Climate change poses an unprecedented global health challenge, yet the healthcare sector—including medical education—contributes substantially to greenhouse gas emissions. Medical training, spanning preclerkship and clerkship phases, generates carbon emissions through energy-intensive infrastructure, travel, clinical resource use, and educational materials. This commentary examines the environmental impact of medical education, highlighting unique sustainability challenges in both early and clinical training. Strategies such as digital and hybrid learning, telemedicine integration, green building practices, reduced travel, and curriculum reforms embedding climate literacy offer practical pathways to mitigation. By leveraging learning science and innovative pedagogies, medical schools can reduce their carbon footprint while enhancing educational outcomes. Institutional awareness, policy integration, and student engagement are critical for fostering a culture of sustainability, preparing future physicians to be scientifically competent and environmentally responsible.
Yetunde Funke Prof. Oladunni (Wed,) studied this question.