Integrating sustainability in medical education

Editor – We read with interest the article by Vanita Gandhi and colleagues which highlights the importance of integrating sustainability in medical education.¹ We would like to bring to attention a student-led movement founded on the same principles and with incredible potential to trigger change.

Student MedAID is a student-led charity and society affiliated with the University of Edinburgh. We collect unwanted and out-of-date medical resources from hospitals, organisations and members of the public throughout the UK. We then re-distribute them to under-resourced healthcare institutions abroad through medical students on electives, humanitarian health workers and other non-governmental organisations.

To date, we have delivered equipment to 11 different countries, hoping to aid communities in need throughout the world. We have recently opened a new sister organisation in Leeds, and hope to open new branches in London, Aberdeen, Dundee and Oxford in the upcoming months. Our organisation has become integrated within local NHS trusts and universities throughout the UK, promoting cooperation at local, national and international level. We understand that what is urgently needed to reduce health disparities worldwide is increased legislation, healthcare funding and international collaboration. However, we hope to provide a short-term, student-led solution while advocating for long-term change.

By collecting surplus equipment, we aim to reduce the carbon footprint of the NHS and work towards a sustainable healthcare system both nationally and globally. We believe that every individual has the right to healthcare. In congruence with the true origins of the NHS and the ethos of Aneurin Bevan, which aimed to increase healthcare accessibility for all, we hope to advocate for the rights for those who may not have the voice to do so.

We have provided a unique platform for students to play a role in bridging the gap between waste in the NHS and shortage of medical equipment in resource-limited settings. Our members are committed to educating themselves and our audience on pressing topics in our society. Student MedAID hopes to be at the forefront of change, promoting Vanita Gandhi's message on sustainable education and aspiring to cultivate a community of compassion, respect and humility.

• © Royal College of Physicians 2020. All rights reserved.