As emergency physicians, we are no strangers to firearm violence and its consequences. We explored this topic with renowned expert, Dr. Garen Wintemute, in our January 2019 episode, #thisismylane. Most physicians feel strongly that we have a role in gun violence prevention, but many of us aren’t sure what we can do in our daily clinical practice to make a difference. That’s why Psychiatrist Dr. Amy Barnhorst and her colleagues at the California Firearm Violence Research Center at UC Davis developed the BulletPoints Project. BulletPoints is a resource for clinicians and medical educators who are committed to firearm injury prevention. 

In the second episode of our series, we delve into the first step of BulletPoints: approach. Dr. Barnhorst takes us through how to start some of these challenging conversations. Hint: it starts with checking your own beliefs and biases.  

Do you talk to your patients about guns? What’s your approach? Tag us on social media, @empulsepodcast, reach out via email empulsepodcast@gmail.com, or connect through our website, ucdavisem.com. Encourage your friends and colleagues to listen and share their perspective, too!

***Please rate us and leave us a review on iTunes! It helps us reach more people.***

Hosts:

Dr. Julia Magaña, Associate Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at UC Davis

Dr. Sarah Medeiros, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis

Guest Host:

Dr. Jonathan Kohler, Associate Professor of Surgery and Medical Director of Pediatric Trauma at UC Davis; Host of Country Hits: Rural Trauma from the Scene to the ED

Guest:

Dr. Amy Barnhorst, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Vice Chair of Community Mental Health at UC Davis; Director of the BulletPoints Project

Resources:

The BulletPoints Project – The Basics

Guns and Suicide: the Hidden Toll a Special Report by Madeline Drexler, Editor, Harvard Public Health

California Firearm Violence Research Center (CA FVRC)

Gifford Law Center

***

Thank you to the UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine for supporting this podcast and to Orlando Magaña at OM Productions for audio production services.