The Benefits of Practicing Neurology in a Rural Setting When you think of practicing medicine in a rural setting, what comes to mind? For neurologists who have lived and trained in densely populated urban areas for most of their lives, the mental image can be full of misconceptions. But you may be surprised to learn that salaries for rural neurologists frequently exceed those of their colleagues in the city. Another surprise might be the flexibility that rural neurologists often experience, in both the subspecialties they can pursue and the conditions of their work. Even the stereotypes about the towns themselves may turn out to be false, with many “country” locations offering amenities that rival those of the big city—albeit in lesser quantities. With those stereotypes out of the picture, read on to discover the realities of practicing neurology in a rural setting.
Practicing one’s specialty immediately For Saurabh G. Shukla, MD, there was never a question of whether he would practice in a rural or underserved area, since that was a condition for maintaining his visa. Even so, he admits the prospect was somewhat daunting for both him and his wife. Having completed medical school in India before taking post-graduate roles in Boston, New York City, and Miami, Shukla was used to highly populated cities. But once he understood that his first employer would likely be situated in an underserved area, he threw himself into a strategic and methodical job search. Shukla’s process took 18 months to complete, partly because of the administrative process with his visa paperwork and partly because he was being extra selective. In the end, he accepted an offer from the University of
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Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, joining the staff in January 2019 as assistant professor of neurology. “One thing that really drove me here was the work factor,” Shukla says of his decision. “Here I’m able to practice neuromuscular neurology, which is really difficult for a new doctor in large centers. Because in bigger centers, those positions are saturated, and people stay for decades.” Indeed, not only is Shukla able to devote nearly full time to his specialty in neuromuscular neurology, but as it turns out, he’s the only academic neuromuscular specialist in the entire state. This provides a unique opportunity for someone so new to the university, as patients come from the states bordering Mississippi in search of
