The population of rural areas of the United States, on average, is provided with much less access to high-quality healthcare compared to a resident of big cities. Often, one has to cover a long distance to get an opportunity to see a well-qualified doctor, which is problematic as transportation systems in the countryside are underdeveloped as well. The situation is especially tricky with surgeons, whose ability to save a person’s life depends on the timely arrival of the patient. Implementation of multifaceted programs is necessary to help increase the number of surgeons in rural areas.
Several problems need to be addressed simultaneously to improve the situation. Supporting education is central to increasing the number of qualified doctors in rural areas. Providing training opportunities in rural clinics and scholarship programs are great tools that will help achieve this goal. In addition to that, surgeons in rural areas earn significantly less money compared to their counterparts from urban hospitals. Support of the government through grants and tax benefits is needed to provide financial benefits that will help attract and retain more good professionals. Housing projects that will provide young doctors who decide to work in the countryside with homes will also have a positive impact on the number of surgeons in the region.
Healthcare workforce programs can help improve the situation with the availability of surgeons in rural acres by targeting different aspects of the current situation. Supporting education and recruitment will increase the number of healthcare graduates who decide to work in the countryside. Providing such professionals with available housing and salaries that are competitive with those of doctors in urban clinics will also make the position of a surgeon more attractive. Taking these measures will lead to improved health outcomes in rural areas and, thus, help promote equality among all citizens regardless of their place of residence.