A Breton town hall encourages a medical student to settle in its town by paying for his studies

A Breton town hall encourages a medical student to settle in its town by paying for his studies

One day in July 2022, Léonard Farcy walked through the entrance to the pink granite town hall of Plévenon (Côtes-d’Armor). The young student was not born here, nor does he live there. But he has a request. So crucial that he brings a sheaf of copies of decrees and laws carefully arranged in the file he holds in his hand. The Breton commune of 756 inhabitants occupies the end of the Cap Fréhel peninsula. Surrounded by the sea, moors and gorse, nature is wild and grandiose. “A paradise on Earth,” the student enthuses to the mayor, Hervé van Praag.

The young man knows the surrounding area: he has worked as a seasonal worker at the campsite and at the lighthouse for several summers. But “paradise” lacks doctors. Certainly, since February, an advanced practice nurse (IPA) has been established and a dental surgeon has been announced for the end of 2024. The town hall has also purchased a building in order to transform it into a health home. But as a generalist, period. You have to travel 45 kilometers to find them.

However, Leonard is a medical student. And has an idea that he submits to Hervé van Praag, taken aback: the town hall could finance his studies to the tune of 400 euros per month for seven years. He would commit to practicing as a doctor in his “paradise” for at least five years. It would cost the municipality 33,600 euros. If Léonard Farcy changed his mind, he would have to reimburse the amount in full.

Last March, the councilor obtained the agreement of the municipal council. The agreement is validated by the regional health agency. “It’s a bet, a sign of confidence in young people, a gesture for the future,” enthuses Hervé van Praag. In the meantime, in the building bought by the town hall, the apartment upstairs is reserved for Léonard Farcy… for 2030.

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