INTERDISCIPLINARY CONTINUING-EDUCATION IN A RURAL AND REMOTE AREA - THE APPROACH OF THE NORTHERN-EDUCATIONAL-CENTER-FOR-AGING-AND-HEALTH

This article describes an interdisciplinary continuing education appro ach for health professionals in a rural remote area implemented by the Northern Educational Centre for Aging and Health (NECAH) at Lakeheed University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. The article discusses issu es of rural health care practice and the implications for practitioner s' educational needs The key components involved in delivering interdi sciplinary education and teamwork training are reviewed, followed by a discussion of the relevance of an interdisciplinary participatory app roach for rural practitioners given their practice context and work st yle. Using NECAH's experience in planning and delivering a 5-day inter disciplinary education program in palliative care as a case example, i t is argued that simultanous attention to these issues in the design a nd delivery of continuing professional education for rural professiona ls contributes to a relevant educational experience in the short-term and an increased interdisciplinary collaboration in the long-term. The article suggests that NECAH's interdisciplinary participatory approac h is a significant model for the continuing education of health profes sionals in rural remote areas.