Environmental sustainability in medical school curriculum: a scoping review

Abstract Background In this scoping review, we aimed to explore the structure, topics, and objectives presented within environmental sustainability curricula in medical education and assess the impact and quality of environmental sustainability curricula in the medical schools. Methods We conducted searches in Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Cinahl, and Global Index Medicus from inception to October 2025. Full-text, peer-reviewed articles were evaluated based on inclusion criteria. Data extracted from included articles included author, year, location, curriculum design, objectives, topics, outcome measures, and main findings. Results The searches resulted in 3357 original articles. A total of five publications met the inclusion criteria and were dated from 2021 to 2025. The structure of the environmental sustainability curriculum in medical education reported in the studies included a one-hour interactive session, a 10-week traditional seminar elective, and a longitudinal integrated societal theme. Studies reported a significant improvement in medical students’ self-perceived competence and knowledge in climate-related health issues. Conclusion Although the included studies highlighted a few different structures of incorporating environmental sustainability in medical education, there still remains a gap in the current literature on how best to implement and objectively assess the impact. Therefore, more research on environmental sustainability curriculum in medical education is needed.