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What Makes a Great Urgent Care Physician? Insights for Aspiring Healthcare Professionals
A career does not just have to be a source of income. It can also be a way to fulfill your life’s purpose and lead a meaningful life. When young people are trying to decide what their professional interests are, they usually revolve around what those individuals are passionate about.
The healthcare industry plays a critical role in the economy of the United States, but it is also crucial for the uplifting of society as a whole. When people have access to healthcare services and professionals, they can lead longer and more productive lives, improving the communities they are in.
Becoming a physician is a high calling, particularly if you pursue working at an urgent care center. These medical professionals provide crucial services for people with injuries or illnesses that are time-sensitive without being emergency room material. Let’s discuss what it takes to become a great urgent care physician.
Natural Curiosity
The amount of education needed to become a physician is substantial. However, the healthcare field is constantly evolving, with new research, technology, and even conditions discovered all the time. As an aspiring medical professional, a natural curiosity and willingness to continue learning is necessary in a field that evolves yearly. There are many elements that are shaping the healthcare industry today, including online educational resources, healthcare policies, and data security for patients and practices. If you put your head down and refuse to continue learning, you will fall behind the standard of care for your patients. It is better to continue learning so you stay on top of modern medical trends.
Listening Skills
Plenty of people might say that they have listening skills, but it is easy to wait patiently for someone to stop talking before putting in your own contributions to the conversation. What is not always easy is being able to listen and evaluate what you are hearing in real time while still listening to the person who is speaking. A great physician is someone who can listen to a patient who is speaking about their symptoms or concerns, all while evaluating internally what they are sharing against your medical knowledge. Then, you can use those listening skills to figure out what the problem is and how to fix it. People feel cared for when they are heard, so being a great listener is key for urgent care physicians.
Adaptability
If you are not able to adapt quickly to changing situations, then you might be better off pursuing a different career. Every person is unique, which means treatment for injuries and illnesses may differ from person to person. Although there are the same bones, organs, and other body parts, those systems may react differently to an injury or treatment plan.
You must be able to adapt what you know to the specific patient that you are treating in every scenario. Additionally, if something goes wrong with a patient, it is up to you to correct the error or address the new problem as quickly as possible. Most urgent care physician jobs will need you to be flexible to find success and a long-lasting career.
Being Cool Under Pressure
Although you are not working in an emergency room where things can get pretty chaotic, that does not mean there is no pressure in an urgent care center. You are still dealing with a patient facing an injury or illness that must be treated in a timely fashion. This can ramp up the pressure on the care provider. For many, that pressure could lead to mistakes that harm the patient or delay their treatment plan. Aspiring medical professionals, especially in urgent care settings, should be cool under pressure so they can do their jobs effectively even when the stakes are high.
Balancing Compassion With Professionalism
One of the most difficult aspects of being a physician is understanding the relationship between these two things. Patients need physical support, but emotional support can be just as helpful. You must have the capacity to be both extremely professional and compassionate depending on the patient and the situation.
The professional side of you understands how to do CPR, uphold HIPAA regulations, and use an AED. The compassionate side of you drives your purpose as a physician and makes you a better listener who can give encouragement and hope to the patient.
Do You Have What It Takes to Care for Patients?
Even if you ignore the years of education and training required to become a physician, there are still numerous traits that aspiring healthcare professionals need to succeed in an urgent care setting. Being naturally curious to continue learning, knowing how to listen well, adapting to each situation, staying calm under pressure, and balancing professionalism with compassion are all helpful traits that can make a great urgent care physician.
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