Background:
Climate change is a growing problem that is predicted to impact the social and environmental determinants of health. Healthcare is a major contributor to this global issue. Many healthcare organizations are embarking on the “green movement” to play a role in providing an affordable and environmentally sustainable healthcare system. Inspired by Captain Planet, an animated cartoon superhero known for uniting a team of young eco-warriors to combat environmental threats, we developed a “Green Med Eduverse” (educational metaverse, GME) to increase awareness among healthcare learners about sustainable medicines and how they can play their part in advocating green practices to deliver lower carbon care without compromising quality and safety.

Methodology:
A literature review on sustainable medicine initiatives was conducted on PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and Google search. GME was developed on a metaverse platform, incorporating educational content crafted as 3D artifacts, 2D images and micro-videos. The eduverse underwent alpha-testing among 19 Generation Z polytechnic students (born 1997–2009). Their awareness of sustainable medicines was assessed through pre- and post-quizzes, while their experiences with GME were evaluated using a 7-point agreement scale based on 31 statements adapted from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).

Results:
The GME is designed as a virtual health store where visitors can explore various sustainable medicine initiatives. The virtual store consists of 7 main thematic sections (Dose-dispensing System, Pharmacist and Prescriber Synergy, Pharmacist Environmental Counselling, Cosmetics, Appropriate Stock Management, Safe Disposal of Medications, Personalized Dosing). Each section provides a summary and application examples of initiatives within that theme. Visitors can learn about how they can minimize the environmental impacts of medications through responsible drug use and green practices.

Majority of participants in the alpha-test were female (63.2%) and had no working experience (57.8%). A quarter worked in non-healthcare practice settings (21.2%). Overall, participants showed a slight increase in sustainable medicine awareness, with quiz scores rising from 70.0% to 73.2%. Top TAM scores were perceived trust (5.90±1.22), enjoyment (5.79±1.26) and usefulness (5.66±1.21), with lower scores in prior knowledge of immersive tech (5.33±1.44) and image (5.14±1.44). The GME was easy to navigate (6.00±1.56), had intuitive controls (5.80±1.51) and made learning more fun (5.80±1.51). Participants rated the eduverse as being more effective than traditional learning methods (5.84±1.57) and expressed interest in using metaverse platforms more regularly for their education (5.45±1.70).

Conclusion:
Generation Z healthcare learners managed to gain an awareness of sustainable medicine practices through the GME. Participants appreciated the GME's educational value, recognizing it as an improvement over traditional methods. The GME can potentially be an impactful educational tool, promoting environmentally responsible behaviors in healthcare practices.

Keywords: Green Healthcare, Green Med Eduverse, Sustainable Medicines, Metaverse, Pharmacy Education.