Surgical Education Within Planetary Health Curricula: A Global Environmental Scan (2022–2025)

Rosemary Vayalikunnel (), Poliana Zanotto Manoel, Agnes Zanotto Manoel, Mathanky Jeyakumar, Le Qi Chen, Rushan Jeyakumar, Patricia Balmes, Annie Lalande, Andrea J. MacNeill, Shahrzad Joharifard and Emilie Joos
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Rosemary Vayalikunnel: Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
Poliana Zanotto Manoel: Global Surgery Lab, Branch for Global Surgical Care, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
Agnes Zanotto Manoel: Global Surgery Lab, Branch for Global Surgical Care, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
Mathanky Jeyakumar: Global Surgery Lab, Branch for Global Surgical Care, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
Le Qi Chen: Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
Rushan Jeyakumar: Global Surgery Lab, Branch for Global Surgical Care, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
Patricia Balmes: Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
Annie Lalande: Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
Andrea J. MacNeill: Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
Shahrzad Joharifard: Global Surgery Lab, Branch for Global Surgical Care, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada
Emilie Joos: Global Surgery Lab, Branch for Global Surgical Care, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9, Canada

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: Operating rooms (ORs) represent strategic targets for climate mitigation efforts, given their significant environmental footprint and the need for increased surgical capacity to meet the global surgical burden of disease. OR teams are often unaware of impacts of unsustainable surgical practices. Although research supports the integration of planetary health into clinical education, there is limited data on the availability, structure, and surgical content of such courses. This study examines the availability and accessibility of planetary health courses (PHCs) worldwide, with a focus on identifying surgical content within curricula. An environmental scan was conducted using internet searches, reviewing curricula from the top ten universities in each global region and cross-referencing existing course collections. Courses were evaluated based on type, cost, language, and whether they addressed the environmental impact of surgery. A total of 248 courses were identified, primarily at the graduate level, offered in English, and concentrated in North America and Europe. Only four courses included content on the intersection of planetary health and surgery. These findings demonstrate the lack of surgical content in planetary health education and emphasize the need to develop comprehensive, accessible, and globally representative courses that address the environmental impacts of surgical care.

Keywords: planetary health; education; surgery; surgical care; carbon footprint; perioperative care; accessibility; availability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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