Student challenges and successes in integration of planetary health in medical education: a mixed methods analysis
IntroductionThis study evaluates challenges and successes faced by medical students leading planetary health (PH) curriculum reform and tracks changes over time.MethodsThe Planetary Health Report Card (PHRC) is a standardized, metric-based tool for assessing PH education in medical schools. In Octob...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1593332/full |
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| author | Kanika Malani Emily Yamron Kate Tokareva Taylor Brewer Alexander Northrop Lauren Franklin Kyle Denison Martin |
| author_facet | Kanika Malani Emily Yamron Kate Tokareva Taylor Brewer Alexander Northrop Lauren Franklin Kyle Denison Martin |
| author_sort | Kanika Malani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThis study evaluates challenges and successes faced by medical students leading planetary health (PH) curriculum reform and tracks changes over time.MethodsThe Planetary Health Report Card (PHRC) is a standardized, metric-based tool for assessing PH education in medical schools. In October 2023, a survey was emailed to 132 medical students across 52 US institutions who had served as primary contacts for their school’s most recent PHRC between 2020 and 2023. The survey explored challenges and successes in integrating PH into the curriculum. A total of 31 students from 17 US states responded. All respondents were invited to follow-up Zoom interviews, with 11 completing them. Survey and interview data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and directed content analysis, while longitudinal PHRC data were assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.ResultsStudents are primary stakeholders in PH integration (N = 28, 90%). While other stakeholders were perceived as generally supportive, surveyed students felt these groups were less likely to lead PH curricular reform and may lack confidence in delivering PH content (N = 7, 70.0%). Interviewees (N = 11) noted various obstacles and suggested potential solutions to improve PH integration into medical curricula.DiscussionMedical schools should prioritize developing longitudinal, course-specific PH education, supported by both individual institutions and national frameworks and licensing organizations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dbdd5962a8a245ee9f1e0b2a90a3826f |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-dbdd5962a8a245ee9f1e0b2a90a3826f2025-07-24T05:33:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-07-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15933321593332Student challenges and successes in integration of planetary health in medical education: a mixed methods analysisKanika Malani0Emily Yamron1Kate Tokareva2Taylor Brewer3Alexander Northrop4Lauren Franklin5Kyle Denison Martin6Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, United StatesAlbert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, United StatesSchool of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United StatesThe George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United StatesColumbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, United StatesSchool of Medicine, Keele University, Staffordshire, United KingdomWarren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, United StatesIntroductionThis study evaluates challenges and successes faced by medical students leading planetary health (PH) curriculum reform and tracks changes over time.MethodsThe Planetary Health Report Card (PHRC) is a standardized, metric-based tool for assessing PH education in medical schools. In October 2023, a survey was emailed to 132 medical students across 52 US institutions who had served as primary contacts for their school’s most recent PHRC between 2020 and 2023. The survey explored challenges and successes in integrating PH into the curriculum. A total of 31 students from 17 US states responded. All respondents were invited to follow-up Zoom interviews, with 11 completing them. Survey and interview data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and directed content analysis, while longitudinal PHRC data were assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.ResultsStudents are primary stakeholders in PH integration (N = 28, 90%). While other stakeholders were perceived as generally supportive, surveyed students felt these groups were less likely to lead PH curricular reform and may lack confidence in delivering PH content (N = 7, 70.0%). Interviewees (N = 11) noted various obstacles and suggested potential solutions to improve PH integration into medical curricula.DiscussionMedical schools should prioritize developing longitudinal, course-specific PH education, supported by both individual institutions and national frameworks and licensing organizations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1593332/fullplanetary healthclimate healthmedical educationmedical curriculumclimate change |
| spellingShingle | Kanika Malani Emily Yamron Kate Tokareva Taylor Brewer Alexander Northrop Lauren Franklin Kyle Denison Martin Student challenges and successes in integration of planetary health in medical education: a mixed methods analysis Frontiers in Public Health planetary health climate health medical education medical curriculum climate change |
| title | Student challenges and successes in integration of planetary health in medical education: a mixed methods analysis |
| title_full | Student challenges and successes in integration of planetary health in medical education: a mixed methods analysis |
| title_fullStr | Student challenges and successes in integration of planetary health in medical education: a mixed methods analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Student challenges and successes in integration of planetary health in medical education: a mixed methods analysis |
| title_short | Student challenges and successes in integration of planetary health in medical education: a mixed methods analysis |
| title_sort | student challenges and successes in integration of planetary health in medical education a mixed methods analysis |
| topic | planetary health climate health medical education medical curriculum climate change |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1593332/full |
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