Education

Preparing Health Professionals to Work at the Climate-Health Interface

 

Climate change will affect all medical specialties and health occupations, yet institutions are only beginning to educate health professionals and the public about the climate-health connection, especially health inequities amplified by climate vulnerability. Our Center for Climate, Health and Equity is working to prepare a 21st century health workforce that can effectively respond to the climate-health crisis. 

  1. We are devising adaptable and scalable climate and health education and training programs across UCSF's health science schools in order to train health professionals and stakeholders to understand the links between climate, health and equity and to address climate impacts with their patients and in their research. 
  2. We are building a network of faculty champions who can effectively incorporate climate change and sustainability issues into their teaching.
  3. Through mentoring and professional development opportunities, we are aiming to develop a robust pipeline of health professionals with a career focus on climate and health. 
  4. Finally, we are working to ensure that equity and justice are prioritized in our approach through our teaching, research, patient care, and advocacy.

Ultimately, the Center aims to expand this framework to other UC campuses and to health institutions both domestically and abroad.