Mission
The Next Generation Climate & Health Ambassador program works to:
- Engage a diverse cohort of young and emerging healthcare professionals, empowering them to become leaders in the climate justice movement.
- Support young healthcare professionals in advocating for climate and clean energy solutions and participating in climate and health advocacy in their local communities.
- Provide training sessions for young health professionals to strengthen their policy and advocacy skills in climate and health and environmental justice.
How We Work
Next Gen Ambassadors are asked to take part in 3 PSR-directed policy actions during their time as an ambassador. These include writing LTEs/Op-Eds, contacting local legislators, attending climate & health events, submitting public comments or testifying in public hearings, and/or presenting about climate and health in their practice.
Ambassadors are required to participate in all-Ambassador meetings, which strengthen the sense of community, networking, and mutual support. They also attend required training in skills and topic areas in climate and health and take part in a local mitigation or adaptation project.
Background
Emerging health professionals are the future, not only of healthcare, but of protecting planetary health and wellbeing. That’s why PSR created the Next Generation Ambassador Program.
Our inaugural Next Gen cohort includes 30 active ambassadors 35 years old and younger with a diverse array of backgrounds.They study or work in public health, physical therapy, medicine, veterinary medicine, and other allied health professions.
The program is staffed by Becca Phillips, PSR’s Climate and Health Fellow. An emerging health professional like the Ambassadors she works with, Becca is pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health at Claremont Graduate University.
Local Projects Highlight
Ambassadors are encouraged to take part in local climate & health advocacy projects in their local communities. We would like to highlight the ongoing work of some of our ambassadors around the world.
Background photo: Christian Bradford / CC BY-SA 2.0
Advocacy Through Writing Campaign (LTEs & Op-Eds)
This past August & September, PSR Next Gen Ambassador Program and MS4SF co-ran an Advocacy Through Writing Campaign to help young & emerging health professionals across the U.S. to strengthen their writing and advocacy skills and receive public recognition for their work. We are excited to feature some of their wonderful work on diverse topics in climate & health and environmental justice.
Featured Op-eds and LTEs
Addressing Climate Change is Economic Common Sense
Op-ed by Mitchell Singstock, Medical Student at University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
COVID-19 Telehealth Charts Path Forward to Triple-Aim and Climate Resiliency
Op-ed by Pranav Jayaraman, MPH, Medical Student at Texas Tech Health Science Center at El Paso’s Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
Re: Aug 12, 2022, “A huge side benefit of the new climate bill”
Letter to the editor by Ruba Omeira & Vasalya Panchumarthi, Medical Students at Georgetown University