Dr. Cedric Dark learned many lessons during his Semester at Sea experience as a student on the Fall 1999 voyage, but as he recently shared with Scott Marshall, President and CEO of the Institute for Shipboard Education, on the AS UNEXPECTED podcast, flexibility may be one of the most valuable. On his path to becoming a physician, Dr. Dark realized that “you often can’t really expect things to go as planned.” He once envisioned a career in surgical oncology, but after his clinical rotations—and after being in New York City during 9/11, among other experiences—he ultimately found his calling in emergency medicine. “There will be many things in life and work that you don’t expect to happen, but then you sort of jump into action and try to be ready for,” he said.
Today, Dr. Dark is an Associate Professor in the Henry J. N. Taub Department of Emergency Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine, serves on the Board of Trustees for Semester at Sea, and recently published his first book, Under The Gun: An ER Doctor’s Cure for America’s Gun Epidemic. With a strong background in healthcare policy—and as a gun owner himself—Dr. Dark presents gun violence through a balanced policy lens, using disease analogies to argue that the U.S. must address the root causes of gun violence to break cycles of harm. He advocates for evidence-based policies that can reduce gun-related deaths while respecting responsible gun ownership.
During the podcast, Scott shared a poignant quote from Under The Gun that he considered central to Dr. Dark’s message: “Too often, our society does not work on eliminating the disease agent—hate, anger, and depression—we focus on other strategies to interrupt the chain of infection that is the cycle of violence.”
Scott noted that Dr. Dark’s words raise fundamental questions that apply beyond gun violence, touching on broader societal challenges. To truly improve or solve a problem, we must first examine its root causes.
This question lies at the heart of Semester at Sea’s mission: How do we lead journeys of discovery that spark bold solutions to global challenges? How can we show up as our best selves—leading and caring for one another in times of turmoil or uncertainty? And how do we approach challenges with mindsets that are epic, audacious, and even, at times, preposterous?
If you’re interested in distinguished SAS alumni, healthcare, public policy, and the lasting impact of Semester at Sea, you won’t want to miss the rest of Scott’s conversation with Dr. Dark. Listen to Episode 19, Public Health and the Disease of Gun Violence, for more insights.
To learn more about Dr. Dark, read our recent feature on his commitment to Semester at Sea here.
