2008 Woodie Awards
UNMC study helps find rural doctors
NICOLE SNIDER
Issue date: 6/19/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Adequate health care is often not a problem in large cities like Lincoln and Omaha, but for many rural Nebraskans, finding a close doctor proves a challenge when many communities share needed physicians.
A recent study about rural physicians may help to draw doctors to practice in the small communities of Nebraska.
Dr. Paul Paulman of the University of Nebraska Medical Center's department of family medicine has always had an interest in rural medicine since he practiced in a community of 600 people in central Nebraska.
"It's a critical area that we need to pay attention to," he said.
This interest in rural medicine inspired Paulman to conduct a study to discover what rural physicians have in common.
He hopes the study's findings will be useful in targeting newly graduated physicians.
The results were surprising for Paulman, who found out that rural physicians had varying personal interests but similar ethics and motivations.
"They are into service versus science. Relationships are more important, as they are driven by helping others," said Paulman.
The physicians also had similar upbringings, he said. All but one had grown up in a rural setting.
The difficulty of recruiting physicians to practice in small communities is nothing new, said Roxanna Jokela, director of the Rural Health Education Network at UNMC.
Jokela said the Rural Health Education Network, a rural rotation program for medical students, was developed 15 years ago with the goal of increasing interest in rural health.
"The program develops opportunities for students to have education in rural areas," said Jokela.
When asked about Paulman's study about rural physicians, Jokela said he is right on track, especially regarding the strong service ethic.
"We develop a community service component in the rotation," said Jokela.
She said that in rural areas, leadership and service is extremely important and vital to the success of the community. Often physicians take on a leadership role.
Jokela agreed that Paulman's discoveries of the similarities of rural physicians would help health care concerns in many ways.
"This is valid information to use in the admission process at UNMC," she said.
With the shortage of physicians, Paulman advocates that Nebraskans need to pay attention to health care in rural areas.
"Rural communities need to band together to share resources," he said.
Because of the federal funding and support from UNMC with rural education programs, Paulman is optimistic with the future of rural communities.
"It has a bright future," said Paulman. "I don't think I could have said that a few years back."
A recent study about rural physicians may help to draw doctors to practice in the small communities of Nebraska.
Dr. Paul Paulman of the University of Nebraska Medical Center's department of family medicine has always had an interest in rural medicine since he practiced in a community of 600 people in central Nebraska.
"It's a critical area that we need to pay attention to," he said.
This interest in rural medicine inspired Paulman to conduct a study to discover what rural physicians have in common.
He hopes the study's findings will be useful in targeting newly graduated physicians.
The results were surprising for Paulman, who found out that rural physicians had varying personal interests but similar ethics and motivations.
"They are into service versus science. Relationships are more important, as they are driven by helping others," said Paulman.
The physicians also had similar upbringings, he said. All but one had grown up in a rural setting.
The difficulty of recruiting physicians to practice in small communities is nothing new, said Roxanna Jokela, director of the Rural Health Education Network at UNMC.
Jokela said the Rural Health Education Network, a rural rotation program for medical students, was developed 15 years ago with the goal of increasing interest in rural health.
"The program develops opportunities for students to have education in rural areas," said Jokela.
When asked about Paulman's study about rural physicians, Jokela said he is right on track, especially regarding the strong service ethic.
"We develop a community service component in the rotation," said Jokela.
She said that in rural areas, leadership and service is extremely important and vital to the success of the community. Often physicians take on a leadership role.
Jokela agreed that Paulman's discoveries of the similarities of rural physicians would help health care concerns in many ways.
"This is valid information to use in the admission process at UNMC," she said.
With the shortage of physicians, Paulman advocates that Nebraskans need to pay attention to health care in rural areas.
"Rural communities need to band together to share resources," he said.
Because of the federal funding and support from UNMC with rural education programs, Paulman is optimistic with the future of rural communities.
"It has a bright future," said Paulman. "I don't think I could have said that a few years back."
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