As the end of training approaches, residents and fellows must decide where they want to practice medicine. Once they’ve considered their ideal practice setting, it’s time to focus on geographic location.
There are many things to consider when settling on a place to live and work. Consider the following questions when determining where you want to practice:
- Is your desired area geographically feasible? Is it the right size for your personal needs and desires? Does the population fluctuate year-round, or is it stable? Think about the location of your desired area as compared to the nearest large city. Is it close enough to airports or other transportation services?
- Would you be satisfied with the quality of life? Research your desired area’s economy, crime rate and housing availability. Are your favorite recreational activities and hobbies easy to find? Are there any social organizations available?
- Is it the right fit for your family? Consider the quality of schools in the area if you have children or are planning to have children. If you’re married or in a relationship, research employment opportunities available to your partner. Lastly, think about the distance between your desired area and extended family members.
You may find it beneficial to talk to school officials, religious leaders, civic associations and other physicians in your desired location to determine if it’s the right fit for you and your family. Find more questions to ask yourself during this process in the AMA’s Succeeding from Medical School to Practice resource.
You can also research the need for physicians in your desired areas with the AMA Health Workforce Mapper, which allows you to explore potential locations and discover which regions of the United States might be most in need of physicians in your specialty. The mapper allows you to search by regional needs for access to care, geographic features and the existing health care workforce in a particular area. New specialties were recently added to the mapper, including pediatrics, general surgery, cardiology, emergency medicine, internal medicine, dermatology, addiction medicine, radiology, hematology/oncology, neurology and family physicians. The AMA Health Workforce Mapper was developed in collaboration with the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Robert Graham Center.
