Environmental Health

Uphold your Hippocratic Oath by advocating for action on climate change

Written by AMSA Environmental Health Action Committee Co-Chairs Heidi Schoomaker, Haley Probst, and Marcela Betancourt, published in KevinMD, October 5, 2020 Dear Class of 2024, You are embarking on a career in medicine during one of the most pivotal times in our nation’s history. Each of you has an intimate experience with COVID-19, whether through...

Earth Day 2020: Parallels Between the COVID-19 & Climate Crises

As we recognize the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we want to call attention to the stark but unsurprising health disparities seen as a result of climate change. These disparities parallel those seen in the COVID-19 pandemic. This is no coincidence. The novel coronavirus and climate change are both public health emergencies that disproportionately affect...

The Plastic Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back

By Hanna Choi, 2019—2020 Global Health Action Committee Programming Coordinator Research comes out on a daily basis on how single-use plastics, the lack of recycling on a global scale, and the improper elimination of plastic waste are harming our health and the health of our children with everything from cancer to lowered IQ points. I...