The PIPE program recently partnered with the UC Center for Climate Health and Equity to develop a session on “The Growing Impact of Climate on Health: An Interprofessional Panel and Case Discussion” that was held in February. Panelists included Seema Gandhi, MD; Katherine Gruenberg, PharmD, MEd; Alex Trope MD, MS; and Lisa Hartmeyer, NP, MSN.
All health professional students from UCSF and UC Davis were invited to participate in the virtual session, which focused on how current patterns of population growth, resource use, and pollution are not sustainable; how the environment, especially climate change, impacts health; how the health care system impacts the environment; and what health professionals and the interprofessional team can do to mitigate these impacts. Students had the opportunity to work in interprofessional teams on a case analysis.
A special thank you to Karly Hampshire, MS4, Arianne Teherani, PhD, and Heather Whelan, MD who helped to organize this session. PIPE plans to sponsor future sessions on timely topics that necessitate an interprofessional approach in the upcoming year.