Physicians in action
Read the profiles below and be inspired by the ways members of Health Care Without Harm’s Physician Network are taking action to promote climate-smart health care, protecting their patients from climate change and environmental threats, and advocating for a sustainable future.
Dr. Amy Collins
After an “aha moment” sparked by her son, Dr. Collins became increasingly aware of the environmental impacts of her workplace. In addition to working as an emergency physician, she leads Health Care Without Harm’s Physician Network, mentoring and supporting medical students and physicians interested in promoting climate-smart health care and other climate solutions.
Read her full profile
Dr. Seema Gandhi
Anesthesiologist Dr. Gandhi brings her experience providing excellent patient care with a mindful approach – consuming less and generating less waste – to medical students and colleagues at UCSF. Gandhi’s influence improved awareness and developed stronger teams while helping identify and advocate for waste reduction strategies in operating rooms and beyond.
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Dr. Ilyssa Gordon
When her pathology residency illustrated the need for waste reduction and recycling in the lab, Dr. Gordon knew there was more work to be done. Now she is the founder and co-chair of the Greening the Labs Committee at Cleveland Clinic, known as a leader of the “Greening the Labs” movement.
Read her full profile
Dr. Ashley McClure
As an internal medicine physician at Kaiser Permanente in California, Dr. McClure’s passion for acting on climate change has driven her to become a tour de force, inspiring physicians to learn about and take action for climate solutions.
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Dr. Melissa Pavelack
After learning about the impact of the health care sector on climate, Dr. Pavelack decided to become a pediatrician with a focus on pediatric environmental health. Her clinical work, research, and passion for environmental health drive Pavelack’s mission to educate and empower her health care colleagues, patients, and families.
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Dr. Ted Shieh
After childhood events sparked an interest in protecting marine ecosystems, Dr. Shieh devoted his free time to educating the public on the human impact of marine ecology. Then, a chance meeting with a health care sustainability consultant and fellow emergency medicine physician sprung Sheih to focus on a new passion: creating sustainable immediate care centers.
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Dr. Jonathan Slutzman
From environmental engineer to instructor in emergency medicine, Dr. Slutzman has kept climate at the center of his career. Despite a demanding clinical schedule, he also works to educate health professionals about the environmental impact of health care while researching and advocating for opportunities to advance climate-smart health care as a critical public health imperative.
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Dr. Karin Zuegge
From composting and recycling with her family as a child to her role as an anesthesiologist, Dr. Zuegge believes every action taken to reduce the impact of health care, no matter how small, is valuable.
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Emerging Physician Leader awardees
Dr. Hilary Ong
Dr. Ong’s dedication to protect children from environmental threats earned her recognition as one of two inaugural recipients of Health Care Without Harm’s Emerging Physician Leader award and scholarship. Ong is currently a third-year pediatric emergency medicine fellow with hopes to hopes to research climate change and its intersection with pediatric emergency medicine in the future.
Read her full profile
Emily Sbrioli
The devastation left by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 to her family’s home and thousands of others made Dr. Sbiroli realize the importance of emergency physicians during an extreme weather event. Now, Sbiroli is a third-year emergency medicine resident and one of two inaugural recipients of Health Care Without Harm’s Emerging Physician Leader award and scholarship, chosen for her enthusiasm for climate-smart health care and inspirational vision for a sustainable future.
