Using TED Talks to teach social determinants of health: maximize the message with a modern medium.

Our world is characterized by the rapid sharing of messages and knowledge. The ability of ideas to go “viral” demonstrates the infectious way that a concept can travel around the globe. As technological innovations facilitate connection and communication across distances, the landscape of learning is evolving. Lectures can be recorded ahead of time and viewed online, or speakers can use text, voice, and video services (eg, Skype) to present their sessions. Furthermore, some institutions now offer open access to their intellectual property, with a view to increasing accessibility.