Finding Jobs for Rural Health Professionals with 3RNET’s Mike Shimmens

Rural Matters

Michelle chats with Mike Shimmens, Executive Director for 3RNET, the nation’s most trusted resource for health professionals in rural and underserved communities, about an increasingly important topic in rural communities: assisting health care professionals to find jobs and careers and helping health care employers to find qualified workers. In the last four months, Shimmens says, 3RNET is seeing fewer applications from health care professionals, but it’s unclear whether there is just a blip or the result of increasing burnout in this space as the pandemic continues to plague communities. Shimmens notes that many states are experiencing health professional shortages, according to HIPSA scoring that is monitored by governmental primary care offices. If you’re a stakeholder in a rural or underserved area, you may want to look into the J1 visa program, he adds. On a positive note on shortages, Shimmens says, in terms of loan repayment assistance, there recently has been an infusion of $800 million into the National Health Service Corps, which is available to subsets of health professionals, as well as from state agencies. 3RNET, a nonprofit, is a valuable resource for its members in this area as well, providing educational information and job listings. If you’re an employer that wants to participate in this effort, you can reach out to a 3RNET network coordinator in your state, explains Shimmens. This episode is sponsored by 3RNET. Whether you’re looking for a job or searching for the perfect candidate, 3RNET is here to help. Get started today at 3RNET.org.