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Student Clinicians for Climate Action at UVA 2024 Update

Farah Contractor (SMD25), Vishal Reddy (SMD26), Nick Underwood (SMD27)

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Our origin story...

Lena Bichell’s (SMD23) 2020 Hook Scholar summer project
Aim: examine the role of the environment, particularly a changing climate, on human health and health care. Increase current and future UVASOM students' awareness of the evolving impact of climate change on human health and clinical care
Became a SOM organization and UVA organization
Include 80+ members in SOM and SON, with 14 Executive Board members and 11 participants in preparing the 2023-2024 PHRC

Farah

Carried out in the Center for Health Humanities and Ethics
Aim: examine the role of the environment, particularly a changing climate, on human health and health care.
Multi-prong approach:

(1) Weekly discussion group on climate change, race, and health Literature review with academic scholarship, popular media, and creative resources around the relationship between climate change and health

(2) consulting with local, regional, and national leaders in climate change-minded clinical care

(3) planning/arranging a panel discussion with subject experts, to be offered as a Medical Center Hour in academic year 2020-2021; (4) collaborating with student groups interested in climate change and health at other regional institutions; and (5) exploring how to incorporate existing learning materials on the topic into the NxGen Curriculum. More broadly and longer term, this project aims to increase current and future UVASOM students' awareness of the evolving impact of climate change on human health and clinical care.

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Who are we?

Farah Contractor, ‘25

Meg Hofstedt, ‘24

Initha Setiady, ‘24

Marcelo Sanabria, ‘25

Thi Nguyen, ‘25

Vishal Reddy, ‘26

Aly Dwight, ‘25

Nick Underwood, ‘27

Jessie Bryant, ‘25

Moritz Lange, ‘25

Maya Parker, 27’

AND MORE…

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Planetary Health Report Card

2021

2022

2023

2024

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2024 Planetary Health Report Card

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Advancements in Curriculum

Curricular Thread

Now planetary health will be sprinkled purposefully across our curriculum

Learning objectives in almost every system during preclinical phase
Lectures clinical phases

Pilot climate health questions for preclinical exams

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Advancements in Curriculum

Climate Check-up Podcast

Spearheaded by Venkat Kothandaraman
2 episodes out so far

Extreme heat
Asthma

The language and content is geared towards non-medical professionals

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Advancements in Curriculum

Nutrition Lecture

Dr. Shirley Kalwaney gave a lecture on plant-based diets and sustainability
We are working on a 4th year clinical nutrition elective that will highlight planetary health

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Past Curriculum Advancements

Bedside to Community Course Lecture by Dr. Homan Wai

“Climate Change and Pulmonary Disease” by Dr. Dana Albon

3rd Annual “Climate Change and Health” Elective Course

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Next Steps/Goals

Journal clubs for extra-curricular engagement
More podcast episodes
More climate learning objectives in all systems (Renal etc.)
Clinical nutrition elective

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Thank you! Questions?

Far left: KidVention Science Festival

Middle top: AAP Town Hall

Middle bottom: Rivanna Conservation Alliance clean-up

Right: Medical Center Hour