Dr. John Petty: Collateral Damage: The Hidden Toll of Kids and Guns
In this episode, Dr. John Petty joins Dr. Mike Chupp to tackle the heartbreaking rise in firearm injuries among children and its impact on families, communities, and the healthcare teams who care for them. A Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Wake Forest and a national leader in pediatric trauma, Dr. Petty draws from years on the front lines to explain why children are uniquely vulnerable, what effective prevention looks like, and how clinicians can navigate the emotional and spiritual weight of these cases. He also shares insights shaped by his global mission work and leadership roles, including his service with the Pediatric Trauma Society and CMDA’s Medical Education International. With humility and deep compassion, he calls Christian healthcare professionals to be wise peacemakers, courageous advocates, and people who cultivate spiritual resilience in a polarized world. Let’s dive in.
We’ve included the short reading Dr. Petty’s team uses in the trauma bay after losing a child, offered for those who might want to adapt or use it in their own setting.
Moment of Silence for the Death of a Child
The death of a child is a terrible loss. Before we leave, we would like to take a moment of silence together to honor the life of this child and the efforts of everyone here who tried to help.
Let us stop what we have been doing and come in close around this child.
Does anyone have something that they would like to say?
Let’s have a moment of silence (1-2 minutes)
I would like to thank each of you here for everything that you did to try to help this child. All of your efforts show that this little life mattered. This did not end the way that any of us would have wanted, and we are all saddened by this death. It is a privilege to serve with people like you who care. Let’s care for each other, too.
Thank you.
Mark your calendar for the 2026 CMDA National Convention, April 23–26 in Loveland, Colorado – a time to renew your spirit, recharge your faith, get high quality, biblically informed continuing education, and connect with fellow believers in healthcare. We’re thrilled to welcome John Stonestreet, President of the Colson Center and co-host of the Breakpoint program, a nationally recognized voice on faith, culture, theology, and Christian worldview. Convenient lodging is available at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Loveland Conference Center and SpringHill Suites by Marriott, with special CMDA room rates reserved for attendees. Learn more or register for either event at cmda.org/events.
CMDA is here to support and equip you at every stage of your journey. As the nation’s largest faith-based professional healthcare organization, membership connects you with a community of like-minded colleagues, resources, and opportunities to live out your faith in practice. Learn more and get connected at cmda.org.
As mentioned, CMDA has published a Public Policy Statement on firearm violence. You’ll find a link to all of our Public Policy Statements in today’s show notes or just by going to cmda.org/ethics.
Video Podcast:
Meet Our Guest(s):
Dr. John Petty is a Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC. He grew up Portland, Oregon and left to attend college at Duke University. He proceeded to the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He completed his residency in general surgery at Oregon Health & Science University, followed by his fellowship in pediatric surgery at The Children’s Hospital Denver. After moving to NC, he helped start the first Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center in the state and served as the pediatric trauma medical director until early 2024. He is active in several major trauma organizations. He has served as chair of the committee on trauma for the American Pediatric Surgical Association. He is the current president of the Pediatric Trauma Society. He serves as the director of the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. He has participated in international medical missions in Haiti, Ecuador, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, and Mongolia. He serves as the project director for the Mongolia project of Medical Education International. Although he does not have the same energy on call that he once did, he finds great joy in being a pediatric surgeon. His practice of pediatric surgery is animated by the love of his children and the patience of his wife, Tori
