Med Students for Gun Safety
Every day, 96 people are killed by guns. Gun violence is a public health crisis. Together, we can educate and advocate for evidence-based solutions.
The Med Students for Gun Safety (MSGS) Campaign is a group of health professional students dedicated to advocating for responsible gun ownership and effective federal violence prevention legislation to improve public health. MSGS was recently launched in August 2018 to create a stronger health student force in the national effort for gun violence prevention. The MSGS campaign has already begun to coordinate efforts around the country to end this epidemic. Join us!
Review the resources on this webpage to learn more about the epidemic of gun violence. It is important to look at the statistics, barriers to research and legislative hurdles to truly understand the evolution of this public health crisis.
Contact the MSGS Chairs to learn how to educate and mobilize others around this issue at your school.
- Join your local AMSA chapter and connect with other organizations at your institution that are focusing on this issue
- Become an MSGS representative in your local chapter
- Apply to join the MSGS Steering Committee
- Plan educational events related to gun violence prevention
On national Stand SAFE Day, September 17, 2018, all of AMSA stood with our partner, Scrubs Addressing the Firearm Epidemic (SAFE). We wore custom SAFE scrubs, attended educational events, and stood together in solidarity.
Come to AMSA’s Annual Convention and Exposition to hear from fellow AMSA members about their projects and work! Stop by MSGS’s table to hear a bit more about the campaign. Also sign up for Advocacy Day to train to meet with legislators and Congressional aides, and then visit your elected officials’ offices! Gun violence prevention is one of the major topics of Advocacy Day 2019.
- Helpful preventing gun violence resources from other organizations:
- Scrubs Addressing the Firearm Epidemic
- American Psychological Association
- American Public Health Association
- American Association of Pediatrics
- National Physicians Alliance
- Prevention Institute
- Doctors For America
- White Coats against Gun Violence
- Physicians for the Prevention of Gun Violence
- American Medical Women’s Association
- Ongoing research programs: Harvard Injury Control Research Center, UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program
- For a list of state-specific organizations you could partner with, check out States United to Prevent Gun Violence
- For national advocacy efforts, check out the Brady Campaign and Everytown for Gun Safety
Check out some student resource sheets for more information:
- American Public Health Association Resource Sheet
- Physicians for the Prevention of Gun Violence Printable Brochure
- Center for American Progress Gun Violence Prevention website
- Gun Safety & Public Health: Policy Recommendations for a More Secure America from the National Physicians Alliance
Special thanks to our partners at SAFE and Columbia University Gun Violence Action Committee