Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Let’s share our stories about gun violence

Barbara Meyer, MD, MPH
Policy
October 13, 2017
264 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

It’s a peculiar kind of civil war we are waging in America. 30,000 of us die each year from gun violence, exceeding the number killed annually on all sides in the Syrian civil war. On October 1, we saw more than 58 people slaughtered and hundreds injured in a carefully planned attack. At a concert. In Las Vegas. For no apparent reason.

My professional interest in this problem began during my residency in Detroit 30+ years ago. I vividly remember my first day on the Emergency Surgery rotation. Six of us stood around a gurney in the ER, stocked with 2 IV poles, one for each arm, bundles of laboratory tubes with lab slips pre-completed with orders for routine labs, including type and cross, a form for a checkbox history and physical, and resuscitation equipment at the head of the bed. We each received an assignment. As a family doctor in training, the H&P was my task. A fourth-year medical student was to insert the Foley catheter and two first-year surgery residents would place the IV lines. The second-year resident ruled over respiration and intubation while the chief resident paced between the ER and OR.  “I want the patients in the OR within 10 minutes of arrival,” he commanded.

I was still scanning the history and physical form when we heard sirens and received our first patient: a taxi driver shot through the back with an exit wound through the trachea, conveniently used to intubate him.  More than 600 Detroit residents were murdered that year, most of them with firearms.

In a time when we use fingerprints to open cell phones and facial recognition for laptops, why do we not at least mandate smart guns that recognize their owners? Why do we not ban assault weapons that can kill and maim multitudes and limit the magazines that feed in the ammunition, so that victims have at least a sporting chance of escape? If smart guns were mandatory, toddlers could not kill their playmates, stolen guns would be useless, and adolescents could not kill themselves with Daddy’s Glock 17. If magazines were limited to 10 bullets, a shooter would have to reload 60 times to kill or injure the number hit in Las Vegas this week.

As physicians, we have a powerful platform. We see the effects of gun violence in our offices daily. Families bereft following suicides, children in poverty when a parent is murdered. Men and women who have lost limbs, vision or cognition from firearm assaults. Even perpetrators who have ruined their own lives, now struggling to survive after serving time in prison.

Let’s tell our stories. Call, write or visit your legislators and ask, even beg, them to pass common sense firearm regulations. As Nicholas Kristof wrote in his New York Times column, we reduced motor vehicle deaths over the decades by tackling the problem piece by piece. Safer auto design, seat belts, air bags, speed limits. Let’s do the same with the morbidity and mortality due to firearms. Let’s tell our stories and press for action.  Our own lives may depend on it.

Barbara Meyer is a family physician.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

Sharing stories on social media humanizes the medical profession

October 13, 2017 Kevin 0
…
Next

A story from a physician's journey to burnout

October 13, 2017 Kevin 5
…

Tagged as: Primary Care, Public Health & Policy

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Sharing stories on social media humanizes the medical profession
Next Post >
A story from a physician's journey to burnout

Related Posts

  • Gun violence in America is a national emergency

    Hussain Lalani, MD and Justin Lowenthal 
  • It’s time to seriously study gun violence

    Michael B. Bagg
  • Physicians should never leave the lane of gun violence

    Linda Girgis, MD
  • Gun violence requires medical intervention

    Michael Dorritie
  • Approach the gun violence epidemic like we do with coronavirus

    Charles Nozicka, DO
  • Gun violence is a public health crisis

    Ton La, Jr., MD, JD

More in Policy

  • Unveiling the global pandemic threat: insights into risk factors and urgent measures for prevention

    Ton La, Jr., MD, JD
  • Why the WHO’s pandemic accord is critical for global health care

    Elizabeth Métraux
  • The revolutionary Kaiser-Geisinger deal: How health care giants are reshaping the industry and empowering patients

    Robert Pearl, MD
  • Unveiling the intricate link between housing costs and health care

    Harvey Castro, MD, MBA
  • Uncovering the truth about racial health inequities in America: a book review

    John Paul Mikhaiel, MD
  • Why affirmative action is crucial for health equity and social justice in medicine

    Katrina Gipson, MD, MPH
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Physician entrepreneurs offer hope for burned out doctors

      Cindy Rubin, MD | Physician
    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

      Jeffrey A. Singer, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the intricate link between housing costs and health care

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Policy
    • Fixing the system and prioritizing patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Fixing the system and prioritizing patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • From medical student to intern: Discovering a deeper connection with patients

      Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH | Physician
    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the global pandemic threat: insights into risk factors and urgent measures for prevention

      Ton La, Jr., MD, JD | Policy
    • Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
    • Empowering Black nurses for lasting change [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 28 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • 'You Can't Yoga Your Way Out of This': What We Heard This Week
  • New Standard in Operable EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer
  • New Ovarian Cancer Drug Extends Survival in Resistant Disease
  • Neoadjuvant Chemo Flops Versus Upfront Surgery for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer
  • Why Can't I Be Both a Good Doctor and a Good Mother?

Meeting Coverage

  • New Standard in Operable EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer
  • New Ovarian Cancer Drug Extends Survival in Resistant Disease
  • Neoadjuvant Chemo Flops Versus Upfront Surgery for Resectable Pancreatic Cancer
  • Novel Anti-HER2 Drugs 'Impressive' in Advanced Biliary Cancer
  • Chemo-Free Approach Works in Subset of Patients With HER2+ Early Breast Cancer
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Physician entrepreneurs offer hope for burned out doctors

      Cindy Rubin, MD | Physician
    • Boxing legends Tyson and Foreman: powerful lessons for a resilient and evolving health care future

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Physician
    • Is chaos in health care leading us towards socialized medicine? How physician burnout is a catalyst.

      Howard Smith, MD | Physician
    • We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

      Jeffrey A. Singer, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the intricate link between housing costs and health care

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Policy
    • Fixing the system and prioritizing patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
  • Past 6 Months

    • It’s time to replace the 0 to 10 pain intensity scale with a better measure

      Mark Sullivan, MD and Jane Ballantyne, MD | Conditions
    • “Is your surgeon really skilled? The hidden threat to public safety in medicine.

      Gene Uzawa Dorio, MD | Physician
    • Breaking the cycle of racism in health care: a call for anti-racist action

      Tomi Mitchell, MD | Policy
    • Revolutionize your practice: the value-based care model that reduces physician burnout

      Chandravadan Patel, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the hidden damage: the secretive world of medical boards

      Alan Lindemann, MD | Physician
    • An inspiring tribute to an exceptional radiologist who made a lasting impact

      Kim Downey, PT | Conditions
  • Recent Posts

    • Fixing the system and prioritizing patient care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • From medical student to intern: Discovering a deeper connection with patients

      Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH | Physician
    • A physician’s typical day, as envisioned by a non-clinician health care MBA: a satire

      Jennifer Lycette, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling the global pandemic threat: insights into risk factors and urgent measures for prevention

      Ton La, Jr., MD, JD | Policy
    • Decoding name displays in health care: Privacy, identification, and compliance unveiled

      Deepak Gupta, MD | Physician
    • Empowering Black nurses for lasting change [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Let’s share our stories about gun violence
28 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...