A Look at Rural Healthcare Films - USA

I wrote this with the idea of helping rural and underserved hospitals and healthcare organizations, people, etc... get funding, skilled employees, and to create interest with the public and maybe inspire future healthcare workers. I believed that if rural healthcare is seen and discussed in ways that are accessible to the general population, then I believe things can be improved. 

However, myths, stereotypes, limited settings, plots and stories can work against rural interests. So, while we should support this genre, I believe that we need to improve and update the stories and locations used. Encourage writers, creators, etc… to create new novels, TV, etc… that represent what it is really like today.

Out of 50 States and 14 US Territories there are 20 States that are represented/used as a setting of the 42 Films and TV shows that have been made.

 (This is everything I could find; broken down by state.)

Set within the USA

• Alabama

Hart of Dixie (2011-2015)
Dr. Zoe Hart has her life planned out until she loses her residency and discovers her father is not her biological father. She decides to seek out her biological father only to learn he died and left her his half of a practice in Bluebell, Alabama. So, she starts her medical career as a GP in the town. 

Miss Evers Boys (1997)
Based on the play Miss Evers Boys by David Feldshuh [First Published in 1995]. In 1932 The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Blacks with Syphilis; In which 412 black men were infected with syphilis to see how they were affected by the infection. The events are told from the perspective of Nurse Evers. 

• Alaska

Christmas Under Wraps (2014)
After Doctor Lauren Brunell is not selected for a position, she wanted she moves to the small town of Garland, Alaska. There she works as the town's only Doctor (and is possibly working for Santa Clause), falls for the local (and only town handyman), while struggling with going from a large city to a small town. 

Northern Exposure (1990-1995) 
Recent Graduate New York Doctor Joel Fleischman has to work in Cicely, Alaska a rural town with some interesting residents to pay back the state for funding his way through medical school.

• Arizona

Four Eyes, Six Guns (1992) 
Optometrist Earnest Allbright buys a practice in Tombstone, AZ. When he arrives in Tombstone the business, the town, and the West are not what he expected. Things are challenging until he earns the love of a good woman and helps Marshal Wyatt Earp stop a gang of outlaws with his shooting skills.

Frontier Doctor (1956-1959) 
Set in the Arizona Territory in the early 1900's; Dr. Baxter treats a variety of patient's and faces various dangers in following his calling.  

Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)
Set in Camp Verde, Arizona, Tarantulas that have mutated because of the overuse of pesticides have started attacking livestock. The town’s veterinarian Dr. Robert Hansen is called to investigate. A spider's nest is discovered and destroyed. This helps to set the spiders on a migration towards the town cutting it off from the rest of the world.

• California

Arachnophobia (1990)
Dr. Ross Jennings tired of city life moves to the country town of Canaima, California with his family to start a practice. While this is happening an invasive hybrid spider is spreading throughout the area. The Doctor Jennings, a spider expert Dr. James Atherton, the local exterminator Delbert McClintock, and the Sheriff Parsons must work together to save the town. 

Jesse (1988) 
In Meredith, CA. a small rural town the only time they have a Doctor is on Wednesdays when one flies in. The rest of the time is Jesse Malone an LPN takes care of the medical needs of the area. One day she is reported and arrested and has to go to court for practicing beyond her scope of practice.  

Virgin River (2019-?) 
The series is based on the Virgin River Book Series by Robyn Carr [First Published in 2007] A Nurse Practitioner and Midwife Melinda Monroe takes a job in the rural town of Virgin River, California. She goes there for a fresh start after going through personal tragedies.

• Colorado

Doc Elliot (1973)
Doctor Benjamin Elliot a Staff Doctor for Bellevue Hospital in New York resigns and sets up practice in rural Colorado where he makes house calls by plane and a four-wheel drive truck. 

Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (1993-1998)
Post-Civil War a woman Doctor from Boston is hired to be the town Doctor in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Once there she proves herself as a Doctor, adopts 3 children, has a romance with widowed mountain man, Byron Sully while making a home for herself. 

Everwood (2002-2006)
Widowed Doctor Andrew Brown moves his family New York City to Everwood, Colorado. Where he sets up a free clinic and finds that practicing medicine in a small town and raising a single parent family are more challenging than he expected.

• Connecticut 

Dr. Kildare Goes Home (1940)
After completing his internship Dr. James Kildare temporarily returns home to (fictional) Dartford, Connecticut to help his father Dr. Stephen Kildare (the only GP left in the area) and the town of Parkersville. While facing the challenges of being a young and new to the community James Kildare creates a clinic and practice with three recently graduated/qualified Doctors before returning to a prestige position in New York City. 

• Iowa 

I’ll Be Home For Christmas (1997)
St. Nicholas, Iowa is a small town of 1500 that is about to lose the only hospital within 3 hours of the town if they cannot get a MD to take over. While this is happening former resident and MD Michael Greiser comes to town to visit family over the Christmas holiday. The mayor, city council and the town work to recruit Michael to become the town, Doctor. 

• Louisiana

Skelton Key (2005) 
Caroline Ellis a Hospice Nurse in Louisiana quits her job and goes to work at a rural New Orleans Plantation helping a take care a woman of her husband that recently suffered from a stroke. At the plantation she investigates a ghost story and Hoodoo beliefs along with other mysterious happenings around the Plantation

• Maine

Kingdom Hospital (2004) 
Kingdom Hospital in Lewiston Maine is haunted due to being built upon a site of multiple disasters.  The first was a Civil War Era Mill that was destroyed by fire killing most of the workers. After that be a hospital that also burned down which killed most residents and staff. Now Kingdom Hospital is a place haunted by ghosts and other supernatural creature. The staff deal with the supernatural as best they can while the factors that will contribute to another disaster build. 

Shut In (2016) 
A horror thriller about a recently widowed child psychologist Mary Portman living and working in rural Maine; Believes that her and her injured child Stephen are in danger from a supernatural presence. 

• Maryland

Better Living Through Chemistry (2014)
Set in fictional Woodbury, Maryland depressed small town pharmacist Doug Varney, who owns and operates the only pharmacy in town in town. He gets involved in an affair with a customer; and begins abusing prescription pharmaceuticals along with making other poor decisions. Resulting in a crisis where he could lose everything. 

• Missouri 

Kings Row (1942) (1955)
Based on the novel Kings Row by Henry Bellamann [First Published in 1940]. Set in an ideal town in 1890 Missouri two childhood friends Parris Mitchell (who wants to become a doctor) and Drake McHugh (who wants to become a businessman) grow up and face darkness within the town. Which include medical malpractice, theft, murder, suicide and scandal. In facing these things, they must make decisions on their moral beliefs and what kind of men they will be. 

• Montana

DOC (2001-2004) 
Doctor Clint Cassidy is from rural Montana and is not needed, so he follows a girl to New York City. Once in New York he goes to work for an HMO and becomes popular with his patients because of his country wisdom/ways and his above and beyond approach to practicing medicine.  

Green Light (1937)
Based on the novel Green Light by Lloyd C. Douglas [First Published in 1934] Dr. Paige young surgeon takes the blame for a blotched surgery for his mentor and resigns from his position. He goes to work at a wilderness research facility in Montana. At the facility he works to find a cure for the deadly Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

• New Mexico

Strange Lady In Town (1955)
Set in the 1880’s Dr. Julia Winslow Garth leaves Boston, Massachusetts to Santa Fe, New Mexico to set up a medical practice. In Santa Fe she has disagreements with Doctor Rourke O’Brian and tries to help her brother get out of trouble with the law. 

• New York

Change of Habit (1969)
Three Nun Sister Michelle, Sister Irene, and Sister Barbara who are also trained Nurses of different backgrounds are sent by the Catholic Action Committee to work at a free clinic run by Dr. John Carpenter that is located in underserved inner-city area of New York City, New York. 

The Doctor and The Girl (1949)
Doctor Michael Corday a Harvard medical school graduate with a prominent future ahead of him (if he does as his Father says) however he falls in love and marries a poor girl resulting in his father cutting him off from the family money connections, etc… so he becomes a general practitioner in Manhattans Lower East Side. Based on Bodies and Souls by Maxence Van der Meersch (Translator Eithne Wilkins) [First Published in 1943].

Royal Pains (2009-2016)
Dr. Hank Lawson loses his job in New York after a wealthy patient dies in his care. Dr. Hank with his Account brother Evan R Lawson and a local Physician’s Assistant Divya Katedare to create a Concierge Doctor Practice in the Hampton's.

The Christmas Doctor (2020)
Traveling Doctor Zoey Garner takes an assignment in Willowbrooke, New York over the Holiday season. She falls in love with the town, reconnects with a former patient from her time as a military Doctor and celebrates Christmas. 

• North Carolina

Country Remedy AKA Simple Things (2007) 
To become head of pediatrics at a Chicago Hospital Dr. Evan Gibbs has to set up a clinic in the North Carolina. In the Mountains of North Carolina, he reconnects with his son and learns about life. Inspired by the book The Window of Childhood by Olson Huff, MD [First Published 1990]. 

Finding Normal (2013) 
Dr. Lisa Leland is driving from Los Angeles to New York gets arrested in Normal, North Carolina for many traffics violations. Her punishment is to perform community service specifically to serve the local community as a General Practitioner. 

• Oregon

Dr. Giggles (1992)
Evan Rendell aka Dr. Giggles is a lunatic that believes he is a MD. After he escapes from the insane asylum he has been committed to. He goes back to Moorehigh, Oregon his town. Dr. Giggles then proceeds to treat/kill/get revenge on the people of his hometown. For the death of his father the local GP that was conducting illegal medical experiments. 

Mumford (1999)
In the town of Mumford, Oregon a Psychologist named Micky Mumford treats people with unusual therapies until Unsolved Mysteries reveals that he is not who he says he is.

• South Carolina

Doc Hollywood (1991)
Based on the novel What? Dead Again? By Neil B Shulman, MD [First Published 1979]. Doctor Ben Stone is driving across the country from The District of Colombia to Las Angles, California for a job. While on this trip he takes a wrong turn into rural Grady, South Carolina. Where he crashes his car into a fence of the local Judge and must perform community service as the town Doctor. 

• Texas 

Cutter to Huston (1983)
Cutter Community Hospital is located 60 miles away from Huston Texas is run by a dedicated medical staff. When medical issues arise that are beyond what the facility can handle, they contact The Texas Medical Center in Huston, Texas. 

• Vermont

Dr. Cook’s Garden (1971)
Based on the Stage Play Dr. Cook’s Garden by Ira Levin [First Published in 1967]. Recent graduate Doctor Jimmy Tennyson returns to his hometown in Vermont to practice family medicine. After joining Dr. Cooks Practice Dr. Tennyson observes that some of Dr. Cook’s patients die within 24 hours after treatment. He discovers the Doctor is performing mercy killings as well as removing unpleasant people from society.

Midwives (2001)
Based on the novel Midwives by Chris Bohjalian [First Published in 1997]. Set in rural Vermont Midwife Sybil Danforth is dealing with a difficult birth during a blizzard. When the patient dies, Sybil performs a C Section saving the baby. Later Sybil is accused of murdering the mother and must defend herself in court.  

• Virginia

The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel (1979) 
This TV pilot movie is set in the 1930's with Dr. Meg Laurel leaves her life in Boston to set up a practice in rural Appalachia near her hometown in Virginia. When she gets to the area she clashes with the local healer and midwife Granny Arrowroot along with the community in general as they trust the local healer. Dr. Laurel has to learn and adapt to local customs to builds her hospital and practice. 

• State Not Identified, US Territories, and Other

Doctor Odyssey (2024)
Dr. Max Bankman has become the onboard Physician aboard a Luxury cruise ship; The Odyssey. Onboard He leads his team and treats various medical issues and emergences often miles away from shore or civilization. 

I Walked With a Zombie (1943)
Nurse Betsy Connell is hired to care for the Jessica the wife of a plantation owner on a Caribbean Island. As she tries to help Jessica as various family secrets are revealed. 

One Man's Journey (1933) A Man to Remember (1938)
Based on the short story Failure by Katharine Haviland-Taylor [First Published 1932]. A widowed Doctor and his young son move to a rural town called Westport somewhere within the Midwest of the United States of America. Set after WWI ended. The Doctor adopts an orphaned baby girl serves his community even when his patients cannot pay, he takes IOU’s, produce, and livestock as payment. While serving as the town Physician fights to improve medical care in the town but faces challenges from town leaders as well as his creditors. 

Stigma (1972) 
Doctor Calvin Crosse goes to work in a remote island community and discovers a syphilis outbreak is being hidden by the town.

They Rode West (1954) 
1st Lt. Allen Steward MD is a newly commissioned officer is sent to his first posting at a western fort near an Indian reservation for Kiowa. In his new post he clashes with the fort commander Colonel Waters and the tribes Medicine Man in regard to the treatment and prevention of malaria. 

• Other: Not set in the USA but based on a book or book series. 

The based on a book section only has 8 books so I am adding this extra section which brings the book count up to 17. 

All Creatures Great and Small (1978-1990), (2020-2025) 
Based on All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriot [First Published in 1972] (along with his other books in the series) After Dr. James Herriot finishes Veterinary school and takes his first job treating all kinds of animals in rural Yorkshire, England starting in 1930's.

Bad Medicine (1985)  
Based on the book Calling Dr. Horowitz by Steven Horowitz, MD, and Neil Offen [First Published in 1978] Young Americans that cannot get into a medical college anywhere else go to a rundown Medical College in a fictional third world country. 

Call the Midwife (2012-?)
Based on the Midwife Trilogy by Jennifer Worth [First published 2002] the TV series of the nurses, midwifes, and nuns that live and work in London's East End during the 1950’s and 60's.

China Sky (1945)
Based on the novel China Sky by, Pearl S Buck [First Published in 1941] Dr. Grey Thompson and Dr. Sara Durand run a mission hospital in rural China. When Dr. Thompson brings his new wife to the mission tensions arise between the two women. After the invading Japanese Army comes near the mission hospital they decide to treat and support Chinese Guerilla Fighters.

The Citadel (1938) (2001)
Based on the book The Citadel by A.J. Cronon [First Published in 1937] A young Doctor starts his career in a poor area but is frustrated by his attempts to improve his patients' lives and cure/prevent the chronic conditions caused by the working conditions of the largest employers. After a personal tragedy he heads to London and is tempted by easy money of treating patients of high society.  

Doc Martian (2004-2021) Doc Martin (FR) (2011-2015)
A top surgeon that develops a blood phobia becomes the GP in the Coastal town of Portwenn, Cornwall, England where he had spent his summers as a child.

Doctor Finley (1993-1996) 
After serving in the Royal Army Medical Core during WWII, Dr. John Finley returns to Tannochbrae, Scotland to work as a GP in a time when the practice of medicine was changing. Inspired by Dr. Finlay's Casebook by A.J. Cronin [First Published in 1928]. 

Hills of Home (1948)
Based on the novel A Doctor of the Old School by Ian Maclaren [First Published in 1895]. Set in Drumtochty, Scotland Dr. William Maclure is an old-fashioned country physician that is paid with a dog called Lassie that is not of use as a working dog but becomes a beloved complain animal. As he goes about his life, he wants a local child to take over his practice as he is having trouble keeping up in his later years of life. He finds one in Tammas Milton and sends him to medical school when he passes away after an accident Dr. Milton takes over the practice.

Outlander (2014-?) 
Based on the Outlander Novels by, Diana Gabaldon [First Published in 1991] A Post WWII Nurse travels back in time to 18^th Century Scotland while on Vacation with her husband. In the past she works as a healer and gets involved with the people and events of that time. So, she has to decide to stay in the past or go back to the future. 

The Painted Veil (1934) (2006)
Based on the novel The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham [First Published in 1925]. Set in the 1920's Kitty a woman of British high society gets married to a Doctor based out of China. Having married him for the wrong reasons she quickly has an affair. When her husband finds out he gives her a choice of divorce or to go with him to rural China.

Currently there are only Eight 18 film/TV shows are based on a book or book series. 

• A Doctor of the Old School by Ian Maclaren [First Published in 1895] Hills of Home (1948)
• The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham [First Published in 1925] The Painted Veil (1934) (2006)
• Dr. Finlay's Casebook by A.J. Cronin [First Published in 1928] Doctor Finley (1993-1996) 
• Failure by Katharine Haviland-Taylor [First Published 1932] One Man's Journey (1933) A Man to Remember (1938)
• Green Light by Lloyd C. Douglas [First Published in 1934] Green Light (1937) 
• The Citadel by A.J. Cronon [First Published in 1937] The Citadel (1938) (2001)
• Kings Row by Henry Bellamann [First Published in 1940] Kings Row (1942/1955) 
• China Sky by, Pearl S Buck [First Published in 1941] China Sky (1945)
• All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriot [First Published in 1972] All Creatures Great and Small (1978-1990), (2020-2024)
• Calling Dr. Horowitz by Steven Horowitz, MD, and Neil Offen [First Published in 1978] Bad Medicine (1985)
• What? Dead Again? By Neil B Shulman, MD [First Published 1979] Doc Hollywood (1991)
• Window of Childhood by Olson Huff, MD [First Published 1990] Country Remedy AKA Simple Things (2007) 
• Outlander Novels by, Diana Gabaldon [First Published in 1991] Outlander (2014-?) 
• Miss Evers Boys by David Feldshuh [First Published in 1995] Miss Evers Boys (1997)
• Midwives by Chris Bohjalian [First Published in 1997] Midwives (2001)
• Midwife Trilogy by Jennifer Worth [First published 2002] Call the Midwife (2012-?)
• Virgin River by Robyn Carr [First Published in 2007] Virgin River (2019-?) 
• Doc Martin: Practice Makes Perfect by Sam North [First Published in 2013] Doc Martin: Mistletoe and Whine by Sam North [First Published in 2013] Doc Martian (2004-2021)