Team Leads: Crystal Gong, Jenna Burke, Sumara Stroshein, Iman Baharmand
Location: N/A
Duration: throughout the year
Positions: 2-3 students (1st and 2nd year medical students preferred for FLEX)
Faculty Supervisors: Drs. Adrian Yee, Angela Towle, Videsh Kapoor, Sarah Bartlett, Brett Schrewe, Rakel Kling, Caroline Stigant
Project:
The Lancet Commission on Planetary health defines planetary health as “the health of human civilization and the natural systems on which it depends”. In other words the premise of planetary health relates to the interconnection between human wellbeing and the wellbeing of the planet. The depletion of our natural systems through human-related causes relates to the Anthropocene or anthropogenic climate change. Emissions from greenhouse gases are responsible for approximately 1.1 C of warming since 1850-1900, and the average expected temperature increase over the next 50 years is expected to reach or exceed 1.5 C of warming. Healthcare professionals are some of the most trusted people within society. And therefore healthcare professionals play an important role in the mitigation and adaptation to climate change through engagement in preventative medicine.
In 2023 the UBC officially integrated planetary health within the undergraduate medical education (UGME) curriculum. This move played a huge first step in educating the next generation of physicians on sustainable healthcare systems and providing care within a warming climate. This project is an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the UGME curriculum by updating course material through Years 1 to 4 including weekly CBLs, updating the TICE lecture on healthcare sustainability, and co-creating a new planetary health lecture in TIPP. You will have the opportunity to work closely with other medical students, different physician week leads, patient-partners, and UBC curriculum directors with the UGME. There are opportunities to participate in international conferences, publish research papers, and develop skills in grant writing. We are supported by the UBC Sustainability education grant.
Applications:
Please download and complete the form, and email to ubc.ghi@gmail.com by October 23, 2023 (11:59pm).