Rural

[deleted1093615]

Might be a dumb question, but everyone talks about living rural to maximize earning potential. What would you guys consider rural? in terms of Population size like <100000 people? How far away from a big city?
Interested in peoples input on this.

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[dtrack22]

critical access hospital is rural. Then again, folks from large coastal metros will tell you anything in the Midwest is “rural” so I’m not sure you’ll get a good definition here.

I practice in a town of 20,000 people. I live in a little metro area of 300,000 people. The place where I live can have a hard time recruiting physicians, so I guarantee there are people who consider it “rural.” I don’t know where the cut off is but it’s definitely below 100,000 people. I would probably say it needs to be below 40-50k before it’s actually “rural”

 

[Feli]

If there is traffic (for more than perhaps a minute now and again at the town gas station or high school), then it's not rural.

 

[heybrother]

We've had similar discussions in the past and the definition of "rural" is all over the place. What I think will surprise you is that unless the location is truly isolated you will always find a podiatrist(s) there.

 

[dtrack22]

We've had similar discussions in the past and the definition of "rural" is all over the place. What I think will surprise you is that unless the location is truly isolated you will always find a podiatrist(s) there.

Well yeah the definition of rural would be more accurate if you looked at the availability of real doctors, as opposed to podiatrists.

i.e. it’s not rural until you don’t have a vascular surgeon

 

[Feli]

We've had similar discussions in the past and the definition of "rural" is all over the place. What I think will surprise you is that unless the location is truly isolated you will always find a podiatrist(s) there.

Truth^^^

 

[air bud]

Well yeah the definition of rural would be more accurate if you looked at the availability of real doctors, as opposed to podiatrists.

i.e. it’s not rural until you don’t have a vascular surgeon

Yeah I have practiced 5 years without vascular or ID....or another pod within (checks google maps) 90 miles minimum from me.

This is rural.

 

[DexterMorganSK]

We've had similar discussions in the past and the definition of "rural" is all over the place.

Past threads on the Topic (for OP):

Rural Hospital - Non-Surgical

Currently MSG employed in Florida. Currently looking into some rural work closer to where my family lives. There is one particular hospital that is interested but they are VERY rural and do not have an OR. How feasible is it for a Podiatrist to work full-time at such a location while also being...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Working in rural areas

Hi, I'm a 1st year podiatry resident and I have a question. I'm from a heavily underserved/rural area and I was thinking about possibly going back to those types of areas post residency (not necessarily the same exact place but similar). How exactly would one start hunting for contacts in...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Rural practice

I am interested in learning more about the possibility of practicing in a rural environment. Can anyone out there give me a little insight into the world of rural podiatry?

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[Sweatshirt]

My hospital is in a town of less than 10,000 (serves a greater surrounding area though), has 45-ish inpatient beds, 4 ICU beds. Only DPM at the hospital. I'm sure plenty of other rural people have me beat based off my numbers

And I laughed at the comment above by @heybrother, despite my rural location there is still a PP podiatrist that drives an hour once a week to cover an office

 

[air bud]

Also it is not about max money, but rather lower COL in relation to income.

 

[newfeet]

I lived and work in rural areas for 8 years. I wouldn't do it again. I took those jobs because I wanted to work at a hospital. The pay was good. End of the day it didn't work for my family. Where we live now works a little better.

 

[air bud]

I lived and work in rural areas for 8 years. I wouldn't do it again. I took those jobs because I wanted to work at a hospital. The pay was good. End of the day it didn't work for my family. Where we live now works a little better.

Samesies. Emphasis on little

 

[Pronation]

I lived and work in rural areas for 8 years. I wouldn't do it again. I took those jobs because I wanted to work at a hospital. The pay was good. End of the day it didn't work for my family. Where we live now works a little better.

So what you’re telling people is that the only way you could find a job where you were paid like a doctor and not a nurse was in the middle of nowhere at a hospital employed position.

 

[619]

We've had similar discussions in the past and the definition of "rural" is all over the place. What I think will surprise you is that unless the location is truly isolated you will always find a podiatrist(s) there.

Don't forget a dentist and an Indian owned convenient store/gas station. Opportunities are everywhere for everyone

 

[newfeet]

So what you’re telling people is that the only way you could find a job where you were paid like a doctor and not a nurse was in the middle of nowhere at a hospital employed position.

Basically. I still think I'm in the middle of nowhere but I'm work in a city of 150,000 people and it have division 1 level college sports and an NFL team 2 hours away. My kids are into the local university and are begging us to take them to games.

 

[Boba Foot]

I think the gold standard rule for whether a town is rural or not has always been number of Walmarts in or around that town.

 

[Utvolsdpm]

I think the gold standard rule for whether a town is rural or not has always been number of Walmarts in or around that town.

I thought it was if Dollar General is the main store in town

 

[PMG03470]

It’s hilarious because my city is 45k and it seems big to me… I grew up in a town of 2k I would not consider where I live now rural. Closest “city” would be Philly and that’s like 2 hours away!

 

[air bud]

I thought it was if Dollar General is the main store in town

This is accurate. I spent 2 years in a town where Walmart was 1.5 hours away. But I never once stepped foot in a dollar general/family dollar. Fortunately it was a pretty drive so we made that trip often.

 

[newfeet]

This is accurate. I spent 2 years in a town where Walmart was 1.5 hours away. But I never once stepped foot in a dollar general/family dollar. Fortunately it was a pretty drive so we made that trip often.

I couldn't do that. There was always a Walmart in town or the next town over. But we used to drive an hour plus to go the indian grocery store or whole foods. Now we live in a town with an indian grocery store... so exciting.

 

[dtrack22]

Rural is when the community Facebook page has posts asking if anyone lost an Emu

 

[619]

LiMU emu is real afterwards. Somebody call liberty mutual. Doug is looking for his emu.