Introducing the WGO Climate Course for Global Gastroenterology: “From Basics to Solutions”
Objective
Starting in March 2023 WGO is offering a 9 session webinar course, running through June 2023, whose primary objective is to provide expert foundational knowledge as related to GI environmental sustainability to train a cohort of global gastroenterologists who are passionate about driving change in their GI societies and health systems.
Background and Rationale
Climate change is a rapidly evolving public health crisis with significant implications for digestive health disease. The GI (and non-GI) medical community has been slow to engage on this issue but that is changing. We know from a recent survey of global GI society leadership that leaders are very concerned, but only ten percent of GI societies have an administrative structure in place, such as a climate change working group, which may help lead change within their organizations and countries.
We also know from the survey that one of the main barriers to engagement on this issue is of the limited content expertise. Collectively, these considerations led us to develop this web-based course that strives to educate a cohort of global gastroenterologists who will then have sufficient knowledge and educational tools to work with their society’s education committee, and with their climate change working group as the creation of such groups becomes more commonplace.
All sessions will be held at 07:00 US Central Standard time but will also be recorded and made available on the WGO website for later viewing. Continuing medical education (CME) credits will be available. More information is available here: https://www.worldgastroenterology.org/education-and-training/webinars
The broad topics include:
Overview of Course and Climate Change Fundamentals
Climate Change and GI Health
Food, Water Security, and Vulnerable Populations
Adaptation, Resilience, and Industry Partnership
Understanding the carbon footprint of GI care
Greening Endoscopy and Reducing Waste
Personal and Systems Advocacy and nursing efforts to mitigate the climate crisis
Perspectives
Building a brighter, sustainable, and better future
The course planning committee:
Desmond Leddin, Course chair (Canada)
Guilherme Macedo, WGO President (Portugal)
Geoffrey Metz, WGO President-elect (Australia)
Bishr Omary, former President of the American Gastroenterological Association (USA)
Mai Ling Perman, Co-Director of WGO Suva Training Center (Fiji)
Andrew Veitch, President of the British Society of Gastroenterology (UK)
