Small steps towards big change! Preserving the health of patients and the planet together! TMA Eco Club members united around this slogan and held a workshop together with their American peer Jennifer Iospa.

The workshop was devoted to the discussion of topics related to environmental issues and planetary health. Within the framework of the meeting, short presentations of TMA students were showcased and summarized the activities already implemented by TMA within the campaign. Jennifer also shared her experience in this direction with our students. The intern from Williams College spent three weeks at TMA, where she got acquainted with the academy's programs and student life.

“I think the green initiative is very important, especially for people who study medicine, because they are the ones who can influence others and come together to care for the health of patients and the planet. Indeed, with small steps, big changes can be made," said Jennifer Iospa.

Within the framework of the third mission, institutional culture, TMA actively continues the green campaign called GO GREEN. The goal of the campaign is to plan and implement various advocacy activities with the maximum involvement of students, which include sharing information about environmental issues with the community as well as close dialogue with international experts, clinicians, and patients; in addition, promoting vegan and vegetarian food.

It is important that with the involvement of the TMA Eco Club and students, several events have already been implemented in cooperation with partner organizations.
"Today's workshop was important. We also heard the opinion of our international colleague on this issue. We think that not only us, students but also professors and administration should be a part of this campaign. We are trying to unite even more people around us and change the attitude about this very important issue," said TMA international student Rishu Shah, who is an active member of the TMA Eco Club.

TMA administration representatives also attended the meeting. At the end of the meeting, the head of the Faculty Development Department, Maka Zarnadze, thanked the students for actively implementing the green initiative and noted that today's workshop was interesting in terms of further informing and developing the faculty, as certain activities were planned in the direction of planetary health, to involve the faculty and increase their awareness. "There are many issues, including in the direction of planetary health, on which we will gladly cooperate with students and plan joint activities with the participation of students and faculty about planetary health" - Maka Zarnadze noted.

Earlier this year, on January 9th, the Head of the Institutional Culture Development Department, Maka Maglakelidze, and student Rishu Shah were invited to speak at the University of Bayreuth, Germany for the seminar “Lessons learned” with the masters students in planetary health, about their experience in the field, discussing planetary health initiatives carried out at TMA and providing their insights, highlighting individual scientific journey, and core scientific skills that are essential for the persons willing to work on the issues of Planetary Health.