Rural General Surgery

[mryoshi13]

Is it possible to practice rural general surgery and pay off medical school loans? Repayment programs are out there but they are so competitive and meant only for primary care fields!

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[boboli]

Yes! You're right though, most government programs are aimed at primary care fields. However, arrangements could probably be made with various hospitals or group practices for help with loan repayment. That you will be reimbursed well as a general surgeon, better than the family practice doctors who are also paying off their loans (with or without any loan repayment programs). Cost of living is also much less in rural communities. Plus, you can have a great lifestyle, depending on how you negotiate your call schedule and the types of cases that you do.

Try asking in the general surgery forum too. . .

 

[deleted87716]

Copying to the surgery forum for more responses.

 

[Dr JPH]

I posted about this a few months ago.

Try a quick search and see what you come up with...maybe we can reignite the discussion.

 

[Amgen1]

check with the state medical board in which you intend to practice. some type of repayment may be able to be set up.

http://www.tmb.state.tx.us/professionals/hcpres/rural.php

 

[Winged Scapula]

Is it possible to practice rural general surgery and pay off medical school loans? Repayment programs are out there but they are so competitive and meant only for primary care fields!

You can often earn much much more as a general surgeon in a rural or "undesirable" (to others) place. You'll also benefit as noted above because it will generally cost you less to live there.

While I'd advise you to be careful about some of the offers out there (they often lure you with fantastic first year salary quotes but leave important details out about life after that), it is an old saw that you can be paid more if you are in demand. Only surgeon in a 5 county area and you'll take call every night? Heck, you'll pay those med school loans off in a second. A recent residency grad that I know is working in the far north midwest of the US and making 2.5 times the average salary of a general surgeon in a more urban market, FWIW.

 

[MossPoh]

If you originated from a smaller town it might be worth it to check out that hospital. I've heard of situations where they'll reimburse you and help pay for a practice for promising to work there. Probably ends up being longer than the regular stent. I know I was told to call up the hospital where I'm form when/if I reach that point. If it was something they needed they were up for reimbursment. I would say this isn't very common, and I probably get the benefits of my dad being at that hospital for a solid 20 years and in an area where recruiting is difficult....but hey it is worth a try if you have aspirations of returning home.

 

[icare4u]

when we say "rural," how "rural" are we talking about? 5,000, 50,000?

 

[Pilot Doc]

when we say "rural," how "rural" are we talking about? 5,000, 50,000?

Five to fifty is probably about the right range. Perhaps bigger places in isolated areas.