Perspectives of rural surgical practice in Georgia.

The decline of rural surgery is a cause of great concern. In an attempt to identify the decisive factors involved in entering and maintaining a rural practice of general surgery, information was solicited by questionnaire from Georgia surgeons practicing in communities with a population less than 25,000. Some of the issues were availability of ancillary services, number of procedures performed, perceived problems affecting practice, relationship with their principal hospital, and satisfaction with practice and lifestyle. Only responses from residency-trained surgeons or Fellows of the American College of Surgeons were used for analysis. This study identified both the assets and the liabilities of rural surgical practice. If the rural surgeon is to be preserved in the USA, all surgeons must be made aware of the problems encountered in a rural surgical practice and aid in the search for solutions.