Introduction: Health workers in rural and remote areas shoulder heavy responsibilities for rural residents. This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness of continuing education programs for health workers in rural and remote areas.Methods: Eight electronic databases were searched on 28 November 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi -experimental studies evaluating the effectiveness of continuing education for health workers in rural and remote areas were included. The quality of the studies was assessed using the risk of bias tool provided by Effective Practice and Organization of Care. A meta-analysis was performed for eligible trials, and the other findings were presented as a narrative review because of inconsistent study types and outcomes. Results: A total of 17 studies were included, four of which were RCTs. The results of the meta-analysis showed that compared to no intervention, continuing education programs significantly improved the knowledge awareness rate of participants (odds ratio=4.09, 95% confidence interval 2.51-6.67, p<0.05). Qualitative analysis showed that 12 studies reported on the level of knowledge of participants, with all showing positive changes. Eight studies measured the performance of health workers in rural and remote areas, with 87.50% (n=7) finding improved performance. Two studies reported on the impact of continuing education programs for health workers in rural and remote areas on patient health, with only one showing a positive change. One study from India measured the health of communities, which showed a positive change.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that continuing education programs are an effective way to address the lack of knowledge and skills among health workers in rural and remote areas. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of education programs for health workers in rural and remote areas in improving patient health outcomes. It is not yet known whether the delivery of continuing education programs to health workers in rural areas has a positive impact on patient and community health. Future attention should continue to be paid to the impact on these outcomes.

Background Village doctors, as gatekeepers of the health system for rural residents in China, are often confronted with adversity in providing the basic public healthcare services. Objective We sought to summarize the training contents, training method, training location, and training costs most preferred by village doctors in China and hope to provide evidence and support for the government to deliver better training in the future. Methods Eight databases were searched to include studies that reported on the training needs of village doctors in China. We undertook a systematic review and a narrative synthesis of data. Results A total of 38 cross-sectional studies including 35,545 participants were included. In China, village doctors have extensive training needs. “Clinical knowledge and skill” and “diagnosis and treatment of common disease” were the most preferred training content; “continuing medical education” was the most preferred delivery method; above county- and county-level hospitals were the most desirable training locations, and the training costs were expected to be low or even free. Conclusion Village doctors in various regions of China have similar preferences for training. Thus, future training should focus more on the training needs and preferences of village doctors.