ISSN 3028-8940 JANUARY-JUNE 2026;3(1):1-4 EDITORIAL https://doi.org/10.36097/rgcs.v3i1.3216 San Gregorio de Portoviejo University | Ecuador 1 Humanistic medical training and One Health approach: an urgent responsibility for Health Sciences education Formación médica humanista y enfoque One Health: una responsabilidad impostergable para la educación en Ciencias de la Salud Judith Galarza 1,2 * 1 Coordinator of the Medicine Program, School of Medicine, San Gregorio de Portoviejo University, Manabí, Ecuador. 2 Director, Revista Gregoriana de Ciencias de la Salud, San Gregorio de Portoviejo University, Manabí, Ecuador. *Corresponding author Reception: 25-11-2025 Acceptance: 19-12-2025 Publication: 31-01-2026 Cite as: Galarza, J. (2026). Humanistic medical training and One Health approach: an urgent responsibility for Health Sciences education. Revista Gregoriana de Ciencias de la Salud, 3(1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.36097/rgcs.v3i1.3216 © Author(s) 2026 Dear readers and authors: Contemporary medical education faces a historic turning point. While scientific and technological advances have decisively transformed the diagnostic and therapeutic capacity of healthcare systems, they are insufficient when not integrated with a comprehensive understanding of health as a biological, social, environmental, and ethical phenomenon. In this context, medical education acquires a strategic role: it must become the effective bridge between scientific knowledge, social justice, and the sustainability of life (Boelen & Heck, 1995; Frenk et al., 2010). Since the foundational milestones of modern medicine—such as the germ theory of disease and the educational reforms promoted by the Flexner Report at the beginning of the 20th century— evidence demonstrates that rigorous scientific training directly impacts the reduction of mortality, the control of communicable diseases, and the response to global health crises (Frenk et al., 2010). However, current challenges demand transcending an exclusively biomedical perspective. The 21st century is characterized by the convergence of interdependent crises: climate change, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, unplanned urbanization, rising zoonotic diseases, and the persistence of profound social inequalities. These conditions redefine the concept of public health and demand professionals capable of understanding and acting on complex systems (Horton et al., 2014; Romanello et al., 2023). In this context, the One Health approach ceases to be a theoretical option and becomes an urgent training necessity (Pan American Health Organization [PAHO], 2021; World Health Organization [WHO], 2017).

Humanistic medical training and One Health approach: an urgent responsibility for Health Sciences education Galarza 2 San Gregorio de Portoviejo University | Ecuador One Health proposes an integrated vision of human, animal, and environmental health, supported by the best available scientific evidence. It recognizes that the well-being of human populations is intrinsically linked to ecosystems and social dynamics (PAHO, 2021; WHO, 2017). Climate change, for example, is not only an environmental problem: it represents one of the greatest contemporary health challenges, with proven effects on morbidity, nutrition, mental health, and the geographic distribution of infectious diseases (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC], 2023; PAHO, 2023; Romanello et al., 2023). Training physicians for this context implies moving beyond the silos of traditional teaching and adopting transdisciplinary educational models, oriented toward research, collaborative work, and the generation of evidence-based public policies (Frenk et al., 2010; General Medical Council [GMC], 2020). Medical science must not only cure; it must transform realities, anticipate risks, and protect the health of future generations (Horton et al., 2014; Whitmee et al., 2015). Healthcare professionals are the human face of healthcare systems. In their daily practice, they integrate knowledge, technology, and ethics; they act as caregivers, communicators, educators, leaders, and managers (Boelen & Heck, 1995; GMC, 2020). To this multiplicity of roles is now added an unavoidable responsibility: to be active advocates for planetary health and guarantors of sustainable development that preserves life in all its forms (Horton et al., 2014; Whitmee et al., 2015; Romanello et al., 2023). In this context, academic and scientific exchange spaces, such as international conferences and specialized congresses, play an essential role. They foster ongoing professional development, critical reflection on educational models, strengthening of research skills, and building of cooperative networks among universities, hospitals, and scientific societies (Frenk et al., 2010; GMC, 2020). They also allow for addressing strategic areas ranging from curriculum transformation, accreditation, and the responsible integration of artificial intelligence in medical education, to bioethics, mental health, and leadership in healthcare. The training of future physicians cannot be limited to the acquisition of technical knowledge. It must be geared toward developing professionals capable of bridging the gap between science and humanity, between technological innovation and social commitment. Understanding that health is not simply about curing but also about prevention, education, support, and actively

Revista Gregoriana de Ciencias de la Salud. Bi-annual peer-reviewed publication. ISSN 3028-8940 / January-June 2026;3(1):1-4 San Gregorio de Portoviejo University | Ecuador 3 confronting inequalities is an ethical and academic imperative (Boelen & Heck, 1995; Frenk et al., 2010). Twenty-five years after its founding, and within the framework of the ongoing strengthening of its medical program, the San Gregorio University of Portoviejo reaffirms its commitment to a medical education of academic excellence that is deeply humanistic and socially responsible. This education is aligned with local needs and global challenges, viewing health as a fundamental right rather than a privilege (Ministry of Public Health of Ecuador, 2022). Science, as Marie Curie affirmed, possesses a profound beauty. This beauty is revealed when knowledge is applied with rigor, ethics, and human sensitivity. The challenge for health sciences education is to preserve and project this beauty into the future, contributing to the development of more comprehensive, equitable, and sustainable health systems (Frenk et al., 2010; Horton et al., 2014). CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The author declares that she has no conflicts of interest. REFERENCES Boelen, C., & Heck, J. E. (1995). Defining and measuring the social accountability of medical schools. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/defining-and- measuring-the-social-accountability-of-medical-schools Frenk, J., Chen, L., Bhutta, Z. A., Cohen, J., Crisp, N., Evans, T., Fineberg, H., Garcia, P., Ke, Y., Kelley, P., Kistnasamy, B., Meleis, A., Naylor, D., Pablos-Mendez, A., Reddy, S., Scrimshaw, S., Sepulveda, J., Serwadda, D., & Zurayk, H. (2010). Health professionals for a new century: Transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world. The Lancet, 376(9756), 1923-1958. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61854-5 General Medical Council. (2020). Outcomes for graduates. https://www.gmc-uk.org Horton, R., Beaglehole, R., Bonita, R., Raeburn, J., McKee, M., & Wall, S. (2014). From public to planetary health: a manifesto. The Lancet, 383(9920), 847. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140- 6736(14)60409-8 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2023). Climate change 2023: Synthesis report. IPCC. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/

Humanistic medical training and One Health approach: an urgent responsibility for Health Sciences education Galarza 4 San Gregorio de Portoviejo University | Ecuador Ministerio de Salud Pública del Ecuador. (2022). Plan Decenal de Salud 2022–2031. MSP. https://bit.ly/3Z9iPoz Organización Panamericana de la Salud. (2021). Una sola salud: Enfoque integrado para la salud humana, animal y ambiental en las Américas. OPS. https://bit.ly/49R4EdW Organización Panamericana de la Salud. (2023). Cambio climático y salud en la Región de las Américas: Evidencias y respuestas. OPS. https://www.paho.org/es/temas/cambio-climatico- salud Romanello, M., di Napoli, C., Green, C., Kennard, H., Lampard, P., Scamman, D., …& Costello, A. (2023). The 2023 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: The imperative for a health-centred response in a world facing irreversible harms. The Lancet, 402(10419), 2346–2394. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)01859-7 Whitmee, S., Haines, A., Beyrer, C., Boltz, F., Capon, A. G., Ferreira de Souza Dias, B., Ezeh, A., Frumkin, H., Gong, P., Head, P., Horton, R., Mace, G. M., Marten, R., Myers, S. S., Nishtar, S., Osofsky, S. A., Pattanayak, S. K., Pongsiri, M. J., Romanelli, C., Soucat, A., Vega, J., & Yach, D. (2015). Safeguarding human health in the Anthropocene epoch: report of The Rockefeller Foundation–Lancet Commission on planetary health. The Lancet, 386(10007), 1973-2028. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60901-1 World Health Organization. (2017). One Health. https://www.who.int/health-topics/one-health Disclaimer / Editor's Note: All publications' statements, opinions, and data are solely those of the individual authors and contributors, not Revista Gregoriana de Ciencias de la Salud or the editors. Revista Gregoriana de Ciencias de la Salud and/or the editors disclaim all responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions, or products referred to in the content.