After completing my MBBS degree, I spent the majority of my time working in the rural and remote communities of Punjab, India. My true love for rural and remote general practice began in 2006, when I took up my first role as a government rural doctor in a small rural village of around 1,200 people. Since then, my attachment to rural general practice has intensified several times. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay After starting out in 2006, I served in many rural and remote villages of Punjab, India as a rural family doctor. I served as a locum doctor for a few months in a remote village known as Bambiha, in Punjab, India. It was there that I realized how much health-related work can be accomplished by a rural family doctor with minimal financial support from the government. While serving in various rural health centers, I was fascinated by the innocence, consistently high morale and helping nature of rural people and the beauty of rural landscape and nature. Since my first day of rural practice, I have always felt the warmth of underserved rural communities. I still remember my first day at the rural health center in 2006, when the head of the village council came to my clinic to thank me for choosing to serve in this rural community. I had many such experiences while posted at rural health centers in Dhurkot Kalan, Dhudike, Bambiha, Thathi Bhai, Sukhladhi, Bathinda, Sangat and Pakka kalan etc. which triggered my passion to serve as a primary care physician in underserved communities. So I have no doubt that I want to continue my training in family medicine. I enjoyed immense respect among my rural patients. Sometimes, when the stock of government-funded medicines dwindled, rural communities would come forward to purchase medicines for rural health centers by pooling village common resources. It really stirred my conscience and inspired me to do more for rural communities beyond my normal working hours. Sometimes the elderly and weak patients could not come to the rural health center, so I used to visit the patients at their homes. This voluntary gesture was greatly appreciated by the villagers. In Dhurkot Kalan village, my health center shared premises with the local church known as the Gurdwara. The villagers were proud to invite me to their monthly religious congregations at church. Often, when villagers came to pay their respects at the place of worship, they would visit my clinic for various illnesses or even to discuss their children's career options or just to say hello. This helped me integrate their physical, mental, social and spiritual health into a holistic approach. I treated not only organ or system specific conditions, but also individuals as a whole. In Dhurkot Kalan and other health centers, we worked very effectively as a team consisting of a rural family doctor, a multi-purpose health worker (MPHW), a pharmacist and an assistant. This rural health team is well coordinated and engaged with the village council to overcome various barriers to better health. I lead rural health teams in the implementation of various national health programs as well as the delivery of primary care, with active guidance and assistance from senior managers.