Hospitals, medical schools and public health programs are offering future doctors as well as veteran medical professionals new educational initiatives focused on climate change and its health impacts. "With increasing attention on our climate, we really recognize there's a real gap in physician knowledge, both in pediatric and adult care," explains Marilyn Howarth, MD, at the Philadelphia Regional Center for Children's Environmental Health. The center will train providers on better screening protocols for climate-caused health risks and treatment for related conditions such as lead poisoning and asthma. Howarth said the outreach component will target providers who treat patients with illnesses associated with climate change. The Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health also offers a program that researches climate and health and educates people ranging from high school students to healthcare veterans. Aaron Bernstein, MD, MPH, interim director at the School's Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment, says, "There's clearly a wave building here, and I think it really started with education and people younger than the people in charge calling them into account."
Read More