Table 3 Medline search. An academic librarian from the University of South Australia independently validated the search strategy

1

((rural or remote or nonmetropolitan or non metropolitan or suburb*) and (health or health care or health servic*)).mp. [mp = title, abstract, original title, name of substance word, subject heading word, keyword heading word, protocol supplementary concept word, rare disease supplementary concept word, unique identifier]

2

*Rural Health Services/ or Rural Health/ or Suburban Health.mp. [mp = title, abstract, original title, name of substance word, subject heading word, keyword heading word, protocol supplementary concept word, rare disease supplementary concept word, unique identifier]

3

1 or 2

4

(((education or training) and (program or intervention or meeting or session or strategies or workshop or lecture or symposium or course)) or ((education or training) and (distance or remote or online or e-learning)) or Continuing professional education or Continuing professional development or CPD or CPE).mp. [mp = title, abstract, original title, name of substance word, subject heading word, keyword heading word, protocol supplementary concept word, rare disease supplementary concept word, unique identifier]

5

*education, continuing/ or education, pharmacy, continuing/ or education, professional, retraining/

6

4 or 5

7

((allied health and (personnel or professional)) or occupational therap* or ((physical or occupational) and (therap* or assista*)) or physical therap* or physiotherapist or (speech and (therap* or patholog*)) or dietitian or dietician or diet* technician or pharmacist or (pharmacy and (technologist or technician))).mp. [mp = title, abstract, original title, name of substance word, subject heading word, keyword heading word, protocol supplementary concept word, rare disease supplementary concept word, unique identifier]

8

*allied health personnel/ or nutritionists/ or pharmacists’ aides/ or physical therapist assistants/ or physical therapists/ or Occupational Therapy/ or Pharmacists/

9

7 or 8

10

6 and 9

11

3 and 10