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Abstract

Purpose: Despite widespread recognition of firearm violence (FV) as a public health crisis in the United States (US), gaps persist in understanding the education provided to health care professionals (HCPs) regarding prevention and management. This scoping review aimed to characterize FV education curricula for HCPs in the US, focusing on identifying target learners and understanding curricular content and implementation to inform future educational initiatives.

Methods: This scoping review was conducted according to Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews in PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane. Search terms included “health occupations”, “allied health personnel”, “gun violence/prevention”, “firearm violence/prevention”, “curriculum”, “education”, “counseling”, and “intervention”. Eligible studies included educational interventions on FV for HCPs or their students within the US published before May 12, 2025. Extracted data on target learners, curriculum design, and assessment are synthesized descriptively.

Results: Of 3,274 records screened, 45 studies met the full inclusion criteria. Physicians were involved in the majority (n=34[76%]) of included studies, with education primarily delivered post-entry-degree (n=40[89%]). Curricula commonly included FV epidemiology (n=32[71%]), safe storage and handling (n=26[58%]), identification and screening of risk factors (n=18[40%]), and preventative counseling (n=32[71%]), with minimal (n=4[9%]) inclusion of survivor management. Educational sessions ranged in duration with formats including lectures, demonstrations, and experiential learning activities. Assessment of student impact occurred in 39 studies, with 34 (76%) using pre- and post-intervention surveys and indicating immediate gains in knowledge, attitudes, and confidence with variable long-term impact.

Conclusions: FV educational interventions for HCPs have recently increased, with a focus on building foundational knowledge and preventative screening and counseling skills. Experiential learning and provision of resources may lead to knowledge and confidence gains in preventing FV, but gaps exist in understanding survivor management. Guidance for FV curricula is provided to assist HCP educators to combat this public health crisis.

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