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Student Clinicians for Climate Action at UVA 2023 Update

Margaret Hofstedt, SOM2024

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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 90+ members in SOM and SON, with 15 Executive Board members and 14 participants in preparing the 2023 PHRC

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 today?

Aly Dwight, ‘25

Coreylyn DeBettencourt, ‘25

Jessie Bryant, ‘25

Parker Holum, ‘25

Farah Contractor, ‘25

Lena Bichell, ‘23

Meg Hofstedt, ‘24

Venkat Kothandaraman, ‘24

Kylie Fultineer, ‘24

Initha Setiady, ‘24

Vishal Reddy, ‘26

Luis (Marcelo) Sanabria, ‘25

Thi Nguyen, ‘25

Moritz Lange, ‘25

AND MORE…

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Planetary Health Report Card

2021

2022

2023

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2023 Planetary Health Report Card

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Advancements in Curriculum

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

Define climate change.
Identify vulnerable populations and determinants of health affected by climate change.
Describe how climate change affects chronic respiratory conditions.
Identify at least 2 climate change factors that influence indoor and outdoor air quality in asthmatic patients.

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Advancements in Curriculum

(2) Bedside to Community Course Lecture

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Advancements in Curriculum

(3) 2nd Annual 4th Year Elective Course - Climate Change and Health

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Advancements in Curriculum

(4) Upcoming – Curricular Thread??

Anatomy

Biochemistry

Cell Biology

Culture, Anti-Racism, and Health Equity

Disability

Epidemiology

Genomic Medicine

Histopathology

Human Sexuality/LGBTQ Healthcare

Immunology

Infectious Diseases

Information Mastery

Interprofessional Education

Leadership

Neuroscience

Nutrition

Palliative Care and Pain Management

Pharmacology

Physiology

Professionalism/Ethics/Medical Humanities

Public Health� Quality and Patient Safety

Radiology

Wellness

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Advancements in Curriculum

(4) Upcoming – Curricular Thread??

Goal: have learning objectives related to climate change/planetary health in each preclerkship system
Current phase: generating LOs that can be incorporated into current lectures

Dr. Meyer and members of our organization
Other stakeholders: system leaders, faculty members, classmates

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Next Steps/Goals

Curricular thread
Journal clubs for extra-curricular engagement
Patient-facing materials on climate health (podcast?)

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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