A resident of Bridgton, Maine, Dr. Olson does not maintain a private practice; instead, he is an employee of nearby Bridgton Hospital. Although he earns less than he would practicing in an urban area, that’s fine with him, he said in an interview. But with only one other surgeon in the area, Dr. Olson is on call every other night during week, and every other weekend.
"If we had four surgeons, we’d have a really nice lifestyle," he said. "Nobody would be overburdened with calls."
There are programs that encourage and train young surgeons for rural practice, and the ACS continues to raise awareness about the shortage.
"Estimates show that there’s an increasing need to care for rural America, because of retiring rural surgeons. We are trying to fill those needs and to show why being a rural surgeon is a good thing," Dr. Borgstrom said in an interview.
But addressing the shortage of rural surgeons, given the lack of interest among young surgeons and the aging population of the existing ones, is multifaceted.
"It’s clear that our system doesn’t provide an easy way for surgical patients to access the appropriate level of care," said Dr. Olson, chair of the Rural Surgery Subcommittee and vice chair of the advisory council for general surgery for the ACS. "Solutions won’t come until major groups work together. Congress has to pass some laws on how health care is delivered, and physicians and health care organizations in rural areas need to really stand up and be part of that discussion. If we can establish a model on rural health care, we can make a difference."
Meanwhile, rural surgeons such as Dr. Caropreso continue their advocacy – and their search for colleagues.