There's no shortage of rugged pioneer traditions in this town of 2,067, among the oldest communities in the Panhandle. For several years, there was no doctor. Thirteen months ago, Clarendon and the rest of Donley County got their own general practice physician, and he's no ordinary man of medicine. His move from Corpus Christi to the country has meant lower earnings. But Howard said he still enjoys a good income, and he and his wife purchased a 4,000-square foot home, which they could not have afforded in the city.
Few doctors see small-town medicine in that light.
Two rural hospitals have closed in the past year, and many others hang on from week to week, according to the Center for Rural Health Initiatives, a state agency. Last year, Texas suffered a net loss of 44 small-town health clinics. And more than 250,000 rural Texans eligible for benefits have no Medicare HMO in their counties. To attract medical staff, some small towns are advertising generous salaries and start-up bonuses. Others try to recruit doctors while they are still in medical school with offers of hefty scholarships or future help in repaying loans.