Sustainability in British skin surgery - a medical student’s perspective

Abstract

The drive for sustainability is becoming ever more apparent and important in our day to day lives. Healthcare is a major field where more sustainable alternatives, and systematic changes must be considered, in order to improve the environmental impact of skin surgery and medicine. Over time, behaviours and methods that could be potentially detrimental environmentally, can become integrated deeply within departmental protocols. Here, the potential key contributors to reduced sustainability within the field of skin surgery are discussed from the perspective of a medical student with interest in Plastic and Dermatological Surgery, with possible measures and discussion points to move forwards.