Dr. Sanjay Gupta Withdraws From Surgeon General Search

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CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta chooses family and a lucrative media career over becoming the US Surgeon General.

Gupta, 39, a CNN’s celebrity neurosurgeon was President Barack Obama’s first pick for the job back in January. Apparently he took himself out of the running because he wants to focus on his medical career and spend more time with his family.

Gupta said to CNN’s Larry King last night:

“My wife is imminent with our third child. You know, this job … takes us away from our children for so many years at once, and I sort of came to grips with the fact that I’d probably be away at least the first several years. … And I just didn’t feel like I should do that now,” said Gupta.

Gupta currently hosts “House Call” on CNN, he contributes reports to CBS News and writes a column for Time magazine. He also practices neurosurgery at Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital, which sees more than its share of trauma cases. He would have had to give up all of this if he were to accept the position of Surgeon General.

Interestingly enough, there has been some political opposition to the proposes appointment of Dr. Sanjay Gupta.  According to Reuters, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., called Gupta inexperienced and circulated a letter urging President Obama not to appoint him. Conyers supports the development of health care reform under a government system similar to that of Canada.

Dr. Gupta who had just returned from India where he had studied the development of Indian health care and medical tourism said that the US has much to learn from health care in India and China.

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