Preparing medical graduates for the health effects of climate change: an Australasian collaboration

Building a medical workforce that understands the impact of climate change on health and health services and will create change

The Lancet has described action to address climate change as the greatest public health opportunity before us.1 However, to grasp this opportunity, health professionals, including doctors, must understand the impact of climate change on health and be competent to take action and advocate for change. Otherwise it will be a missed opportunity when an urgent and scaled response to mitigate and adapt to climate change is required if society is to avoid the most harmful consequences. Medical degrees (primary medical programs) in Australia and New Zealand are responsible for preparing doctors for entry into clinical practice and to care for patients and their communities. In response to the health threats posed by climate change, Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand (MDANZ) has formed a working group, representing medical schools and medical student associations across both countries, to work collaboratively to develop curricula and resources to address this within primary medical programs. This article summarises this initiative.