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The health impacts of climate change could increase the annual number of deaths by 250,000 between 2030 and 2050, based on the WHO’s predictions. This is due to an increase in the prevalence of communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as additional deaths caused by extreme weather events. Within the framework of the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, the Department of Public Health Medicine of the Medical School in Pécs has been working to contribute to strengthening the teaching capacity of medical universities through the CLIMATEMED project since 2022 by developing a curriculum and reinforcing climate awareness. The research was completed in January this year and involved doctors from universities in Pécs, Ireland, Romania, and Serbia, who also published a gap-filling learning material titled “Climate Change and Health”. Experts invited by the Tempus Public Foundation gave high ratings in their peer review of the project, which was led by experts from Pécs.

The health impacts of climate change are pervasive in the health sector, but their systemic treatment has not been addressed because the issue has not been sufficiently present in medical education. This gap has led to the creation of the CLIMATEMED project, coordinated by the Medical School in Pécs.

Curriculum development under the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme has several objectives: the detailed development of a 14-week course covering a full semester on the health impacts of climate change, their management and possible prevention; a “sensitisation” training and methodological guide to be developed alongside the course, to enable teachers to integrate their knowledge on climate change into their existing courses; and the development of further training materials to integrate the health impacts of climate change into the work of medical practitioners.

The consortium led by the UPMS Department of Public Health Medicine included the National Centre for Public Health, the National University of Ireland, the University College Cork, the University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology of Targu Mures, and the Centar za zdravlje, vežbanje i sportske nauke civil society organisation in Novi Sad. They have produced a curriculum in cooperation on “Climate Change and Health”, to which medical students can register as an optional course at Hungarian universities offering it, and it is available to all European medical schools.

The project, which was completed in January this year, was highly rated by the experts invited by the Tempus Public Foundation: it scored 86 out of a maximum of 100 points.

“This result is significant because peer-recognised projects usually score between 75 and 80 points. I think we were able to get such a high score because we achieved all our objectives and even exceeded the expectations in some areas. Together with our consortium partners, we are fully satisfied with the work and results of the past years”, said Dr. János Girán, the project’s professional leader and assistant professor at the Department of Public Health Medicine of the Medical School in Pécs.

According to the peer review, the curriculum produced as part of the project is highly accessible, as it is available in four languages - English, Hungarian, Romanian, and Serbian - in both print and e-learning formats. A chapter on “The Health Impacts of Climate Change” has also been included in the Hungarian textbook on preventive medicine, which is used in all Hungarian medical universities, so that all Hungarian students can learn about the topic.

The reviewers highlighted that the project has had a direct impact on students, teachers, and medical practitioners, and has ensured its long-term integration into university curricula and training systems. It could serve as a good practice for other higher education institutions and health training programmes. A professional dialogue has been initiated with institutions in Italy, Portugal, and the United Kingdom, which could lead to expansion opportunities or the launch of similar projects.

They emphasized that the project has also contributed to the completion of a doctoral dissertation, a TDK essay, and a thesis, demonstrating its impact on the next generation of researchers. The participants have presented their ideas and objectives at several international conferences, and the educational materials have been tested in several universities and practical settings.

The project produced four curricula, pilot courses, and e-learning testing at five universities, and hundreds of students, teachers, and doctors participated in workshops and training sessions. The teaching materials were integrated into the curricula of most of the participating countries, but deeper embedding at the system and institutional level was only achieved in Hungary.

Dr. János Girán said that although the project has come to an end, joint reflection on the topic will continue in the future.

climatemed.eu contains content produced during the project, which is also available on PotePedia.

Photo:

Szabolcs Csortos