Career strategies of young rural doctors of the Leningrad region: a narrative analysis

Population health is one of the most significant human resources which largely determine the progress in the competition, productivity and agricultural economic activity. It has a huge social and economic growth effect in general. It also plays a huge role in village areas which come second in terms of importance after all cities and towns. Over the last decade, there has been a growing research interest in career strategies in medicine among young medical professionals. However, there is little empirical research on young rural doctors' career strategies in Russia. This study is in line with medical professions studies and rural studies. Young physicians have different career orientations towards learning and practicing medicine. Some of them need more support for their professional development. The study employs the biographical interview method, which allows us to consider the formation of career strategies of young doctors from various conceptual perspectives, such as everyday practices, interactions in work environment, and communication with rural community. The main analytical method was a thematic analysis of young doctors' narrative stories. Based on those interviews, the article aims to find answers to the following questions: «How to preserve professionalism while working in rural areas?» and «How to devise a career strategy when you enter a rural community?» The empirical base of the study are 40 interviews with young rural doctors from the Leningrad region. When analysing the narrative interviews, two main strategies in forming a young doctor's career have been found: rural career (focused on life and work in the countryside) and moving strategy (focused on moving from rural to urban areas). Each career type has its own way of positioning oneself as a doctor in a rural community. The received data allows for investigating the career strategies of young doctors based on the thematic analysis of narrative interviews and it can be used to improve the process of young doctors' integration into working in villages. Our analysis takes account of the strategies young rural doctors use to make a career, their feeling of belonging or non-belonging to the rural community, and different views on ru-rality. The topics of discussion deal with career choice, working experiences and career opportunities. The study contributes to rural professions studies and medical studies.