When you drive through town, you’ll probably notice that you see more urgent care facilities than usual. Wonder why? These facilities are becoming more popular because they offer faster care that’s less expensive than going to the emergency room. Most of the time, people choose to go to urgent care when they cannot get in to see their doctors the same day.
If you’re looking to have a job where you have a pretty set schedule, hours limited to Monday-Friday, and maybe a few hours on Saturday, you may want to look for current jobs available for urgent care physicians. The work is still fast-paced but typically isn’t life-threatening like the cases you run into at ERs. Due to the high burnout rates from working in the emergency room, many physicians transfer to urgent care facilities.
With all of the urgent care facilities now available, how do you know which one is the right fit for you? The truth is you won’t know until you start working there. The good news is there are a few things you can check out before going for an interview.
1. How Does The Staff Get Along?
You do not want to work somewhere that’s in a constant state of conflict; that does not make for a great working environment. Take time to notice when you’re there how the staff interacts with one another. Pay attention to body language, see if anyone avoids eye contact with another person, or if you notice anything that just feels off.
How well you get along with your coworkers is a good indicator of how much you’ll like your job. If you dread seeing them, then more than likely, you’re not going to be too excited to go to work. Having healthy relationships at work helps to decrease stress, and it just makes life easier. Working with the public is demanding. Having people there to support you can make it much more manageable.
2. Location
This is pretty much your personal preference. There are positives and negatives to working both close and far from home. If you want to work close to home, be prepared for the town locals coming over to ask you to look at their kid’s throats. But you can also sleep in and get home earlier. If you want something farther away, the commute will be longer, which can be annoying, but it may give you time to unwind after work.
3. Professionalism
The reason professionalism is so important is the way the health care field promotes patient safety. Patients expect their physicians to be able to communicate with them effectively, respect them, and be honest. This is all so that the patient can feel secure that they are in good hands.
You do not want to work at a facility that is not professional. Not only will it look bad on your CV it may also harm your reputation as a doctor. This is why before accepting a position, you should enquire about the facility’s reputation.
4. Ask Questions
It is essential to ask questions before deciding if the job will be a good fit for you. You’ll want to know what is expected of you, does your family agree with your choice, and then listen to what is said. A lot of people listen just enough to prepare how they will respond. If you want to know the honest answer, you have to listen; If you aren’t happy with the response, you can then ask the same question in another way.
You also want to ask the right questions. How does the team respond if there’s an emergency situation? What protocols are in place? Sure, you want to work at urgent care, but emergencies can happen anywhere.
The final thing you should ask is if you think the position will help you advance in your career. Before deciding if you want to take the job, determine if it fits into your goals. Is it something you’re going to want to stay at for many years, or are you just looking for a place to start while continuing to climb up the ladder?
Working at an urgent care can be a gratifying job. You get to take care of people when they are sick without dealing with the stress of working in an emergency room. Finding a job you enjoy, being able to spend time with your family, all while building your career… What more can someone ask for?
