Your "gateway" hunch is likely spot on. Most rural docs start on J-1 waivers (mandatory 3 years). If they actually stayed after that, we'd see way more H-1B conversions filed by those rural hospitals to keep them. Since the volume is so low, it suggests once the 3 years are up, they bail for the city. The wage premium just isn't enough to anchor them.
codebyaditya•18h ago
Data: 20,225 H-1B LCA disclosures from DOL, FY2024, healthcare occupations only Analysis: Python (pandas), mapped ZIP → RUCC codes, median wage by volume quintile Key limitation: This is LCA data (intent to hire), not final USCIS approvals
Interesting rabbit holes:
Urban/rural split isn't binary—codes 4-6 show gradient effects
Wage level inversions strongest in codes 7-9 (most rural)
Happy to answer methodology questions.