Transition from Occupational Medicine to Urgent Care

[Guest UVAPAC]

Hello,

 

I was just interested in your thoughts on transitioning from Occupational Medicine to Urgent Care.

 

I graduated from school roughly 1.5 years ago, and have been working in an Occupational Medicine clinic since.  On a daily basis we deal with sprain/strains, fractures, suturing (simple interrupted), foreign bodies of the eye, Physicals, CDL Physicals, occasional bites/cellulitis, and Occupational Exposures.

 

I am worried that if I don't get some experience outside of Occupational Medicine, I will end up locking myself into the field with nowhere to go in the future.  Recently a couple of per diem weekend Urgent Care Opportunities have come up.

 

I am somewhat intimidated/nervous at the thought of pediatrics (especially new born to 2 years of age), patients with chest pain and SOB, and potentially procedures such as I&D which I have not done since clinical rotations. 

 

 

 

Is this going to be a huge learning curve?  Any advice?  I am thinking if I don't do it now, I may lose the opportunity in the future.

 

Thanks.

[rev ronin]

Urgent care can be challenging.... tell me about the clinic you'll be working in--do they take medicaid or not?  If not, that's a much less steep learning curve: medicaid is a LOT of kids and a LOT sicker people.

 

Personally, I'd say it's readily doable if you've always kept a bit in the UC/ED side of things.

[RuralER/Ortho]

To expand on what rev said a little bit... what kind of acuity is the prospective gig? UC's can vary widely. Would you be solo? All things to consider. Definitely doable though