Should Doctors Carry Guns?

gun

If you haven’t heard, a doctor working in a suburban hospital’s psychiatric unit, stopped a patient who had come to kill people.  He had a already killed a caseworker.  The doctor was grazed by gunfire from the patient who had entered his office but stopped the the patient by returning fire with his own gun.   Let me first say that I am not a gun guy, mainly because I never grew up with them and not because I don’t believe in having them.  I am just not trained or comfortable around them.  That being said, should doctors, especially those in dangerous clinics or areas or specialities, be able to defend themselves?  If the answer is yes, then I think all doctors in those situations should have a gun close by.   Why?  Because denying a narc seeker can get you killed. Because cutting off certain meds from psychiatric patients can get you killed.  Because turning in a child abuser can get you killed.  Because taking an old person’s license away can get you killed.

I am actually surprised that more doctors aren’t killed.  We are certainly threatened a lot.  Years ago I remember hearing a loud “Go f%ck yourself” in the my office.  I ran out of my personal office and saw some dude staring down my medical partner and making threats because he was caught abusing narcotics and was cut off.  I proceeded to stand next to my buddy whereupon he challenged my partner to bring his friend out (me) in the parking lot to mix it up.  As a doctor, I could never do that.   As a former Division I collegiate wrestler and collegiate all-american boxer (ego be damned), I would have loved to taken this jerk up on his offer.  But what if he just went to his car and came back with a gun?  We would have nothing to stop us.  Not even my ego.

Personally, I think this doctor above, who shot the patient, is a hero (from the information that was leaked so far).

So, how many of you think doctors should have a gun on them or keep one close by?  Click yes or no on the survey on the top right of the website.