Submission ID 78273
| Code | P11 |
|---|---|
| At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: | |
| Category | Medical Education |
| Type | Poster |
| Will the presenter be a: | Student |
| Title | How Can Medical Students Respond to Planetary Health Challenges? |
| Background/Purpose | Calls to action have been put forth to integrate planetary health in the medical education curriculum. The Medical Council of Canada has recently created the health and climate crisis learning objective, noting that "physicians must be able to recognize the effects of the climate crisis on human health and take action to mitigate both climate change itself and its health effects on the population, recognizing that many populations are disproportionately affected". The next generation of physicians must be equipped to diagnose and manage conditions that become more frequent as a result of climate change. The aim of this research is to explore perceptions of planetary health and propose how planetary health can be integrated within medical education. |
| Methods | Perspective gathering followed a qualitative research methodology via focus groups and one-on-one interviews. Participants included patients, caregivers, community members, students and educators (total: n=27 participants). All interview and focus group transcripts were analyzed qualitatively using an iterative, constant comparative method and thematic analysis. |
| Results | Major themes identified from conversations included ecological health promotion, sustainability, and planetary health as an interconnected determinant of health. Many participants identified Indigenous Knowledge as a significant planetary health topic recognizing the connections between humans, nature, and place. Themes that arose out of the conversations were mapped to create recommended learning objectives. |
| Discussion | Communities believe that planetary health is an essential topic future physicians should know. Developing community-driven medical education from a planetary health context will foster a generation of physicians who are environmentally-conscious, and enhance health provision. |
| Keyword 1 | Planetary health |
| Keyword 2 | Qualitative research |
| Keyword 3 | Medical education |
| Abstract content most relevant to: (check all that apply) | Undergraduate Medical Education |
| Abstract Track - First Choice | Planetary Health |
| Authors | Crystal Gong Crystal Gong Jenna Burke Cathy Kline Adrian Yee Angela Towle |
