• The National Rural Network interviews Antonio González Cabrera, a family doctor from San Pedro (Albacete), where he has been practicing since 1980.
• Antonio recently received the 2020 "Politics, Economics and Social Sciences" Award for his advocacy of public healthcare in rural areas.

After more than 40 years of practice as a healthcare professional in San Pedro, he has no plans to hang up his scrubs, "as long as he has health left."

National Rural Network: How do you like to define yourself, Antonio?
Antonio González Cabrera: As a rural family doctor. And I emphasize the word "rural" and "family" because the rural environment facilitates closeness with the patient. In my case, it's a very vocational thing, and although the idea of retirement sometimes tempts me, the truth is I don't plan on retiring.

RRN: What makes a newly graduated doctor with little experience stay in Albacete ?
AGC: I stayed in Albacete specifically to get the position. When I arrived, I'd been called to cover a leave of absence with a three-month interim position in San Pedro. The interim position was extended, and once I passed the exams and was able to choose a position, I chose San Pedro without a doubt. As soon as I landed, I realized that you can't arrive in a town just as a doctor. You also have to meet the population's other needs. That's why I felt compelled to become the town's mayor.

RRN: What did this experience contribute to your career as a physician?
AGC: As mayor, I learned that you can change things in town—streets, sidewalks, celebrations, etc.—but not people's mindsets. That's why the most important thing is to remain willing to offer social service to people. As long as you have a social vocation, you can change everything.

RRN: Has the pandemic and lockdown changed the perception of the rural world?
AGC: Rural areas contain the four elements of nature: fire, air, earth, and water. Cities are located in the middle of towns. That's why they lack these four elements. That's why people need to go out to see the sky, to put their feet on the earth, to breathe fresh air... and they find this in the countryside, in nature. The pandemic and lockdown have highlighted the search for the most essential materials.

RRN: How are you, as a doctor, experiencing the impact of COVID-19 on your town?
AGC: I've personally been through it. And when I did, the neighbors made sure I didn't lack food. Or anything. Maintaining social distancing and safety, of course. At the clinic, we respect patient PPE, but we haven't lost our personal interest in them or the neighbors.

RRN: What aspects have you observed in your career that have determined why people have left the villages?
AGC: Two basically: services and transportation . The types of services you can access, and the lack of transportation to get between towns, and having to rely on cars, are what makes many people want to move away.

RRN: What is missing from rural public health?
AGC: In my opinion, there would be three things. Planning . To know what resources are needed in each town based on its population. I don't see it, in my case, as a matter of constantly demanding resources, but rather planning, for example, how many doctors are needed based on the population of each town. Mindset . Well, to succeed, a lawyer thinks about doing so in the city, just like a doctor. No one thinks about the idea of "success" within a town. But it's possible. And it's attractive . Doctors want to stay and live in a town—because it has services and transportation—and because they feel their authority as a doctor is recognized, creating close ties with the population.