Firearm-related personal and clinical characteristics of US medical students.

BACKGROUND

Firearm injuries are the second leading cause of fatal injury in the US, and several medical specialty societies encourage patient counseling about firearm injury prevention. Because personal choices. influence physicians' willingness to counsel, it would be valuable to know how frequently guns are kept in the homes of physicians-in-training, as well as their perceptions and current rates of counseling about firearm injury prevention.

METHODS

At a nationally representative sample of 16 medical schools, we surveyed the class of 2003 at freshman orientation, entrance to wards, and during senior year.

RESULTS

A total of 2,316 students provided data (response rate = 80.3%). Among freshmen, 16% reported living in a home with a firearm, 13% did so at entry to wards, as did 14% of seniors (14% overall, women = 9%, men = 19%). Only 34% of seniors reported counseling their patients more often than "never/rarely" about firearm possession and storage.

CONCLUSIONS

US medical students reported substantially lower rates of household gun ownership than the general population, but their participation in firearm-related counseling is also low.