Direct primary care as Internist?

[swk4679]

I see a lot of DPC clinics ran by FM docs. I know you could do outpt as an Internist, but is it feasible to open your own DPC clinic as an Internist without seeing kids/OB? Thanks!

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[VA Hopeful Dr]

I see a lot of DPC clinics ran by FM docs. I know you could do outpt as an Internist, but is it feasible to open your own DPC clinic as an Internist without seeing kids/OB? Thanks!

Yes

 

[swk4679]

Yes

Would you have enough training to do procedural stuff like i&d, lac repair, splint/casting, etc?

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

Would you have enough training to do procedural stuff like i&d, lac repair, splint/casting, etc?

Depends on your residency, but likely yes except splinting/casting from what I know of IM residencies in general.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You could certainly use electives in your third year to get some of those skills. Spend a month in non-operative ortho for splinting, for example. I probably wouldn't cast unless you really know what you're doing.

 

[gutonc]

Depends on your residency, but likely yes except splinting/casting from what I know of IM residencies in general.

As someone who used to do DPC, did this kind of stuff wind up in your office? I&D and small lacs I get, but were your patients wandering into your office with displaced radial fractures on a regular basis? Did you have an X-ray in the office and a tech to help with casting? Or did you turf that stuff (or which I think is reasonable)?

 

[VA Hopeful Dr]

As someone who used to do DPC, did this kind of stuff wind up in your office? I&D and small lacs I get, but were your patients wandering into your office with displaced radial fractures on a regular basis? Did you have an X-ray in the office and a tech to help with casting? Or did you turf that stuff (or which I think is reasonable)?

My building had a free standing radiology center one door down so I used them. Plain films cash price 5 years ago was $25 including read.

I did not cast. I would have them go to a local pharmacy that did medical supplies for splints when needed.

Displaced depending on severity would either go to the ED or next day appt to Ortho.

 

[mszzeta]

I see a lot of DPC clinics ran by FM docs. I know you could do outpt as an Internist, but is it feasible to open your own DPC clinic as an Internist without seeing kids/OB? Thanks!

Bottom line, there is not any problem at all

All providers have different comfort level for certain things. You can either try to learn some of them (such as skin biopsies) during residency (if you have not graduated), or during practice (if not very complex. There are even commercial procedure course, though I am not sure how good they are), or just refer to a specialist