Gloves to Gowns: A Medical Student’s Climate Footprint

“I’m studying to save lives,” says the future doctor, unaware that the Earth, too, is a life that needs to be saved. 

As per Google, a future doctor, or in other terms, a medical student is a person enrolled in a medical school training to be a professional physician meant to save lives, in the near future. But if you ever twist the angle a little, you might see a different definition. A definition states that a medical student is a person whose training generates an environmental footprint far larger than that of the average person, contributing to the climate crisis that endangers the health of us all.

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Medical students generate a significant amount of waste during their training. For example, just one day of surgical practice can produce around 112 kilograms of medical waste, showing how much material is used in hands-on learning (Indiana University audit, 2024). Dental students also contribute to this footprint, using approximately 120 grams of sterile plastic packaging per patient, which adds up to about 8.8 kilograms of carbon emissions annually per student (Reuters, 2024). Additionally, the frequent use of gloves, masks, and gowns during clinical rotations increases environmental impact due to both production and disposal processes (Reuters, 2024). Altogether, medical students can be responsible for producing between 0.5 and 3 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually from their training activities, on top of their regular personal carbon footprint (Reddit, 2024). This means a medical student’s total carbon footprint can reach 11 to 14 tonnes per year, which is higher than the average European’s footprint of approximately 10.7 tonnes or the average American’s footprint of approximately 16 tonnes per year (European Commission, 2024). Recognizing this hidden environmental impact is important to help develop solutions for reducing the carbon footprint of medical education.

The large carbon footprint generated by medical students and healthcare training contributes directly to climate change. Healthcare waste incineration and plastic disposal contaminate soil and waterways, harming wildlife and biodiversity (The Lancet Planetary Health, 2020). Moreover, producing and discarding medical supplies uses energy-intensive processes that rely heavily on fossil fuels, increasing air pollution and depleting resources (Health Care Without Harm, 2021). These environmental harms threaten the very purpose of a medical student’s training: to save lives— thus, making it critical to find sustainable solutions within medical education.

There are several effective ways to reduce the climate footprint of medical students, but three major initiatives stand out for their impact and recognition by notable organizations and medical schools. First, the University of Nottingham has implemented the Green Packs program, which provides reusable clinical kits for simulation training, helping to significantly reduce medical waste and cut carbon emissions. This initiative has saved over 500 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent annually while encouraging more mindful use of resources among students (University of Nottingham). Second, the European Network on Climate & Health Education (ECNHE) is a collaborative project that trains thousands of students across Europe in sustainable healthcare practices, including eco-friendly clinical techniques, green prescribing, and active travel. Their goal is to embed planetary health principles into medical education, helping future healthcare professionals understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change on human health (ECNHE). Lastly, Harvard University is actively integrating sustainability into its medical curriculum, emphasizing the critical role of climate education for future doctors. As Dr. Gaurab Basu, a primary care physician at Cambridge Health Alliance affiliated with Harvard Medical School, explains: “Learning about climate change in medical school shouldn’t be an afterthought; it’s fundamental to the practice of being a good doctor. If we make it standard to understand how diseases are changing because of climate change, we’ll be better prepared to diagnose our patients and provide appropriate treatment plans” (Salata Institute, Harvard).

While systemic changes in medical education and healthcare are essential, individual medical students also have a powerful role to play in reducing their environmental impact. Students can start by minimizing the use of single-use items in simulation labs—choosing reusable clinical kits or bringing their own prep trays when possible. Advocating for greener practices at their institutions, such as the adoption of reusable gowns and drapes, can help drive larger change. Most importantly, staying informed about planetary health and promoting its integration into the curriculum helps ensure that future healthcare professionals remain conscious of the intersection between human and environmental health.

By weaving together sterility, strategy, and sustainability, future doctors can secure not only the health of their patients but also that of the planet Earth.