Breaking Out in May

Docs-May has been a busy month for PPGV. On
May 20, Andy Zweifler filed a press release on the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) resolution that Cheryl Farmer drafted from the Washtenaw Co Medical Society. This, we believe, is huge as it calls for inclusion of Gun Violence in all local, state and national CME. Now please help us make this a reality. Think of including gun violence in educational programs in all the medical specialties. We will be one of the resources. Already we have given several “Grand Rounds.”
And now we are looking for state medical associations to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and make gun violence(gv)reduction a national priority. We see this happening best if each state society adopts policy like the AAP. In family medicine the American Associatiion of Family Practice has strong policy and Anne Kittendorf and I have been working to bring that policy to the Michigan Academy (MAFP). Anne has submitted resolutions for the July annual meeting. If you are a family practitioner and could go with us to speak to this important issue on July 18 let me know. It is our chance to make Michigan a leader and more voices can make it happen! Also, if your society might be more active in GV let’s talk about making policy.
Andy and Cheryl have written a handout for those seeing children to remind parents to store their guns safely. Up to 70% of parents neglect to do this and too many kids die experimenting with a gun. There has been a great initial response from members! Email us to receive a pamphlet.
I have met with our ER colleagues , Rob McCurdy and Michael Baker about what we can do together. I also visited pediatrician Kathleen Howard in Grand Rapids and learned about efforts there and made plans to work together. More on this later. Meetings with Domestic Violence leader, Barbara Niess-May and Kristen Moore of Mothers Demand Action were also held.
Lastly, Stuart Dombey has joined our Exec. Committee. Welcome Stuart! See Facebook for Stuart’s bio. and like us on Facebook to increase our community profile.