Rural Education and Advanced Learning (REAL)

The applicant must meet the following conditions: 

• Work in rural Alberta in one of the following contexts for at least six (6) consecutive months: a primary care network, an out-of-scope or non-union position, in independent or private practice, or as a clinical nurse educator.
• Hold an active practice license, and be in good standing, in Alberta through their applicable professional regulatory body.
• Currently live and practise and do the majority of their work (must be at least 10 hours per week) in a rural Alberta community located outside the Census Metropolitan Area boundaries of Calgary or Edmonton, with a population of fewer than 15,000 people, or fall within Alberta’s North Zone

Training must meet the following criteria:

• Applicants may only apply for one course, semester of courses, or other training opportunity per application cycle.
• Course or training opportunity must support your clinical area of practice, be relevant to your current position and scope of practice.
• Course or training opportunity must benefit patients within your community as well as your personal practice or skill competency.
• Training must have started within 90 days of the funding application submission, be ongoing at time of submission, or start within six months of the submission. Exceptions to this criterion may be made if a majority of the training took place within 90 days of the application submission.
• Course or training opportunity must not have already received funding from or subsidy through REAL or another source.

Applicants must be willing to agree to the following terms and conditions:

• a return-of-service term
• repayment of REAL funding in the event that the course is not successfully completed or the return-of-service commitment is not fulfilled
• participation in the evaluation of the REAL Program and provision of feedback as requested
• other terms and conditions that may apply

1. the remoteness/ need of the community from which the applicant is applying as determined by Alberta Health’s Rural & Remote Program Isolation Scores.
2. the benefit of the type of course/ training/ program to the community (Considerations include the following: what kind of value would local patients/clients receive from this training?; does another provider in the community already offer the services that this training would facilitate?, etc.)
3. amount of REAL funding previously provided to applicant

Rajeanne Bianca is a clinical exercise specialist in Fort McMurray.

She received funding from RhPAP’s REAL Program for online courses focused on psychology and ethics, addictions and recovery, and an introduction to teletherapy.

This training allows her to stay on top of the newest research and provide the most up-to-date strategies.

Read her full story.

Janelle Benoit is a dietitian with the Wainwright Primary Care Network.

The REAL Program allowed her to take the Australian Monash University FODMAP Diet Course.  Benoit said her research on ways to help her irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients, led her to the course.

One in seven of her patients are affected by varying levels of impact from IBS, from minor to debilitating.

Read her full story.

Melanie Snider is a nurse practitioner (NP) in Brooks.

The REAL Program funded an epidemiology course as part of her Master’s of Public Health. This training helped her transition from the Palliser Primary Care Network to independent practice at a local medical clinic.

Read her full story.

Stephen Brinks is a physiotherapist in Drayton Valley.

REAL funding allowed Stephen to complete an online/in-person advanced course in dry needling.

His expanded skills mean more people with chronic pain and other health issues can find relief in their own community.

Read his full story.

Sharon Mailloux is a registered psychologist in Whitecourt.

Using REAL funding, Mailloux was able to take the  Compassion Fatigue Educator Training online through Green Cross.

Her ambition is to create a workshop for first responders suffering from compassion fatigue.

Read her full story.

Registered Nurse (RN) Krystin Minns is a certified diabetes educator in Athabasca.

The REAL Program funded her online advanced pathophysiology and pharmacology course, and in-person advance health assessments training in Calgary.

Read her full story

Jamie Knight is a social worker in Wainwright.

She accessed funding through RhPAP’s REAL program to help cover the costs of the End of Life Doula training she took through Douglas College.

The online program gave Knight more context, resources, and understanding of a difficult subject that she says is often misunderstood.

Read her full story.

Alaina Gamache is a Bonnyville-based speech language pathologist.

She received funding from RhPAP’s REAL Program for a hybrid online/in-person Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy Course.

This training expanded her treatment options and saved her clients from having to travel 3-1/2 hours to Edmonton for help.

Read her full story.