Research shows that there are differences in practice between healthcare professionals in urban versus remote, rural and island locations. Traditionally training for healthcare professionals is often delivered by centralised, urban experts requiring either time and support for a practitioner in a remote, rural or island location to attend. This can be off putting for those practitioners. Increasingly however, training can be delivered online and there is increasing provision for training specifically in remote, rural and island practice. We do not understand the impact such training has on the practice of those who attend such training. This project addresses the question ‘How can hybrid healthcare education drive change in remote, rural and island practice?’
Project description: Who and How
This project is led by Dr Anita Laidlaw, University of Aberdeen and was awarded funding from the Converge Rural Health Fund. The National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care (the Centre) is one of the partners within the research team, alongside the University of Augusta. Interviews with training participants will take place in both Scotland and USA.
Expected outcome: When and What Difference
The findings will help us understand more about participants’ perceived benefits of attending online training and what changes to individual practice are perceived to come about as a consequence.
