You can find here our answers for your queries on working in a rural hospital.

Q: I cannot find any hospitals in my state (eg. Kerala). What can I do?

A: We are a new and upcoming website, striving to add new rural hospitals to our
network every week. Do keep your eyes peeled on the website for new updates
and additions. We also have a LinkedIn page, which we update when a new
hospital is added to our network. And if you have any suggestions for hospitals
that we can add, do send us an email about it!

Q: Are there any other networks of hospitals with vacancy opportunities?

A: Yes, please check out
https://cmai.org/network-vacancies.html (Christian Medical Association of India) and
https://ruralhospitalnetwork.org/?page_id=2288 (Emmanuel Hospital Association)

Q: What is the minimum time commitment required to work in a Rural Hospital?

A: This differs from hospital to hospital. If you are interested in just volunteering,
there is usually no minimum time commitment – you can commit for as little or
as long as you want. If you want to join full time, most hospitals require at least a
minimum commitment of a few months – the reasons being, it takes time to get
familiar with the workings of the hospital as well as with the community that you
are working with, and it’s a much more fulfilling experience for everyone if you
stay for a longer period of time.

Q: Will I get any certification at the end of my work?

A: If you request for a certificate of acknowledgement of your work, you can get it.

Q: What is the economic model on which these rural hospitals work?

A triad of donations, government funding and self-income finances most rural
hospitals. The proportions of each vary from hospital to hospital.

Q: Can I get enough salary from working in a Rural Hospital to be economically
independent?

A: This depends! The salary for a full time healthcare professional working in a
rural area varies between 10,000 and up to 1,00,000 rupees per month. In most
places, stay is included. Expenditure in rural areas is generally much less
compared to cities, so if you spend wisely, saving shouldn’t be a problem!

Q: What criteria should I use for deciding on a Rural Hospital?

A: We would suggest choosing a place, which has a location that is convenient to
you – this will ensure you are not homesick and your family will be happy to
oblige! Try to find a hospital with good mentors – you will learn that the people
make the hospital, not the equipment it has. And lastly, make sure you visit the
hospital first and see if it’s a good fit for you.

Q: How do I combat the language issue?

A: If learning languages is a major challenge for you, then find a hospital where the
languages spoken are comfortable by you. However, if you are willing to embrace
the challenge of language, we encourage you to step out of your comfort zone to
work in a place with a new language. We hope that you can learn at least the
medical aspects of the language within 3-6 months, provided you are open
minded.

Q: What are the opportunities for research in Rural Hospitals?

A: It depends on the Hospital. Some have dedicated Research departments while others have good data collection systems and do internal audits. We encourage you to write to the hospital and find out the details.

Q: Can you tell me about any social media pages describing the experiences of
young doctors working in Rural Hospitals?

A: Check out the instagram page @intern.al.capsule for a junior doctor’s experience
at Gudalur Adivasi Hospital, Gudalur. https://www.instagram.com/intern.al.capsule/
Check out the blog of Sangeetha Ashoka, an MBBS doctor working at Tribal
Health Initiative, Sittilingi. http://shobiashok.blogspot.com/