Residency training north of the treeline.

Several opportunities exist for medical residents to spend some of their elective time in remote Northern settings. This short article focuses on some of the unique features of such an experience: lack of technological support, temporarily becoming a member of a cultural minority, cross-cultural communication problems, adverse climatic conditions. Some of the rewards are also described. Although such an experience is not for the faint hearted, it can broaden and strengthen the knowledge base required by the primary-care physician in any setting.