Robert C. Bowman, M.D.

Purpose - more practitioners for rural areas, especially tougher locations, review of process involved and examples in NE

Those interested in rural practice take their careers seriously. Choosing a rural practice involves a courtship and marriage type experience, and hopefully there is not a divorce. Recruitment fairs can certainly help break the ice, or can help lead to final negotiations.

Recruitment Fairs

Recruiting New Rural Practitioners

Ultimate Recruitment Experience

Two stages possible

1. Develop interest, encourage those with rural interest
2. Encourage an interview, a visit, moonlighting

Can do both stages in a 4 hour period, but not together

Stage 1 Objective

• Tends to be a party for students, lots of perks

• Residents actually looking may be driven off by lack of chance to talk 1 on 1

• Less interesting to communities, due to previous

• Best in late afternoon

• Convenient for students, usually late afternoon

• Some snacks and drinks helpful, not too costly

Stage 1 Opportunities

• Needs the help of rural student group and other student groups

• Partners easily with Rural High School Health Fair

• Could partner with Rural Health Association, but only if the meeting were in Omaha

• and it is so far to date only located at Kearney in the fall

• Some political opportunities for leaders to visit, circulate

Stage 2 Objective

• Smaller, one on one

• Targets those nearest graduation

• Senior students - some leave the state for training

• First and second year residents, thirds usually have decided

• Physician assistants

• Nurse practitioners, especially FNP

• Best prospects seem to look early and decide early

• Convenient to residents - noon (if short) or evening

• Meal essential to draw participants, good dinner will attract more than requiring attendance

• Needs to involve spouses and rural practitioners

• Multiple contacts from the town helpful to best inform recruits

• Communities must be prepared, understand the level of expectation

Stage 2 Opportunities

• Can work it into the curricula for residents to improve attendance

• Communities need training, especially from those with more experience

• Communities learn best from residents, especially the more organized types

• Could bring in residents from other programs, especially those who went to med school here

• NeRHA meeting at Kearney a good partner, would take special effort to

• attract western locations (panhandle partnership)

• NAFP meeting in March a potential partner, but booths expensive

• NAFP preventive meeting in fall a possibility (could marry this to NeRHA and Fair)

• FP Review attracts a fair number of rural practitioners who could come to fair

• Helpful to time Fair when most residents around, July a good month or during Team Teaching Day

Obstacles at UNMC and NHS

• Poor understanding of different stages of recruitment

• Good participation from UNMC FP and 4 residents a year from Lincoln,

• but not Clarkson or Creighton Yet (mail and present not enough)

• Need a contact within each residency

• Suitable sites for events limited until recently (Storz)

• Little long term planning

• Little unity in planning from various entities with rural interest

• Poor contact list (has potential for improvement with tracking database)

• Changes difficult to accomplish, lots of inertia

Obstacles within the state

• Office of Rural Health controls Nebraska Rural Health Association location

• Keeps meeting in Kearney, OK for Stage 2, not Stage 1

• Omaha meeting would boost contacts, opportunities, and income for the group

• Special concerns - communities may not do Stage 2 even when set up, many come to Omaha to meet each other and shop, with recruitment as much excuse as work

History of the Fair

• Started Stage 1 before 1993 with a mix of all types of students to a mix of Stage 1 and 2

• Lots of preparations in the past have been squashed by poor communication

• Recently very tough to get resident participation without lots of effort

• Difficult to get spouses and practitioners

• Could be a great event or events, with mostly planning effort and coordination and some funds

• Opportunity to get state or foundation funding or community funding to bring potential recruits from outside the state

Tennessee did a good job with some funds to gather communities and residents and spouses together for some booths and shared meals and entertainment. You know you are successful when you see strollers and lots of interactions.