Twenty more medical professionals moved to work in remote districts of the Nizhny Novgorod region thanks to the "Zemsky Doctor" and "Zemsky Paramedic" programs.

      Photo: Ministry of Health of the Nizhny Novgorod Region

      Since the beginning of summer, an additional 20 medical workers have relocated to work in remote districts of the Nizhny Novgorod region thanks to the “Zemsky Doctor” and “Zemsky Fielder” programs, as reported by the regional Ministry of Health. The specialists signed employment contracts with local healthcare institutions for a term of five years. As support, doctors received one-time payments ranging from 1 million to 1.5 million rubles, while medical personnel with secondary education received lump-sum payments from 500,000 to 750,000 rubles.

      As noted by the First Deputy Minister of Health of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Sergey Kolesnikov, over 30 healthcare workers have already joined the programs since the start of this year. The funding allocated to the region from the federal budget allows at least 70 more staff to be recruited for the region’s healthcare institutions under these programs. During the autumn period, a large number of applications from young specialists—graduates of medical universities and colleges who have received diplomas—are expected.

      According to the First Deputy Minister, applicants can submit their applications through the human resources departments of their selected hospitals until December 2025. A key condition for receiving the payment is signing a work contract with a public healthcare institution for at least five years.

      “Our region has been implementing such support measures for over 13 years, and we see that the vast majority of participants in the ‘Zemsky Doctor’ and ‘Zemsky Fielder’ programs choose to stay in rural areas beyond the minimum required period. Many specialists switch profiles within district hospitals: for example, they change from emergency room work to a paramedic station or enter residency programs in targeted areas at rural hospitals, returning as narrow specialists. Some follow a path of ‘vertical mobility,’ advancing to become head of a FAP (field outpatient clinic) or department head,” explained Sergey Kolesnikov.

      The regional Ministry of Health reported that since the implementation of the “Zemsky Doctor” and “Zemsky Fielder” programs, over a thousand specialists have participated in the region. The initiative aims to improve staffing levels in public healthcare institutions with qualified personnel. It is one of the most important tasks of the new national project “Prolonged and Active Life.”

      Five out of 20 recently employed specialists are emergency medical technicians. These workers perform primary pre-medical assistance in emergencies, provide urgent treatment, and ensure the safe transportation of patients requiring hospitalization.

      For example, emergency medical technician Tatyana Kanykova has relocated to work in Ardatov, her hometown. She has 15 years of experience: over that time, she has learned to assess patients’ conditions and provide urgent assistance within minutes.

      “Ardatov is my hometown, so I was happy to return here—my relatives and school friends are here. I consider myself a qualified specialist, having faced many different cases over 15 years in emergency services: reanimating patients and assisting with rapid deliveries,” shared the paramedic.

      Maria Kosterina, chief physician of the Ardatov Central District Hospital, emphasized that the hospital’s staffing is now fully equipped with middle medical personnel.

      “We are very pleased to have a full staff of nurses and paramedics. Thanks to the program, in April this year, we also hired an ENT specialist. However, six vacancies for specialists with higher medical education remain open. We are looking for a cardiologist, anesthesiologist-resuscitator, pediatrician, therapist, endocrinologist, and radiologist. We are eager to have staff willing to work full-time. The district has a population of over nine thousand, so demand for highly educated medical staff is high,” said Maria Kosterina.

      The Ardatov Central District Hospital added that besides one-time payments, relocating doctors can also receive municipal housing. Medical workers will only need to pay utility bills, and the housing can be transferred into their personal ownership after seven years of work at the hospital.

      “The administration of the Ardatov district is ready to provide furnished one- and two-room apartments to in-demand specialists. There are no specific requirements regarding experience or length of service, so we welcome both young professionals and experienced doctors. I would like to highlight that this support measure is particularly popular among graduates of medical universities: a significant lump sum and ‘debt-free’ housing help young specialists get started and establish their own families,” added Maria Kosterina.

      It is worth recalling that the national project “Prolonged and Active Life” was launched across the country in 2025 by order of President Vladimir Putin. It aims to increase life expectancy by 2030 and includes the renewal of polyclinics, outpatient clinics, feldsher-obstetric points, attracting more qualified medical personnel, applying new approaches in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic diseases, improving emergency medical services and rehabilitation systems, developing national research centers, and digitalizing the industry. The project encompasses 11 federal initiatives, including “Health for Everyone,” “Modernization of Primary Healthcare,” “Medical Personnel,” “Fighting Cardiovascular Diseases,” “Combating Cancer,” “Controlling Diabetes,” “Hepatitis Prevention and Risk Minimization,” “Improving Emergency Medical Care,” “Development of Federal Medical Organizations, including National Research Centers,” and the “National ‘Health’ Platform,” as well as “Optimal Medical Rehabilitation for Recovery.”