Capitol News

This story refers to the violence the Michigan State University (MSU) community experienced in February 2023. Resources for students, faculty, and staff are available from the Office for Resource and Support Coordination.

As the U.S. Surgeon General has declared gun violence an urgent public health crisis, MSU's College of Human Medicine and the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo have come together through shared experiences with tragedies in their communities to take a new approach to addressing gun violence.

The partnership, which has been pursuing work and leading conversations on employing a public health approach since 2023, led to MSU hosting the inaugural Remembrance Conference in February 2024 on campus.

Aron Sousa, dean of MSU's College of Human Medicine, answers questions on what it means to take a public health approach to prevent gun violence and how the Remembrance Conference promoted this effort, as June is Gun Violence Awareness Month. Responses are excerpts from a recording of "MSU Today with Russ White."

When asked what it means to use a public health approach to address gun violence, Sousa explained: "When we say public health approach, it means addressing gun violence in a way that centers on prevention, focusing on the health and well-being of populations while also addressing the risk factors that can lead to gun violence. It really brings together experts from many different academic disciplines, as well as advocacy organizations and policymakers."

Sousa emphasized that hospitals and medical schools are taking several actions to promote change: "Hospitals and health systems are making sure that gun locks are available to patients, especially if they have kids or people in the home who are at risk of suicide based on higher risk factors. Many suicides can be prevented when loved ones secure guns to keep them out of the hands of children and those who are thinking about suicide."

He continued: "Medical students and public health groups have advocated policies that allow the police to secure guns when somebody has been violent in the home. Medical schools can prepare students to talk to patients about securing firearms and make sure students have instruction on prevention."

Discussing why the Remembrance Conference was important, Sousa noted: "Both MSU and Buffalo experienced tragic shootings. Students were targeted at MSU, and African Americans were targeted in Buffalo. The students at each medical school have worked to address gun violence... Being with people to remember who we lost really helped us think about public health approaches..."

He added: "We realized that we could broaden this beyond our two schools... The conference included remarkable speakers... members of the Michigan State Legislature attended..."

On student involvement in taking public health approaches, Sousa remarked: "So much of this work is championed by students... Students at our school and other institutions have thought about curriculum policy... led advocacy efforts... become involved in organizations including Scrubs Addressing the Firearm Epidemic..."

Regarding efforts to engage more people in such an approach, Sousa concluded: “The most important thing that people can remember… is take care of each other… Think about what risks are at home… Monitor who is doing well…”

More information about the conference is available on MSUToday.

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