One way to prevent gun violence? Treat it as a public health issue

Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith was working in an emergency room as a medical student more than four decades ago when she realized that victims of violence were getting treated and then released — unlike other patients — without any sort of preventative care.

"And one night, at 3:00 in the morning, a young man just very specifically said to me that he was going to go out and cut the guy who cut him," she says. "I thought, this is not adequate. My response is not adequate. My profession's response is not adequate."

Prothrow-Stith has played a key role in defining youth violence as a publicis considered a classic in the field). That means focusing on prevention efforts — not only in emergency rooms, but in doctor's offices and schools, too.