The Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) Program Directors’ Retreat on Planetary Health held on December 11, 2024, at the McGill Faculty Club, brought together medical educators to discuss how planetary health principles can be integrated into residency education.
With a focus on addressing the growing environmental challenges facing healthcare and training future professionals to respond to these issues, the event was opened by Joanne Alfieri, MDCM, Assistant Dean of Curricula for PGME, who introduced planetary health as a transdisciplinary, solutions-oriented field. Dr. Alfieri emphasized the important impact of climate change on healthcare, noting, “PGME chose to focus on planetary health this year because climate change and environmental degradation are critical determinants of health, directly impacting vulnerable populations and the sustainability of healthcare systems.”
Encouraging discussions on planetary health
Owen Luo, MDCM, a second-year resident in Internal Medicine, led an engaging session on the health impacts of climate change, underscoring the role of healthcare itself in contributing to environmental harm. He highlighted the urgent need to recognize the interconnectedness of health and the environment, stressing the importance of addressing this issue within medical practice.
Signe Richer, MDCM, Course Director for Physicianship in the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) program and an intensive care unit Physician at Verdun Hospital, shared insights from the 2018 summer heatwave, illustrating how extreme heat events place a significant strain on emergency departments. Dr. Richer also discussed the need for healthcare to reduce its carbon footprint, particularly by minimizing waste and using medical supplies, such as gloves and exam table paper, more sustainably.
Lyndia Dernis, MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesia, based at the St. Mary’s Hospital Center, and Linda Ofiara, MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and a respirologist at the McGill University Health Centre, both shared insights on integrating sustainability into healthcare practices. Dr. Dernis focused on reducing the environmental impact of anesthesia, particularly addressing the plastic waste generated in operating rooms, and encouraged program directors to adopt sustainable practices within their institutions. Dr. Ofiara discussed how to practically incorporate planetary health into residency curricula, outlining three essential competencies: understanding the health-environment relationship, promoting sustainable healthcare practices and advocating for environmental health policies.
During a group activity, program directors worked together to design one program-specific learning objective and one PGME learning objective related to planetary health. Their results included strategies for incorporating planetary health into residency program committee meetings and making it a mandatory component of resident training, in order to promote a more environmentally conscious future for healthcare professionals.
Changing leadership at PGME
The retreat marked a bittersweet occasion as it was the last for Regina Husa, MD, as the Associate Dean of PGME. To honour her contributions and leadership, Dr. Husa was gifted artwork, while close colleagues expressed their gratitude for her dedication and vision in shaping PGME through heartfelt video testimonies. Following a moving thank you speech, Dr. Husa introduced her successor, passing the torch to Leon Tourian, MD, who began his role as Associate Dean, PGME on January 1, 2025.
The retreat concluded with a Q&A session, where speakers discussed how planetary health could be implemented in residency training. Participants left with a deeper understanding of how to integrate planetary health into their programs and an appreciation for the role healthcare providers play in addressing environmental crises.
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