Skip to main content

Climate education in health professional training is essential for addressing the health impacts of climate change and preparing a resilient healthcare workforce.

By Julia Milzer | University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Doctors and researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus published a discussion paper highlighting key initiatives to help strengthen, train and prepare doctors and health care workers for the impact of climate change on human health.

The paper is published in the National Academy of Medicine Perspectives.

The authors, who come from a diverse background in healthcare from pediatrics to emergency medicine, and nursing to pharmacy, outline the importance of educating a climate-savvy health care workforce and highlight educational opportunities to fulfill the critical need.

“As climate change increasingly exacerbates disease and health crises, it’s crucial that health professional education evolves to address this pressing issue. Currently, there is a significant gap in understanding how environmental changes impact health, and how health systems can adapt and lead in this area,” said Jay Lemery, MD, professor of emergency medicine and director of the Climate and Health Program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Lemery and his colleague Bhargavi Chekuri, MD, launched a first-of-its-kind Diploma in Climate Medicine Program to advance health professional leadership and expertise in addressing the health consequences of global warming. Chekuri, who is also an assistant professor of family medicine at the CU School of Medicine, now directs the program.

The need for robust climate-focused education and resources

In the paper, the co-authors outline best practices from examples of climate-focused educational initiatives in undergraduate, graduate and continuous education programs that promote environmental health and climate-resiliency.

They also look at ways education, policy and communication need to evolve to provide better access and accreditation.

Chekuri notes: “There’s a lack of robust guides and resources tailored to professional roles, such as providing both a basic and a gold standard for climate change and health education and facilitating continuous assessment of learners via clear competencies and milestones.”

Building on prior work, the authors propose a developmental learning model with six interconnected domains. These domains start with foundational skills in communication and collaboration and progressively build toward more advanced competencies in managing climate-related health risks.

“We believe offering a structured approach for integrating climate change and health education throughout health professional training can help advance competencies in managing climate-related health risks,” said Lemery.

Chekuri and co-author Beth Gillespie, MD, assistant professor of internal medicine, note the need for a circular and iterative approach to climate and health education, that gradually builds on foundational communication skills and environmental health knowledge.

The paper concludes by delving into how interprofessional education can be leveraged to transform the healthcare sector to be more environmentally sustainable and resilience.

Journal Reference:
Lemery, J., T. O’Connor, B. Gillespie, H. Blackburn, S. Demorest, R. Phillipsborn, and B. Chekuri, ‘Opportunities for Strengthening Climate Education for Clinical Health Professionals’, NAM Perspectives (Discussion Paper), National Academy of Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.31478/202409b

Article Source:
Press Release/Material by University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Featured image credit: Freepik

Satellite image: Mediterranean Sea
Image of the day: Saharan dust over the MediterraneanNews

Image of the day: Saharan dust over the Mediterranean

On 2 February 2025, strong winds carried a vast cloud of Saharan dust across the Mediterranean, reaching southern Italy. The phenomenon, driven by a cyclone…
Muser NewsDeskMuser NewsDeskFebruary 4, 2025 Full article
Image: Large amount of plastic bottles in a cage
Nations warn of ‘obstruction’ at plastic talksNews

Nations warn of ‘obstruction’ at plastic talks

By Sara Hussein and Katie Forster Busan, South Korea | AFP - Dozens of countries warned Sunday that a handful of nations were obstructing efforts…
SourceSourceDecember 1, 2024 Full article
Illustration 3d letter blocks forming the word news
Spain floods death toll hits 95: rescuersNews

Spain floods death toll hits 95: rescuers

Madrid, Spain | AFP - The death toll from devastating flooding in Spain has climbed to 95, rescuers and officials said on Wednesday, making it…
SourceSourceOctober 30, 2024 Full article