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 rural and Northern 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 offer an optional, fully funded in-person site visit to an Ontario Northern or rural centre. This visit provides participants with the opportunity to meet with staff and get a sense of working and living in a Northern community.

The program consists of 10 general modules, followed by five profession-specific modules.

Educational Module themes include:

• Environmental Acculturation: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and navigating privacy and professional roles in small communities.
• Practice Context Management: Adapting to resource limitations, managing small teams, and accessing support systems for decision-making.
• Clinical and Technical Skills: Core competencies in acute care, triage, and community health practices.

Upon completion of this course, learners 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