Discover whether practicing in a rural health setting is ideal for you. Our quick quiz, pros and cons, FAQs (and friendly recruiters) can help you decide.

<p>Practicing medicine in a rural setting can be personally fulfilling and financially rewarding, but it can also come with a unique set of challenges like limited resources and smaller staff. If you’ve wondered whether relocating to a rural setting – either for a short-term <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/new-year-new-career-making-the-leap-to-locums?" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">locum tenens</a> assignment or a long-term permanent placement – would be right for you, read on. This quick quiz, commonly asked questions, and list of pros and cons can help you decide.</p>
<h1><strong>Quick Quiz: Should I Work in Rural Health?</strong></h1>
<p>To determine whether practicing in a rural healthcare setting might be a wise career move for you, take a moment to answer these questions:</p>

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    Are you comfortable with a high degree of autonomy in patient care?
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    Do you prefer a lot of variety in medical cases?
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    Do you value gaining experience outside of your primary specialty?
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    Are you comfortable working on smaller, closer-knit healthcare teams?
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    Can you adjust to limited resources or outdated equipment?
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    Are you comfortable taking on various roles?
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  Do you like to form strong connections with your patients and community?
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  Are you happy with a slower pace of life?
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  Are you okay with fewer social opportunities?
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 Do you enjoy outdoor activities or a quiet lifestyle?
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 Is having a less congested commute important to you?
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  Are you able to adapt to a geographically isolated setting?
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<p>If you answered yes to at least half of the above questions, consider working in rural health!</p>
<h2><strong>Pros and Cons of Rural Health</strong></h2>
<p>There are many benefits and challenges associated with working in rural healthcare. Here are some of the most common pros and cons of rural health:</p>
<h3><strong>Pros of rural health</strong></h3>
<p>1.&nbsp;<strong>Greater autonomy:</strong> Rural health providers, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives, often have much more independence in decision-making at smaller, rural facilities.</p>
<p>2.&nbsp;<strong>A sense of community:</strong> As a rural provider, you can build close relationships with patients and be a vital part of the community. This can be fulfilling both personally and professionally.</p>
<p>3.&nbsp;<strong>Broad experiences:</strong> Since you’ll be among the few providers in the area, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your clinical exposure and expertise, enhancing your adaptability and skillset.</p>
<p>4.&nbsp;<strong>Financial rewards:</strong> To make rural positions more attractive, you’ll often find competitive salaries, student loan forgiveness, signing bonuses, and even free housing.</p>
<p>5.&nbsp;<strong>Excellent quality of life:</strong> Rural settings generally offer an outstanding work-life balance, including a slower paced lifestyle, less congested commutes, and wide open spaces.</p>
<p>6.&nbsp;<strong>Low cost of living:</strong> Lower overall living costs, like groceries, housing, entertainment, and utilities, can make your earnings go farther.</p>
<h3><strong>Cons of rural health</strong></h3>
<p>1.&nbsp;<strong>Limited resources:</strong> You might face challenges delivering care due to outdated equipment, lack of specialists, or shortages of medical supplies.</p>
<p>2.&nbsp;<strong>Higher workload:</strong> While some rural jobs are slower paced, in other cases, you may encounter a higher workload due to staffing shortages.</p>
<p>3.&nbsp;<strong>Isolation:</strong> Because you’ll have fewer colleagues and be in a less populated area, you may find you feel professionally or personally isolated.</p>
<p>4.&nbsp;<strong>Patient transportation:</strong> Many patients may have limited transportation access to care, which can be distressing for providers and patients.</p>
<p>5.&nbsp;<strong>Limited career advancement:</strong> If you prefer to stay at one location and grow your career, you may be limited in a rural setting.</p>
<p>6.&nbsp;<strong>Burnout:</strong> If the hospital where you work struggles to attract and retain providers, the existing teams may feel overworked.</p>
<h2><strong>Rural Health FAQs</strong></h2>
<p>Have you decided whether a rural health adventure is ideal for you yet? Here are answers to frequently asked questions in case you’re still undecided.</p>
<h3><strong>What classifies a rural hospital?</strong></h3>
<p>Rural hospitals are those “not located within a metropolitan area designated by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and the Census Bureau. Community hospitals are nonfederal, acute care hospitals open to the general public” (<a href="/content/According%20to%20the%20American%20Hospital%20Association%20(AHA)," rel="noopener noreferrer">American Hospital Association</a>).</p>
<h3><strong>What are federally designated health professional shortage areas (HPSAs)?</strong></h3>
<p>HPSAs “can be geographic areas, populations, or facilities. These areas have a shortage of primary, dental, or mental health care providers” (<a href="https://bhw.hrsa.gov/workforce-shortage-areas/shortage-designation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">U.S. Health Resources &amp; Services Administration</a>).</p>
<h3><strong>How many federally designated health professional shortage areas are there in the U.S.?</strong></h3>
<p>As of July 1, 2024, there were 7,501 primary medical HPSAs, 6,860 dental HPSAs, and 6,234 mental health HPSAs (<a href="https://data.hrsa.gov/Default/GenerateHPSAQuarterlyReport" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HRSA quarterly report data</a>).</p>
<h3><strong>What percentage of federally designated health professional shortage areas are in rural regions?</strong></h3>
<p>As of July 1, 2024, nearly 70% of primary medical HPSAs, 70% of dental HPSAs, and 68% of mental health HPSAs were in rural or partially rural areas (<a href="https://data.hrsa.gov/Default/GenerateHPSAQuarterlyReport" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">HRSA quarterly report data</a>).</p>
<h3><strong>How many rural hospitals are there in the U.S.?</strong></h3>
<p>As of 2024, of the 6,120 hospitals in the U.S., 1,810 are considered rural hospitals (<a href="https://www.aha.org/statistics/fast-facts-us-hospitals" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">American Hospital Association</a>).</p>
<h3><strong>How many people live in rural areas in the U.S.?</strong></h3>
<p>More than 46 million people, 15% of the population of the U.S., live in rural areas (<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rural-health/php/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/ruralhealth/about.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">US Centers for Disease Control).</a></p>
<h3><strong>What are the biggest rural health issues?</strong></h3>
<p>The biggest health issues in rural areas are health disparities, higher risk of death, exposure to environmental hazards, and limited access to emergency services and medical care (<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rural-health/php/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/ruralhealth/about.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CDC</a>).</p>
<h3><strong>What are the most significant health risks in rural areas in terms of increased risk of mortality?</strong></h3>
<p>People who live in rural areas are at greater risk for heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory disease, stroke and unintentional injury; this is partly because rural residents have higher rates of high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, poverty and lack of health insurance (<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rural-health/php/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/ruralhealth/about.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CDC</a>).</p>
<h2><strong>Should I Work in Rural Health?</strong></h2>
<p>So what’s the verdict? Does working in rural health sound right for you? If the rewards of reaching underserved patient populations, helping patients heal from chronic conditions, and being part of a community outweigh the challenges of limited equipment and fewer resources, you might just be cut out for the job. Talk with your colleagues who have worked in rural health, look around online to read what other providers have posted, or connect with a recruiter who can give you more insights into individual opportunities. One outstanding way to see if it’s a fit for you is to take a short-term <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/all-about-locum-tenens" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">locum tenens</a> assignment and try it out. Rural health is a wonderful way to experience the intrinsic rewards of caring for those who need you most.</p>
<p>Learn more about our rural health opportunities at <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/?utm_source=adwords&amp;utm_campaign=CCLsitelinks&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjw5ea1BhC6ARIsAEOG5pyrPaMJP7vErrEetPKHBxjeEy0lHy3ybODBJqh06f6FMMHDtYUVWSUaAl0tEALw_wcB" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cross Country Locums</a>.</p>


Is Rural Health Right for You?