Physician Recruiting - Minnesota Town Innovates to Recruit Doctors

Asks Humorist Garrison Keillor for Help

Prelude: International Falls ,Minnesota, reputed to be the coldest town in the U.S., is short on doctors. Its 7 person clinic needs a surgeon and three family physicians. So local leaders turned to Garrison Keillor, Minnesota’s icon of humor, to rustle up a few good doctors, He responed on “A Prairie Home Companion,” listened to by 4.3 million listeners on 580 public radio stations, by composing and singing a doctor recruiting ballad. You can listen to it duluthclinic.org. Here are snippets from Garrison Keillor’s Song on International Falls’ Efforts to Lure Doctors. So far 15 doctors have responded to the call for help.

They’re looking for doctors, in International Falls.

Up on the Northern Border, where the loon calls.

They don’t need a psychiatrist, they’re basically all right.

They Need fishhooks removed, and treatment for frostbite.

It’s not a luxury resort with miles of sand beaches,

It’s more known for blizzards, wood ticks, and leeches.

It gets cold in winter so you cannot feel your face.

But for the right kind of person, it could be the perfect place.

Here’s is my limerick commenting on Garrison’s noteworthy effort..

There once was a humorist named Garrison Keillor,

A real fine feeler, not known as a wheeler dealer healer,

Garrison wrote and sang a song calling for physicians,

Who might want to practice and fish under cold conditions.

Among physician recruiters he became a scene stealer


Reference

Damon Adams, “Radio Icon Sings Praises of Minn. Town to Lure Doctors, “American Medical News, June 11, 2007