2018 Annual Report, PPGV
660 physicians strong.
Mission Statement: Michigan Physicians: Educated and Empowered to Advocate for Gun Violence Prevention.
Operations. Our Executive Committee continues to meet monthly. Cochairs J. Walden and A. Zweifler,Treasurer Zweifler, and Secretary E. Arneson. Membership T. Wilson, Welcome W. Whitehouse, Gov. Relations S. Dombey. Communication, S. Lewis. Others listed on panel.
1.Education. We made several Grand Rounds presentations.
Jan. 14, 2018 First Cong. Church, A2 (JP)
Jan. 26, 2018 Grand Rounds, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Det (JP,WMW*)
Feb. 9, 2018 Grand Rounds, U of Michigan Dept of Int Medicine (JP, SL)
UM student Psych clerkship (2018) Feb 19, Mar 22, May 31, Sept 10, Oct 18, Nov 12
March,2018 Traverse Bay School District, Journalism students (BW**)
May,2018 American Psychiatric Assoc. Annual Mtg, (NYC) SL
May 30, 2018 UM Preventive Med Residents, School of Public Health (JW, Peg S.)
June 2, 2018 Orange Out, Gun Violence Awareness Rally, Ann Arbor (SL)
June 14, 2018 First Presbyterian Church Hilltoppers, Ann Arbor (JP)
June 24, 2018 PEG (Protectors of Equality in Government) Ann Arbor (SL,JP)
October 25, 2018 MSMS Annual Sci Mtg (SL, AW, CF, JP)
October 30, 2018 Kalamazoo Med Soc (WMW, JP)
November 14, 2018 Grand Rounds, UM Family Medicine (JP, JW)
*WMW, Walter Mac Whitehouse **BW, William Bill Wadland
2.Curriculum. PPGV continues an affiliation with UM Psychiatry Department making a popular presentation to UM medical students (15-30 at a time) as part of their 3rd year clerkship in psychiatry. PPGV psychiatrist Sonya Lewis is our primary presenter with an assist from J. Peggs and others occasionally. PPGV presents to every UM medical student. Our presentation continues to evolve during our presentations depending on our audience. The presentation to the psych students focuses on suicide, domestic partner abuse and children’s accidental deaths. Homicides, mass shootings, gag laws and stand your ground laws are included in other grand rounds. Our medical student opportunity, begun in 2016, is considered crucial to developing the physician voice in the struggle to prevent gun violence and we have plans to take the curriculum to other med schools and programs in 2018
3.Advocacy. PPGV advocated for gun safety legislation by attending several legislative hearings in Lansing and marches and rallies in support of efforts to prevent gun violence.
Lame Duck session- Although there were hundreds of bills brought forward (over300) the gun safety associated bills were not a factor.
We now have a new Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State- all women and allies. Although GVP should be a bipartisan effort having these new officers gives PPGV better working partners as all are considered pro GVP.
At the Michigan Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) Annual Meeting A. Kittendorf, P. Rockwell, J. Walden brought Resolutions 18.04 which passed by acclamation. These four resolutions, first authored in Scientific American, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/4-laws-that-could-stem-the-rising-threat-of-mass-shootings/ claim to reduce GV injury and death. https://www.mafp.com/system/:tenant_id/ckeditor_assets/attachments/2158/original2018_2019_proposed_resolutions.pdf The MAFP Advocacy Committee will bring them forward in 2018.
- Publications and Letters to the Editor.
Lewis, S.Washtenaw Jewish News Review of Wallenberg Award winners. https://www.washtenawjewishnews.org/PDFs/WJN_Dec_Jan_18_web.pdf P. 16.
Lewis,S. Parkland Anniversary Rally:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XdNkrLV1BSEuxZmfKKoetwiGTTmGnooHTCB7xAk86N4/edit
Lewis,S. ERPO. Protectors of Equality in Government. https://equalityingov.org/2019/03/extreme-risk-protection-order-legislation-can-prevent-gun-suicide/
Lewis,S. Marching for Lives. MCH Amer Ass Pub Health
https://mailchi.mp/31ceca62ea46/mch-section-spring-newsletter
5.Media, Art and Celebrations. We attended the Washtenaw Co. Sheriff’s Spring Annual Gun Safety Day.
June 2. Wear Orange Day. S. Lewis spoke along with other Michigan leaders.
Dec. 13 PPGV cosponsored #EndGunViolence Day 6th year after Sandy Hook. S. Lewis spoke.
- Meetings. Dr. Walden continued membership on the MAFP Advocacy Committee. Drs. Farmer, Shearer and Walden are WCMS and MSMS members.
7.Partners. PPGV remains a member of Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. We are working with MAFP and through it reaching out to the Pediatricians and ER physicians to build a coalition. Locally, we have a strong group of physicians at Trinity Hospitals who continue to work with us. County and State-wide help from Washtenaw Co Med Society and Michigan State Medical Society remains vibrant. One focus is building a physician movement that includes current groups in Michigan and the US.
8.Recruiting /Activism. We continue to work for a gun-free environment in our hospitals and clinics and in public spaces. With leadership from Dr. Whitehouse we were able to recruit several medical directors from St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor. We continue to work with leaders at other Trinity Health hospitals in southeastern Michigan as well as IHA. We continue to search for partners.