Rural Vs Remote Doctors Work – What is the difference?
Remote and rural are often used interchangeably, but although they are similar the key difference is that remote is a more extreme version of rural.
Rural areas are defined as a geographic location that is outside towns and cities, most commonly referred to as the countryside or country, while remote areas are defined as places that are further out or considerably secluded from civilisation. Remote areas are generally seen as a lot more extreme extensions of rural areas, and their seclusion adds to the extremities when it comes to health care.
The level of remoteness and rurality are important to define and understand a range of factors related to the healthcare field, including:
- Health, wellbeing and workforce needs
- Resources allocated to meet these needs, including healthcare staff, physical resources and funding
Understanding the difference between remote and rural areas and identifying which areas fit into each category can be very important as it helps to define different areas of the Medicare exemption under the 19AA and 19AB sections of the Act.
The difference between rural and remote doctor work
While rural and remote work will generally offer similar working conditions, the more remote you choose to work, the harder it is for those communities to access specialist services or immediate professional support. Therefore, often doctors in remote locations will be tasked with more difficult and unusual situations in place of, or while waiting for specialist assistance. This is where rural or remote doctors roles can give doctors much more versatility in their day to day environment, and often these doctors will achieve a level of empowerment that few big city positions can compare to.
There is often a strong stigma around working as a rural or remote doctor, that it is somehow less of an option, or that working in these areas was almost a negative challenge. In fact, working in these types of areas is often spoken about as some of the most rewarding career experiences for doctors, giving them new opportunities to grow and develop in their career pathways, and offering hands-on training that they might elsewhere be unlikely to get the chance at.
No two days are the same in rural or remote areas, and the work and impact doctors can have on these communities is often cherished and praised more than any other type of environment. If remote or rural doctor jobs sound like something you would like to undertake, whether it be as a locum or permanent role, we’d love to have a chat. Reach out to the Jon & Jon Medical team today to get started on your journey.