Evaluating interest and feasibility of climate education at a medical school in Michigan
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Sierra Silverwood 1 , Lena Lewis 1 * , Andrew Kim 1 , Aaron Chang 1 , Tyler Pham 2 , Steven Ashmead 3 , Harland Holman 3
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1 College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA2 Department of Statistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA3 Department of Family Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study explores the incorporation of climate change into medical education by surveying about 700 students and 500 faculty at a Michigan medical school. One-way analysis of variance and post-hoc analysis assessed differences by role, age, and class year. Response rates were 9% and 8.4%. Findings show strong belief in human-induced climate change, especially among students (90%), and high concern about its effects. Both groups see climate change as a significant health issue and are willing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, opinions differ on integrating climate change strategies into medical practice, with students less likely than administrators to agree (41% vs. 52%, p < 0.05). Generational differences exist regarding emission reduction actions and including climate change strategies in medical practice. The study highlights the need for climate change education in medical curricula and calls for strategic planning, student advocacy, and tailored educational content.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

INTERDISCIP J ENV SCI ED, Volume 22, Issue 1, 2026, Article No: e2607

https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/17805

Publication date: 27 Jan 2026

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