National Rural Health Day, celebrated on November 21, presents the perfect time to honor the work of rural healthcare providers and the communities they serve. As Vice President of Physician Recruitment in the Midwest Division, I work closely with rural healthcare leaders to help them find and hire physicians and advanced practice providers who will thrive in their rural communities. Through these partnerships, I have learned a great deal about why physicians and advanced practice providers choose to practice in rural communities and what makes them stay. Their motivations for pursuing rural medicine vary, and those reasons may evolve. However, they typically have very few regrets about their chosen path. While not everyone will find happiness in rural medicine, it’s something I think all physicians and APPs should consider.
What Makes Physicians Choose Rural Medicine?
Some physicians know they want to practice rural medicine from the beginning. They may pursue residencies or fellowships focusing on rural healthcare and come out of training seeking rural positions, although most need to be persuaded to consider jobs in rural healthcare. Physicians often have preconceived notions about working in rural communities. However, assumptions about practicing rural medicine aren’t always accurate. For example, rural doesn’t necessarily equal remote. I work with many organizations in small towns classified as rural, but the facility or clinic may be less than an hour from a major metro. In these rural communities, physicians have greater access to amenities than they might have assumed. Physicians also tend to think of rural practice as a solitary endeavor requiring them to be on call 24/7. However, rural medicine is usually highly collaborative. With a blend of physicians and APPs, care teams support the patients and each other.
The Benefits of Rural Physician Jobs
A 2022 survey by Jackson Physician Search and LocumTenens.com asked rural physicians to share their top reasons for practicing rural medicine. Work-life balance and compensation topped the list, followed by affordable cost of living and the ability to spend more time with patients. There are certainly plenty of reasons a physician might be happier in a rural setting — work-life balance, autonomy, competitive compensation, and, of course, professional fulfillment.
When I speak to physicians about their job search priorities, they almost always mention some combination of the above. So, I’ll share what I know about working in rural medicine and ask if they are willing to consider a rural physician job. Some resist, while others ask, “How do I know if rural medicine is right for me?” Only you can truly answer that question for yourself. However, in my experience, there are commonalities among physicians at each career stage that indicate they are good candidates for rural medicine.
Early-Career Physicians
Physicians coming out of training will start with a blank slate wherever they land, so why not consider building a life in a family friendly rural community with a low cost of living? Rural healthcare organizations often qualify for federal loan forgiveness programs. This, coupled with generous recruitment incentives, can help new physicians quickly put student loans behind them.
Of course, these newly trained physicians need mentors to guide their professional growth. As I mentioned earlier, most organizations are highly collaborative and will have a more experienced physician on staff to help the new physician learn. Their growth will be accelerated because rural physicians and APPs typically see a wider range of cases than urban and suburban physicians. This means rural physicians learn to practice at the top of their licenses and gain a breadth of experience they would unlikely find elsewhere.
Mid-Career Physicians
While levels of burnout are trending down, in a 2024 survey, nearly half of physicians reported that they experienced at least one symptom of burnout in the past year. The causes vary, but feeling like “a cog in the wheel” of healthcare is not uncommon. As physicians increasingly move away from private practice to health system employment (a reported 77.6% of physicians are employed by health systems), many report losing their autonomy. For these physicians feeling caught up in bureaucracy, rural medicine offers a breath of fresh air. Rural physicians typically see fewer patients per day than their urban and suburban counterparts. They can spend more time getting to know their patients and are free to make more informed decisions about their care.
Because of the time they can invest in patients, physicians in rural communities are known, respected, and appreciated. Whether it’s a freshly baked pie from an individual patient or an invitation to lead the town parade, these gestures of gratitude are common in rural practice and go a long way to help burned-out physicians reconnect with their purpose.
Late-Career Physicians
As a generation of Baby Boomers reaches retirement age, many are asking themselves, “What comes next?” According to a 2023 retirement study from Jackson Physician Search, 39% of physicians fear boredom in retirement, 44% fear losing their sense of purpose, and 53% are afraid they won’t be able to afford the same lifestyle in retirement. Perhaps these fears explain why only 12% of physicians said they plan to stop working entirely after retirement.
For physicians at or near retirement age, rural medicine presents an opportunity to practice at a slower pace, possibly part-time, while continuing to contribute to a population in need. Late-career physicians in rural areas may also be called upon to mentor younger physicians and provide counsel in more complex cases.
Rural Medicine Offers Something for Everyone
To summarize, rural medicine offers benefits to physicians at every stage of their careers. Recruitment incentives and/or loan repayment programs may attract those coming out of training. However, many fall in love with the work-life balance, family-friendly communities, and low cost of living. For mid-career physicians, rural healthcare offers a chance to step away from the bureaucracy and fast pace of busy practices and health systems. This allows them to connect with patients and practice medicine the way they always imagined. Late-career physicians may also find satisfaction in rural healthcare as it allows them to scale back while contributing on multiple levels.
National Rural Health Day is an excellent time to celebrate rural healthcare providers making a difference in communities nationwide. It is also a great time to consider whether rural medicine could be right for you. If autonomy, work-life balance, competitive compensation, and professional fulfillment are among your top priorities, it’s worth exploring opportunities in rural healthcare.
If you are seeking a new physician job, the recruitment team at Jackson Physician Search is eager to learn more about your needs and help you find the right next step. Reach out today or start searching for physician jobs online now.
About Tara Osseck
With more than 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry, Regional Vice President of Recruiting Tara Osseck specializes in matching healthcare organizations with physicians who are a strong fit for the role and the culture. Her healthcare career began as a physician liaison. It quickly expanded to include physician recruitment, strategic planning, and business development, working for various hospitals throughout Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri. Based in St. Louis, Osseck leads the firm’s Midwest Division, placing providers across the Midwest and Upper Midwest. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Truman State University and a master’s in health care administration and management from The University of Memphis.