What is it about?
This study looked at what makes doctors and providers choose to work in small towns and rural areas, such as those in Vermont, where the study takes place. Researchers talked to medical trainees to understand their decisions about where they wanted to work. They found that while money is important, it's often not the main reason. Instead, personal connections to rural life, like having grown up there, enjoying outdoor activities, or wanting a tight-knit community, play a bigger role. Things like finding a good home, quality schools for their children, and a welcoming community atmosphere matter just as much as salary.
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Photo by Matt Bennett on Unsplash
Why is it important?
The study suggests that to attract more healthcare providers to rural areas, where there is typically a shortage despite a growing aging population, programs should offer more training experiences in the countryside early in their education. Moreover, they should focus on promoting lifestyle benefits, not just financial ones. This approach could help ensure that people in rural areas, especially older residents, have better access to the everyday medical care they need.
Perspectives
This project was particularly meaningful because the research team was able to work with Windham Aging, a collaboration of organizations that care about older Vermonters in Windham County. This group of healthcare leaders and experts does incredible work for their community, focusing on improving the lives of those aged 60+ living in rural areas and helping them age in place.
Dr. Christopher P. Kruglik
Emory University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Factors Associated With the Recruitment of Primary Care Workforce in Rural Vermont: A Pilot Study, Cureus, October 2024, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.71941.
You can read the full text:
Resources
Open Access Manuscript - Factors Associated With the Recruitment of Primary Care Workforce in Rural Vermont: A Pilot Study
This link provides the reader with the open-access manuscript that is free to read.
Calling All Country Doctors: Study Challenges Assumptions About Rural Physician Recruitment
Written by Janet Essman Franz at the Larner College of Medicine, this news article presents the main findings of the study.
AMA Research Challenge 2023 Poster Symposium
This link brings you to the poster related to this manuscript at the 2023 AMA Poster Challenge.
Oral Presentation at the 2023 Health Equity Summit - Closing the Margin: Avenues to Health Equity
Oral presentation in the Chittenden Bank Room at the University of Vermont from 10:15-11:30 AM EDT, Lightning Talks 1: Rural Health Equity Innovations. Oral presentation title: Recruitment of Primary Care Professionals in Rural VT. Presentation given by Christopher Kruglik and Katie Waeldner.
South Vermont AHEC National Public Health Week Interview
Interview by Southern Vermont AHEC during National Public Health Week that depicts this project and how it came to fruition with Christopher Kruglik.
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
