Last month UCSF and Stanford held the fourth annual NorCal Symposium on Climate and Health. The virtual event focused on how climate change presents a critical challenge to medical education, as future medical professionals will be tasked with treating patients and managing healthcare systems in a constantly changing world.
The agenda covered topics such as bringing climate action to medical education, including equity in climate and health education, securing a safe climate system for the children, cutting-edge climate change and health education, and a panel discussion among UCSF, Stanford, and UC Davis deans.
A Deeper Look
Tamiko Robin Katsumoto, MD, clinical assistant professor in the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University, and a UCSF alum, and Angela Haczku, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and director, UC Davis Lung Center were on the symposium planning committee. Below, they provided insights into the event and shared their hopes for future symposiums.
Why is the focus on climate and health education so important?
Katsumoto: There remain significant knowledge gaps among health care professionals in the realm of climate change and its impacts on health. Given the accelerating climate crisis, we need to integrate robust climate and health curricula into our existing educational structures to rapidly disseminate this knowledge at all levels of medical education (including post-graduate). Establishing climate and health education as a priority will be key to ensuring that such educational activities receive adequate institutional support to bolster the quality of these educational initiatives.
What did you find most satisfying about the symposium?
Haczku: As an educator and academic researcher, I found most satisfying the opportunity the symposium provided me to learn not only from experts and leaders in the field but also from our students. I was able to gain interesting and valuable insights into diverse approaches to climate and health education. While organizing the symposium I always enjoy connecting with my like-minded colleagues from Stanford and UCSF, and see their enthusiasm and commitment to collaborate in addressing the climate and health crisis.
Which was your favorite session and why?
Haczku: It's challenging to pick a favorite session simply because they were all excellent, informative, and inspiring. However, the Leadership Panel Discussion stood out to me probably because I had collaborated with my excellent UC Davis colleagues in preparing for this session. But also, the Leadership Panel highly impressed me with the engagement and dedication of all our educational deans in discussing collaborative and innovative approaches to climate and health education, curriculum implementation, and the transformation of the learning experience.
Watch all the sessions:
What were any tangible benefits you have seen from the Nor Cal Symposiums since inception?
Haczku: The enhanced awareness of the climate and health crisis among healthcare professionals, the collective movement to develop new educational resources and programs, the increased collaborative efforts among institutions and individuals (especially our students), all leading to tangible ways to implement positive changes in medical curricula to better prepare future healthcare professionals for addressing climate-related health issues.
What topics do you want to touch on in the future?
Katsumoto: Medical professionals are some of the most trusted voices when it comes to communication about climate and health. In addition to educating ourselves on the impacts of climate and health, it is also imperative that we optimize our communication skills regarding educating our patients on the same. In addition, it would be highly productive and impactful to counsel patients on actions they can take to optimize sustainability in their daily lives, paying close attention to issues of equity. As medical professionals who collectively take care of the majority of the population of our country, we can have huge impacts in changing behaviors to promote sustainability. A future session on patient education and communication could be highly valuable and impactful.
