Writing for the Tufts Journal, med student Marya Spurling explains why she’ll set up her practice back home on Maine’s Little Cranberry Island.
Many people who hear about where I grew up have a difficult time understanding how it is possible to live in what seems to be such an isolated place, far from almost all conveniences. The answer that we are all quick to give is that the community sustains us. Our lives are intertwined, and as each member contributes to the life of the community, the community is the mainstay of each individual’s life.
Having been raised not only by my immediate family but also by my neighbors, I feel a responsibility to a larger family, one that is intergenerational, not all related, not always in agreement and encompasses a wealth of experiences and perspectives. As I was acutely aware during my pursuit of medical schools, we are all involved in each other’s lives. Each triumph is felt by all, and each loss echoes throughout the community.
Maine hosts one of six federally funded “Rural Health Research Centers.” For more on that , click here.
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