The Northern and Rural Practice Preparation Program is a FREE course designed to equip Ontario nurses and allied health professionals with effective learning strategies to adapt to the unique challenges and opportunities of practicing in Ontario's northern and rural healthcare settings. Participants will gain practical skills, foster adaptability, and develop strategies to manage professional and personal challenges while enhancing community health outcomes.
Once participants have successfully completed the learning modules, we are offering a fully funded in-person site visit to an Ontario Northern or rural centre. This visit is optional and will give participants a sense of working and living in a Northern community.
Program Overview
This program addresses the health human resource shortages in Ontario's Northern, rural and remote communities, helping allied health professionals explore career opportunities, build community, and find their place in these regions of the province, fostering an emotional connection to northern and rural settings. Through this program, participants will gain valuable insights into:
• Understanding the determinants of health in smaller Ontario communities.
• Navigating the experience of living in or relocating to smaller communities.
• Enhancing patient outcomes through customized care approaches.
• Supporting professional well-being, as well as career recruitment, growth, and retention
• Leveraging innovative healthcare delivery models.
• Building collaboration and communities of practice.
Program Layout
This program consists of 10 general modules, followed by five profession-specific modules focused on one of five distinct streams:
- Nursing
- Nursing in Rural, Remote & Northern Communities
- Nursing in Regional Interdisciplinary Teams
- Technologies Supporting Care Across Geographies
- Patient Transport
- Preparing for Community Practice
- Med-Lab
- The Demand for MLTs in Remote & Rural Practice Settings
- Introduction to Medical Lab Technologies
- Emerging & Future Medical Lab Technologies
- A Day in the Life of an MLT Working in Rural & Remote Areas
- Opportunities for Career Growth
- Diabetes (Foot Care)
- Introduction to Diabetes & Foot Care
- Preparing for Community Travel
- Community Practice
- Access to Experts Via Technology
- Limb Preservation
- Community Health
- Introduction to Community Health
- Health Promotion
- Diverse Roles of a Community Health Worker
- Socio-Ecological Model of Health
- Community Health Visits
- Diagnostics
Educational Module Themes:
- Environmental Acculturation
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
- Privacy and professional roles in small communities.
- Practice Context Management
- Adapting to resource limitations and small teams.
- Decision-making and accessing support.
- Clinical/Technical Skills
- Acute care, triage, and community health practices.
Program Delivery
- Online/Self-study modules: Tutor-supported, flexible learning.
- Community & Career Visits: Funded in-person site visits to a Northern or rural centre (optional).
- Peer-support groups: Expert-facilitated virtual communities (optional).
Program Length
This program consists of 10 general modules, followed by five profession-specific modules. The estimated time to complete the program is between 5 to 10 hours, although the duration may vary depending on individual learning speeds.
Requirement: All modules must be completed prior to participating in site visits, for those who wish to attend them.
Intended Audience for This Program
The program is targeted toward health professionals who are:
- Considering relocation to a northern or rural setting.
- Committed to relocation but have not yet started employment.
- Transitioning from a mid-sized centre to a smaller healthcare setting.
- Recently relocated and have been working in a northern or rural centre for less than 12 months.
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