Overall
109PHRC APRIL 2023
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
C
Planetary Health Curriculum
A
Interdisciplinary Research
The Icahn School of Medicine is a member of the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education, and
is home to multiple hubs and departments dedicated to interdisciplinary planetary health research. It
organizes this research and associated conferences in a centralized website.
Recommendations: While the Icahn School of Medicine has relationships with Community Based
Organizations in East Harlem, community members can be given increased agency and decision-making
power in the institution’s ongoing research and projects relating to the environment.
B
Community Outreach and Advocacy
The Icahn School of Medicine Mount Sinai has made good progress in community outreach relating to
planetary health. NYSCHECK and PEHSU at ISMMS have promoted planetary health to New Yorkers
through public-facing brochures on several environmental health and climate change topics (Prescriptions
for Prevention). During InFocus courses during the first year of medical school and clinical electives, students are
able to work directly with community partners on environmental justice crisis issues, such as asthma, air pollution,
and mold exposures. Since 2019, the Mount Sinai Institute for Exposomic Research has hosted the Clinical Climate
Change Conference, an annual continuing medical education conference that focuses on the latest planetary
health-related research and ways to advance patient health and education.
Recommendations: ISMMS should continue to integrate more community partnerships relating to
planetary health. There is room for improvement in hosting events or courses related to planetary health for medical
education and student training. In addition, ISMMS should consider sending out more
communication regarding planetary health to trainees, faculty, and other members of the school/hospital.
C
Support for Student-Led Initiatives
2022-2023 Summary Report
US - Northeast
B-
Campus Sustainability
B
The Icahn School of Medicine has several student groups relating to planetary health, sustainability, and/or
wilderness appreciation: the Greening/Sustainability Committee of Student Council; WildMed; the One Health and
Emerging Pathogens Interest Group; and our chapter of MS4SF. Students can attend planetary health-related
events, such as the annual Climate Change Conference. Sinai has relevant web pages about planetary health
research and programs, which medical students can pursue; however, dedicated programming and funding for
medical student research and projects on planetary health appear to be lacking.
Recommendations: More funding and programming for medical student research and projects on planetary health
is needed. Sinai could also benefit from more opportunities relating to food systems, environmental justice, art
events about environmentalism, and environmental volunteering.
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai does include some climate curriculum in the pre-clinical
years. A large portion of the climate curriculum was included within several stand-alone lectures.
Longitudinal climate curriculum was sporadically present. There is a lack of comprehensive coverage of
climate-related topics.
Recommendations: There is a lack of clinical opportunities for students to practice discussing/engaging
with climate health topics. There is also no discussion regarding sustainable clinical practices. This could be
introduced in the clinical years or by furthering partnerships with community organizations. Better visibility
of climate change topics is necessary; this could be achieved by incorporating climate topics into
assessment materials and clinical vignettes.
The Icahn School of Medicine has implemented many initiatives to improve supply procurement, conserve
energy in existing buildings, and reduce waste in clinical and laboratory settings. The institution has taken
steps toward further systemic changes by divesting from fossil-fuel investments and setting goals for carbon
neutrality.
Recommendations: Areas needing the most improvement include increased usage of renewable energy throughout
the healthcare system as well as further implementation of composting within the hospital and cafeteria. Further, we
suggest that the medical school create sustainability guidelines relating to purchases for its catered events.
Expanded score explanations can be found at phreportcard.org.