Integrating Climate Change into Competency-Based Veterinary Education.

The article addresses the urgent need to expand climate change education within veterinary medical training and proposes a comprehensive educational framework to guide this integration. Developed through literature review and expert input, the framework comprises four domains—Animal Health Management, Resilient Veterinary Systems, Mitigation of Veterinary-Related Climate Hazards, and Broad Community Engagement on Climate Change—linked by foundational knowledge and continuous learning. It aims to equip veterinary graduates with competencies to manage climate-related animal health risks, maintain veterinary services during climate disruptions, reduce the environmental impact of veterinary practices, and engage communities in climate action. The framework aligns with existing competency-based veterinary education and global health education standards and has received positive feedback from veterinary educators, serving as a foundational tool for curriculum development in response to the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges' 2023 position statement on climate change education.