Paper Published on Integrating Planetary Health into University Professional Health Educations
University of Wisonsin-Madison Arboretum in October 2023. Photo Credit: Jeff Miller, UW-Madison Photo Library
Overview
Last week, a team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia published a paper in Frontiers in Medicine on integrating planetary health education into medicine, nursing, public health, and allied health disciplines. Lessons were drawn from case studies in the United States and Australia on preparing health professionals for the triple planetary health crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. A key focus of the paper was drawing from indigenous perspectives from around the world. Of the 11 authors, three (Vijay Limaye, Michael Kamp, and Jonathan Patz) are from the Climate Solutions for Health Lab.
Integrating planetary health education into tertiary curricula: a practical toolbox for implementation
Authors: Zerina Lokmic-Tomkins, Liza Barbour, Jessica LeClair, Jeneile Luebke, Sarah L. McGuinness, Vijay S. Limaye, Parvathy Pillai, Maxfield Flynn, Michael A. Kamp, Karin Leder, and Jonathan A. Patz
Objective: To present a series of case studies from our respective countries and disciplines on approaches to implementing the Planetary Health Education Framework in university health professional education programs, and to propose a curriculum implementation and evaluation toolbox for educators to facilitate the adoption of similar initiatives in their programs. We emphasize the importance of applying an Indigenous lens to curriculum needs assessment, development, implementation, and evaluation.
Methods: Case studies from Australia and United States were collated using a six-stage design-based educational research framework (Focus, Formulation, Contextualization, Definition, Implementation, Evaluation) for teaching planetary health and methods of curriculum evaluation. These components were then mapped to derive the curriculum implementation toolbox reflecting the six-stage design-based educational research framework.
Results: The case studies demonstrated different approaches to successful integration of the Planetary Health Education Framework in medicine, nursing, public health, and allied health disciplines. This integration often involved Indigenous perspectives on environmental stewardship, holistic health, and community well-being into the curriculum. The case studies also highlighted the importance of community engagement, cultural competency, and interdisciplinary collaboration in curriculum development. Findings from case studies were used to propose a curriculum implementation toolbox to assist educators in adapting and integrating planetary health education into their own programs.
Discussion: While valuable frameworks for teaching planetary health in health science programs exist, challenges remain in implementing these frameworks in real-world educational environments. The proposed curriculum implementation toolbox offers practical strategies and resources for educators to incorporate these principles into their teaching. Additionally, the case studies reported here contribute to the growing body of literature on planetary health education pertinent to addressing the triple planetary crisis.