There is no place like home for the holidays. The roads and skies are filling with happy travelers on their way to visit their loved ones. We live in a big country, and where you choose to live and work can be an important consideration when evaluating practice opportunities.

Moving away from home for college, medical school, and residency may be the norm, but for many physicians, proximity to family and friends becomes more important as the years pass. In a recent study, 42% of physicians cited being closer to family as a reason why they resigned from their previous position.1

Focus your job search in an area that is within a comfortable distance from your family and friends. How close would you like to be? Close enough to see daily? An hour or two by car? A day’s drive? A long trip by air? Remember, the further away you are, the less frequent and more expensive your visits are likely to be!

Learn about the community when you consider a practice opportunity. Take a look around. Talk with everyone you meet. They may become your friends, neighbors, and patients.

Drive through the neighborhoods. Are they attractive and affordable? Ask about the local schools. Are they doing a good job? How are the libraries, road maintenance, and other public institutions and  services?

Look into the economy. Are the commercial districts active with stores and restaurants?  Are local businesses doing well? Who are the area’s largest employers? What is the community’s socio-economic profile? 

Explore the lifestyles the community offers. Do its social, cultural, religious, recreational, and entertainment opportunities appeal to you?  Will it be easy to fit in and make new friends?

Your assessment of the community, and how you might live and work there, can help you choose or rule out a practice opportunity. Finding the place that is right for you may take time, but it’s worth it. There is no place like home for the holidays.

1 2006 Physician Retention Survey, Cjeka Search and American Medical Group Association