Which to pursue?

[ThePrincessBride]

Hello, I am in the middle of the interview process. Currently looking at Minute Clinic or an Urgent Care fellowship with Wellnow Urgent Care. 

Which should I do? I have done the MC student preceptorship so I have some idea what I am looking at, but I think the urgent care fellowship will make me a more attractive candidate.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

8 hours ago, Numenor said:

It would make you a far more competent provider. I sucked up the low 70k fellowship I did and doubled my salary the next year. Minute Clinics are dead ends for learning and growth IMO.

Your salary is low for a reason, they are investing and training you. Your RN experience is meaningless in this equation. You are back to being a novice again.

Thank you

Yeah I learned a little bit more about the fellowship. After 1 year, I would go from the 75k per year salary to an hourly position of 60 per hour. So not double but a healthy increase. 

Is it okay to start off an urgent care? I hear sometimes it is better to start in primary care but I have no desire to work a Monday through Friday position at a salary.

[Guest1144461]

1 hour ago, ThePrincessBride said:

Thank you

Yeah I learned a little bit more about the fellowship. After 1 year, I would go from the 75k per year salary to an hourly position of 60 per hour. So not double but a healthy increase. 

Is it okay to start off an urgent care? I hear sometimes it is better to start in primary care but I have no desire to work a Monday through Friday position at a salary.

I think primary care is better, but if the UC is a fellowship I would say it's better at baseline.

[Tegridy]

20 hours ago, Numenor said:

Umm a fellowship is like a residency and if its anything like mine, its worth 10x more than my actual NP Program was. Fellowships are rare and highly sought after. 1 year of salary loss is trivial and one could moonlight or work elsewhere as a RN. A minute clinic is a dead-end job and will box someone in with an algorithmic skillset.

I went from making well over 100k as a RN to a 70k NP in a fellowship doing 70-80 hour weeks. Yeah it was not fun but the experience was priceless. I was leagues above any NP in my area afterward and my hospital now refuses to hire NPs unless they have done one. The comparison between new NPs (fellowship vs non) is STARK.

Yeah I agree a fellowship is much better than trying to just read thru minor emergencies: attack of the earwig. 

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

On 9/29/2022 at 1:44 PM, Numenor said:

I think primary care is better, but if the UC is a fellowship I would say it's better at baseline.

Could I go to Primary Care after working in Urgent Care if I wanted to?

[Guest1144461]

56 minutes ago, ThePrincessBride said:

Could I go to Primary Care after working in Urgent Care if I wanted to?

I don’t see why not.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

4 minutes ago, Numenor said:

I don’t see why not.

My concern would be if employers would be willing to hire someone with only urgent care experience into the primary care/chronic disease management setting

[call_me_Glen]

On 9/29/2022 at 12:53 AM, Numenor said:

Umm a fellowship is like a residency and if its anything like mine, its worth 10x more than my actual NP Program was. Fellowships are rare and highly sought after. 1 year of salary loss is trivial and one could moonlight or work elsewhere as a RN. A minute clinic is a dead-end job and will box someone in with an algorithmic skillset.

I went from making well over 100k as a RN to a 70k NP in a fellowship doing 70-80 hour weeks. Yeah it was not fun but the experience was priceless. I was leagues above any NP in my area afterward and my hospital now refuses to hire NPs unless they have done one. The comparison between new NPs (fellowship vs non) is STARK.

What fellowship/type of fellowship did you complete?  What are your tips on securing a fellowship after graduating?

[Tegridy]

On 9/29/2022 at 3:53 AM, Numenor said:

Umm a fellowship is like a residency and if its anything like mine, its worth 10x more than my actual NP Program was. Fellowships are rare and highly sought after. 1 year of salary loss is trivial and one could moonlight or work elsewhere as a RN. A minute clinic is a dead-end job and will box someone in with an algorithmic skillset.

I went from making well over 100k as a RN to a 70k NP in a fellowship doing 70-80 hour weeks. Yeah it was not fun but the experience was priceless. I was leagues above any NP in my area afterward and my hospital now refuses to hire NPs unless they have done one. The comparison between new NPs (fellowship vs non) is STARK.

I feel ya I went from 165 to zero for four years then 54. Not counting for inflation. At least now it’s 61 but still 

[Tegridy]

On 10/3/2022 at 3:33 PM, ThePrincessBride said:

My concern would be if employers would be willing to hire someone with only urgent care experience into the primary care/chronic disease management setting

I don’t see why not. They are a bit different but not that different. Just add in AMW, screening, and all the things you probably already know are involved. 

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

44 minutes ago, Tegridy said:

I feel ya I went from 165 to zero for four years then 54. Not counting for inflation. At least now it’s 61 but still 

61 per hour or 61k per year? 165k per year???

[Guest1144461]

14 minutes ago, ThePrincessBride said:

61 per hour or 61k per year? 165k per year???

Probably 165k,  I make 150 as an NP

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

7 minutes ago, Numenor said:

Probably 165k,  I make 150 as an NP

What kind of setting do you work? Are you in a high cost of living? Hourly?

Because the UC after the fellowship will only take me to 112k...125k if I work 40 hours per week.