Inclusion of topics related to climate and health in U.S. Doctor of Pharmacy Didactic Curricula.

INTRODUCTION Among growing calls to incorporate topics related to climate change and health in U.S. Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curricula, a cross-sectional survey was developed and administered to collect baseline information for monitoring, comparison, and benchmarking.

Methods

An electronic survey was sent to each fully-accredited U.S. PharmD program (n = 138) in summer 2025. Questions assessed whether selected content related to the impact of climate change on health across 5 domains (Knowledge and Analytic Skills; Communication and Collaboration; Policy; Public Health Practice; Clinical Practice) was included in required or elective didactic courses. Teaching modalities utilized and future plans for such content were also collected.

Results

Sixty-eight schools (49%) completed the survey. Concepts most often identified as being taught in either required or elective didactic courses fell into the domains of Knowledge and Analytic Skills or Clinical Practice. No concept included in the survey was taught at more than 40% of respondent schools, and for many concepts 10% or fewer reported inclusion in the didactic curricula. The most common teaching modalities utilized was lectures (53%), labs (16%), and case studies (13%). Four percent of respondent schools indicated a plan to incorporate more topics related to climate change and health in the curricula, while 49% indicated "no" and 47% "didn't know".

Conclusion

While some PharmD programs currently include topics related to climate change and health in their didactic curricula, gaps remain. More programs need to integrate these topics into their curricula to better prepare student pharmacists regarding the impact of climate change on health.