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First Response Urgent Care

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Port Arthur Doctor Expands His Practice with SBDC Support

 

Dr. Thi Nguyen’s journey with the Lamar State College-Port Arthur SBDC began in February 2014, while he was still in his medical residency. His goal was to return to his hometown of Port Arthur after completing his residency in June and open an urgent care clinic. With the SBDC’s help, he achieved this in July 2015, successfully launching his first practice.

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By 2023, Dr. Nguyen’s practice had grown significantly, prompting him to return to the SBDC for assistance in securing capital to open two additional locations—one in Beaumont and another in Lumberton.

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Within three months, the SBDC helped him secure the funding to launch the Lumberton clinic. Dr. Nguyen also increased his staff to 24 full-time employees across his two practices. 

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First Response Urgent Care’s Positive Reputation 

Since its inception, Dr. Nguyen and First Response Urgent Care have received much recognition. In April 2024, the clinic received a certificate of Congressional Recognition after being named the STAR Business of the Year by the Lamar State College-Port Arthur SBDC. Previously, Dr. Nguyen’s current SBDC Advisor, Dana Espinal, nominated him for the SBA’s National Small Business Week Award, which recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs and small business owners nationwide who impact their communities. 

 

Earlier, in 2016, Dr. Nguyen was nominated for the Southeast Texas Young Professionals Organization’s (SETX YPO) “40 Under 40,” which recognizes the top 40 people in the area under 40 who have made significant accomplishments within their industry. The Port Arthur Alumni Community Group also gave him a shout-out in their “Small Town Big People” feature.  

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Additionally, the clinic received the Professional Services Business of the Year Award from Lamar State College-Port Arthur, and both it and Dr. Nguyen were selected as the Port Arthur News Reader’s Choice for “Best Urgent Care” and “Best Doctor” in the community. Their very first award was the Tekoa Academy Star Award in December 2015—only a few months after the grand opening of the first location! 

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“I am grateful to the SBDC, especially Dana, for helping this farm boy and Vietnamese boat refugee come home and become the hometown doctor I have dreamed of being since middle school,” said Dr. Nguyen. “Today, after nine years, First Response Urgent Care is expanding and serving our Southeast Texas communities at the Port Arthur and Lumberton clinics, providing accessible, high-quality, and affordable medical care at a fraction of ER costs. I am also extremely proud to be the only doctor-owned and operated urgent care in Southeast Texas."

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Funded in part through the State of Texas and a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

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