As demonstrated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there is enormous potential for online learning to provide cost efficient, effective, scalable interventions. These methods can be scaled up to include middle and low-income countries to advance knowledge of health and healthcare outcomes, thus improving equitable care to all. Also highlighted through the pandemic was the mismatch that currently exists between professional competencies globally.

Rural and remote communities in Canada face many of the same barriers as communities in low- and middle-income countries. There is substantially less access to healthcare services, less continuity of care, geographic challenges and scarcity of resources (6–8). People living in rural and remote communities such as those found in Northern Ontario face lower life expectancy, increased mortality rates and generally poorer health status compared to those in urban centres (9–12).

Using technology to improve access to and opportunities for learners within Canada can easily be shared within other medical school environments (13). Giving medical learners the opportunity to work at their own pace and encouraging international collaboration establishes global interest and relationships within the global healthcare community, which increases the opportunity for advancing social responsibility and equitable health care (14). This study aims to determine if a specifically designed online program can improve comprehension, confidence, clinical application, and exposure to common musculoskeletal cases for learners considering rural practice, applicable to any location. This study includes a collaboration with medical learners in Uganda and if successful may be of significant benefit for global learners with resource limitations.