Spike5002 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 I need your opinions on a possible job opportunity. I am a soon-to-be graduate of Midwestern University in Downers Grove, IL. I have applied/been contacted by a men's health clinic in the Chicagoland area. The company is called Chicago Vitality Center... They are looking for a young male PA who will be trained in running a men's health clinic that specializes in testosterone injections. As a new-hire I would be trained by a current mid-level (NP) who would train me to run the clinic, and I would eventually be the medical director of that office. They made it sound like I could have some liberties in how the office is run, and even deal with general health maintenance (BP, cholesterol, etc...) if I so desired. The income is very enticing and possibility of growing in the company seems like a good possibility. The offer almost seems too good to be true. What I want is some honest opinions of this type of position for a new grad (fringe medicine, I guess you could call it). Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted August 7, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 7, 2012 totally wrong idea for a first job to specific little oversight financially driven get a job in either surgery or medicine and learn about the field in the trenchs this would be great as a semi-retirement job, but not a new grad job...... they will likely chew you up and spit you out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contrarian Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 ^^^ ... What he said... ^^^ Hypothetical... What will you do in 4-5 yrs when the clinic is raided and shut down because another provider used it to peddle anabolic steroids to the Chicagoland athletes/bodybuilders. Or... That particular Downers Grove office is closed simply because "Corporate" decided to eliminate a little overhead and your position was considered part of that "overhead." (I'm from the area and know that ain't nothing exciting happening in Downers Grove) Or... To generate positive cash flow and expand, the Corp allows NPs to "Buy-in" and become voting share holders and split profits but NOT PAs. You approach them as the now Senior non-physician provider in the practice (Been there longer than most of the clinicians) and demand parity and a explaination. They blow you off and tell you that to be a offered a buy-in and become a partner you must be a independent provider and that "PAs" can't be partners because by definition, they are dependent "assistants" of independent providers (It IS Illinois after all and we both know how the IDPA works and that nurses run THAT state) Sooooo... at that point YOU need to find a new source of income, but all you remember about "medicine" is how the gonads produce testosterone and the ranges of a PSA, or what causes alopecia and how to diffentiate that from classic male pattern baldness. Oh... and you are really good at getting around the insurance obstacles for getting dudes early refills on their Levitra, Cialis, and or Viagra and treating the migraines these medications promote. Finding another "Men's Health Clinic" in Downers Grove, Buffalo Grove, Palatine, Wheeling, Arlington Heights, etc. will be next to impossible, and you will be stuck trying to relearn all the eroded knowledge and skills you lost. This will be a PITA but doable... the problem will be that after those 4 yrs, you will basically be A NEW GRAD. IMNSHO, avoid this "sink-hole" and get a job that allows you to practice full spectum medicine for a few yrs. Just my opinion... YMMV Contrarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmj11 Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 ^^^ ... What he said... ^^^ To generate positive cash flow and expand, the Corp allows NPs to "Buy-in" and become voting share holders and split profits but NOT PAs. You approach them as the now Senior non-physician provider in the practice (Been there longer than most of the clinicians) and demand parity and a explaination. They blow you off and tell you that to be a offered a buy-in and become a partner you must be a independent provider and that "PAs" can't be partners because by definition, they are dependent "assistants" of independent providers (It IS Illinois after all and we both know how the IDPA works and that nurses run THAT state) YMMV Contrarian Now that sounds familiar . . . hmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigk Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 The last month of our program we had a guy from LA area come up and do a week long board review class for us and he touched on this subject a little as his going away present of life experience in the PA world ( he actually gave us a lot of good advice) but his view was if you want to throw away your license and maybe give up a few years of your life then by all means go into one of the vitality clinics and work. He also made reference that if he found out we did then there was something about don't start your car, my grandma and dog were already at his house and sleep with one eye open or something along those lines. It's revenue based and the medicine behind it is pretty shaky and your the one with all the accountability. If things go south then your holding the bag and corporate just opens another office 3 doors down and gets another mid level to do the job. I'd stay away from it, the old saying if its too good to be true then.....you know the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocialMedicine Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I do not understand why someone would go to this office to manage "low T". Wouldnt your primary care doctor be the one to diagnose this problem and either treat it or refer to endocrine/urology? Which leads me to suspect that this clinic may treat people who are low normal or not low at all and maybe just experiencing suggestive symptoms. (I viewed the website only. I do not have definitive knowledge of the practice. What I am saying is purely suspect. If anyone wants to know definitively what the clinic does they should contact them) I am not an expert in hypogonadism of testosterone therapy .... but I am not sure any great data exists in using T for people who have normal testosterone levels. Perhpas this increases risk of Prostate Cancer? I think I would be uncomfortable working in this environment. Aside from exposing yourself to liability what else would you be doing ? Just running testosterone levels and administering injections. Sounds pretty dull. On a side note any office that offers "Ortho, Low T, and Flu Shot" management raises big eyebrows for me. It sounds like they take any aspect of medicine where you can yield big bucks and practice it hah. Im not saying this is a bad thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted August 7, 2012 Share Posted August 7, 2012 I do not understand why someone would go to this office to manage "low T". Wouldnt your primary care doctor be the one to diagnose this problem and either treat it or refer to endocrine/urology? Which leads me to suspect that this clinic may treat people who are low normal or not low at all and maybe just experiencing suggestive symptoms. (I viewed the website only. I do not have definitive knowledge of the practice. What I am saying is purely suspect. If anyone wants to know definitively what the clinic does they should contact them) I am not an expert in hypogonadism of testosterone therapy .... but I am not sure any great data exists in using T for people who have normal testosterone levels. Perhpas this increases risk of Prostate Cancer? I think I would be uncomfortable working in this environment. Aside from exposing yourself to liability what else would you be doing ? Just running testosterone levels and administering injections. Sounds pretty dull. On a side note any office that offers "Ortho, Low T, and Flu Shot" management raises big eyebrows for me. It sounds like they take any aspect of medicine where you can yield big bucks and practice it hah. Im not saying this is a bad thing. I was thinking the same thing. I manage lots of "Low T" or hypogondism at my practice due to my patient population and I use topical agents vs injection which gets them eugonadal in a day, then keeps them there and to avoid peak/trough effects which are common with IM TRT and subjectively worse than constant hypogonadism. They self administer the testosterone so I don't make much money off of it but its what one of my mentors calls practicing "good medicine". Also the goal of TRT is EUGONADISM not HYPERGONADISM to make you look like "AHHNULD" Regarding starting at a highly specialized and high paying practice, BTDT, First job fresh out of PA school too, but I quit in 5 months to practice "real" medicine and I think I am better for it. I can always go into it later if i ever get the itch for more money but at least I am building a great foundation with family medicine/Internal medicine. I also think that it's kind of disingenuous (Not that you said this OP but generally speaking) for PAs fresh out of school to go into highly specialized medicine and at the same time, the profession as a whole is trying to carve out a piece of the PRIMARY CARE pie???!? So along with all the great advice given above I add my not so humble opinion. Peace, Joe PS this guy wouldnt be the SP would he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted August 8, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 8, 2012 don't do it just....don't....do.....it for the many reasons mentioned above but mostly because it is a quack quick money outfit and totally the wrong job for a new grad.....do this and your future is quickie mart retail medicine and weight loss centers...and that's about it...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Contrarian Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Nahhh.... that won't be all he can do...you forgot about Medical Marijuanna Clinics... :heheh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted August 8, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 8, 2012 ok, those too. and occupational medicine of course.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted August 8, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 8, 2012 many of the pts are faking pain to get on disability. lots of whimers. it's all about scamming the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradtPA Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 In addition, I think that job would drive you nuts with boredom after two weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen0508 Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 In addition, I think that job would drive you nuts with boredom after two weeks. i second that. as Iain would say (where ever he is now) -- sounds like a Snoozefest ..ZzZzZzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msloan Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Yeah, practice real medicine. You'll be fresh out of school and you want to expand on everything you've learned. You gotta use it or lose it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike5002 Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 Thanks all. Man I can't tell you how much I love these forums. I already felt really shady about this "job oppurtunity", and you all have made me feel great about my hesitation. I already have a job lined up here in Denver (pending a dinner meeting with the two Neurologists I will be joining this coming Thursday) - but I didn't want to pass up a real oppurtunity. Anyway - I took your advice and am not going to pursue this Vitality Clinic... Again thanks everybody for your thoughts. I have to say I'm thrilled and honored to be joining the world of the PA-C... Jordan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneValgene Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Thanks all. Man I can't tell you how much I love these forums. I already felt really shady about this "job oppurtunity", and you all have made me feel great about my hesitation. I already have a job lined up here in Denver (pending a dinner meeting with the two Neurologists I will be joining this coming Thursday) - but I didn't want to pass up a real oppurtunity. Anyway - I took your advice and am not going to pursue this Vitality Clinic... Again thanks everybody for your thoughts. I have to say I'm thrilled and honored to be joining the world of the PA-C... Jordan how's the PA market out in denver by the way? it'd be a dream to be able to move out there for me :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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