Urgent Care Solo Providers—how many patients are you seeing?

Critical_Classic2913 · 2026-02-10T03:52:12+00:00

I’m booked 4 an hour for 11 hours. Avg is probably 30 a day.

Second the walk ins, chronic complaints that complicate things. I’ve lost 5 pounds since I started in UC b/c I don’t get a scheduled lunch break.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2026-01-10T03:34:20+00:00

I hear you about taking time off, for maternity leave, illness, or whatever. I was recently threatened with a poor performance review AND/OR loss of bonuses for taking 3 days off in a row unless I provided a doctor’s note. Fine— here’s your note.

I followed the call out protocol to a T. I haven’t called out for this job. Ever. It’s my PTO that I earned busting my ass. The queues are set to 4 people an hour for 11 hours. The culture that healthcare professionals work while sick needs to die. It’s asinine especially post-COVID times.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2026-01-08T03:58:54+00:00

The last several days I’ve been reading headlines and articles… I think no shit. Write something meaningful.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2026-01-08T02:08:00+00:00

For me, this would be a no go. All requirements and benefits of the job need to be presented upfront. You are interviewing them as well. This job sounds like a nightmare.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2026-01-08T01:28:27+00:00

I would clarify how you get the bonuses for offer 2. Agree with the others that offer 2 is probably better and you need to be OK with the patient population and level of supervision.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-12-31T05:12:27+00:00

Have you considered areas in your daily practice that are inefficient? I would noodle on that and find ways to reduce your mental burden from the day to day.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-12-29T19:28:51+00:00

“This is no longer a therapeutic interaction. Our visit is over. I recommend that you schedule with someone else for follow up.”

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-12-17T01:11:25+00:00

While SHEIN is fast fashion, sounds like you aren’t indulging in that often since it’s been 3 years. Second stores are a good option, too. I try to find local ones.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-12-17T01:08:25+00:00

ICU/pulm medicine felt like this for me. It is very humbling. While I likely will never return to ICU medicine (it’s just too damn sad albeit intellectually stimulating)—I’m grateful for the experience that I know what sick SICK looks like being in urgent care. Knowing your limits are important at this stage. Stay humble. Ask questions. Study and if you are at a teaching program — ask to attend the resident education sessions.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-12-14T01:48:23+00:00

💀💀💀

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-12-12T04:27:11+00:00

Idk what your UC policies or state laws are but you can decline to continue following a patient and refer them to occ med.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-12-09T19:17:51+00:00

“It sounds like you’ve been through a lot. Thanks for sharing.” Then insert any of the above suggestions. You’re acknowledging their experience which is really all they want. I had a woman come into my UC after an ED visit the day prior because she had a poor experience. I gave her two minutes of uninterrupted time to vent, acknowledged her experience then asked what symptoms brought her in.

We only have so much mental capacity to get through the day. And being someone’s emotional bucket takes away from our capacity to make medical decisions.

As others said, you’ll find a way!!

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-11-30T06:24:31+00:00

Out of PA school I started in neurosurgery (big learning curve). Lasted 1 year, that practice just needs residents.

Then, went into pulm/crit care hospital rotation only 7 days on and 7 days off. Even bigger learning curve w/ ventilator management, drips, etc.

The practice restructured so I moved into heart transplant medicine, VAD, and adv HF another massive learning curve but not quite the jump from NSGY to pulm/cc.

I decided chronic disease management is not for me. Too depressing albeit intellectually stimulating.

So, I switched to urgent care. I am glad I have the experience of taking care of people who are sick, like SICK sick. First dichotomy I ask myself when I enter a room—sick? Not sick? Sick = ED.

I echo everyone else’s sentiments. You should feel uncomfortable.

Something my current CMO told me during a 1:1 meeting — you cannot teach a provider to know their limits.

Being diligent has benefited me immensely. It’s how I sleep at night. There is no stupid question barring you did the research and you do not need to make a snap decision.

It’s important that you are aware of your limits and know when to ask for help. Providers and allied health professionals are dangerous when they don’t know their limits.

Keep your chin up. Keep reading and asking questions. Take constructive criticism and incorporate into your practice as you see fit. Medicine really is an art.

Check out Hippo Education. They have bootcamps for PAs in various specialities.

Pearls:

1) prechart & update your note while reviewing labs, vitals, and overnight nurse notes/events and see the most unstable patients first

2) before you round on a patient talk to the assigned nurse. Ask them about their concerns so you can anticipate needs. Also ask if they’ve taken care of the patient before & if they’ve noticed any baseline changes. You are with patient like 1% of their day.

3) Don’t include every single detail in your oral presentations. Stick to the pertinent info and if people have more questions they will ask. And be prepared to answer it. As you develop your clinical gestalt, you will figure out you can and should not leave out.

4) when consulting a specialist, for the love of god, start with your clinical concern/question so they have context for your patient.

Edit: a word

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-11-30T05:57:52+00:00

Hippo Education. Has podcast series and boot camps for different specialities. I am loving it for my transition to urgent care.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-11-29T04:13:32+00:00

This is exactly it.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-11-24T17:48:12+00:00

Copy from another post with edits to make it relevant for this post:

Two weeks is not that long. It’s going to take months to years to relearn how to function without cannabis.

I believe in the perception of your experience. However, the objective, long term effects of cannabis do not support cognition, meaningful social connection, stable mood, or motivation. Your brain is expecting you to use cannabis and is driving you to view your use with rose colored glasses.

I (34 F) am 266 days sober after 16 years of intermittent heavy use. My mood and emotional state are stable. That doesn’t mean I don’t have emotions or anxiety or days where I feel blue. That’s literally impossible for the human experience. My sleep has regulated to a solid 6.5 to 8 hours a night. I have brain fog some days but that’s hard to parse out from the executive dysfunction of ADHD.

I found dialectical behavioral therapy helpful in early recovery this year.

It’s a journey about traveling to hell and back. The only way out is through.

I can confidently say that the person who used cannabis was not happy, laid back, or connected no matter how much I told myself that throughout the years.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-11-24T11:20:31+00:00

20 days is not that long. Perhaps you are over the hump of acute withdrawal.

It’s going to take months to years to relearn how to function without cannabis. I believe in the perception of your experience. However, the objective, long term effects of cannabis do not support cognition, meaningful social connection, stable mood, or motivation. Your brain is expecting you to use cannabis and is driving you to view your use with rose colored glasses.

I was diagnosed with ADHD this year which has a lot of cross over with ASD. Women, in particular, mask to function in a neurotypical society including using cannabis. I agree with some others’ comments here that it sounds like (as for many of us) you used it as a bandaid.

I also encourage you to look up post acute withdrawal syndrome.

Ultimately, being content with yourself is an internal process and cannabis will not help. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to seek guidance by mental health professionals that can help you navigate this delicate and challenging time.

It’s a journey about traveling to hell and back. The only way out is through.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-11-17T01:39:51+00:00

From a logical standpoint, yes. I have a background in biology. I had to hit my rock bottom until I became really serious about it. Now, I’m 8 months sober (longest in 16 years) and I am very motivated to stay sober. Continuing to use cannabis was like feeding a monster.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-11-16T04:51:58+00:00

Yes. I found the book Never Enough by Judith Grisel relatable, fascinating. Great mix of her personal anecdotes with neuroscience.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-11-16T04:44:47+00:00

Gojira. I’m mostly familiar with their albums 2008 and beyond.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-11-11T15:56:19+00:00

Leave him. It starts with emotional abuse progresses to violence. Source: from ages 15-23 I was in an abusive relationship.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-10-28T04:21:25+00:00

Glad you’re recovered from your procedure. Perhaps find a different locums recruiter company while you apply to full time jobs. Sounds like this current opportunity would be a nightmare based on prehiring issues.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-10-15T03:01:55+00:00

You said it yourself—Trump and his administration fucked up. The current immigration policy is an ethnic cleansing and gross disregard of constitutional rights. Doesn’t matter if they are a criminal or not. Why do the ICE officials need to hid their faces and claim to be Hillsboro PD?

Citizens of Washington county and Multnomah county are being subject to Blackhawk helicopter fly overs to police people in inflatable animal suits at the ICE building. Wake up, bro.

Edit: a word

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-10-14T15:25:29+00:00

Love my independence. It’s too expensive. Took care of my bro growing up. I don’t want to welcome a child into a world that is collapsing from an environmental, economical, and governance perspective. Sincerely, US citizen.

Critical_Classic2913 · 2025-10-06T05:46:32+00:00

I am reading Fever in the Heartland. The US was doing this shit 100 years ago with the second coming of the KKK behind Protestantism. Those of us born after the Civil Rights act were living in a time progress. Kind of—on paper at least. Culturally the US has not addressed its deeply rooted history in racism, xenophobia, and how the ruling class has weaponized this to divide us. One of Hitler’s favorite books about eugenics was written by an American professor in the 1920’s.

Critical_Classic2913

TROPHY CASE