waste of your training and not enjoyable. Only pro IMO is good hours and low stress.

 

I am not a fan of these large commercially ran urgent clinics either. I worked very briefly PRN at one of these. It is not medicine they practice. It's customer service. Pretty soon they'll probably want you to ask your patients if they want fries with their abx for two days of sinusitis (alongside with an IM dose of solumedrol and ketorolac).

 

This is not to say all UC clinics are bad. But just be very careful what you sign up for.