Carbon Footprint of Medical Education: Preclerkship and Clerkship Considerations

Rajasekaran, Senthil Kumar

Carbon Footprint of Medical Education: Preclerkship and Clerkship Considerations

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Senthil Kumar Rajasekaran

Departments of 1Pharmacology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, /Environmental Health, Harvard University, TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Abstract

Climate change is putting immense pressure on healthcare systems, which are already responsible for significant global greenhouse gas emissions, contributing 4.4 % of worldwide emissions. Medical education, as an integral part of the healthcare system, also plays a role in this environmental impact, particularly through energy-intensive preclerkship learning spaces and carbon-heavy clerkship travel. However, innovative strategies such as digital and hybrid learning, telemedicine, and longitudinal integrated clerkships (LICs) present opportunities for emission reductions. This commentary explores the carbon footprint of medical education, assesses the impact of traditional practices, and proposes practical solutions to integrate sustainability into future medical training..

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