Both Joe and Robb had experiences with going to the doctors office, and having to expose their firearms. Interestingly, both had the same reaction, which was no reaction. I’ve heard other people speak of this too. Do medical professionals encounter this often enough there’s a protocol? At least an unwritten one?
16 thoughts on “Packing at the Doctors”
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that shows professionalism, in my mind.
I suspect that there will be regional differences. When I was carrying at my Dentist’s office in NW Florida, the only result was a discussion with him about our respective choices fo carry guns. In other parts of the country, I wouldn’t be surprised to trigger a terrorist alert.
I don’t have a problem with my G.P. I have been carrying plenty of times there and had to take of my shirt and no problems. He is also a hunter and shooter so that may explain his attitude. I did have a problem with my daughter’s first pediatrician. She started asking my daughter about if there were guns in the household. Good news though, my daughter responded as I had told her, tell the stranger “It is none of your business” and then tell your Mom or me. Needless to say we switched offices.
Just watch yourself at the MRI clinic. Some rules have reasons.
My doctor’s office is in a hospital that posts a non leaglly compliant sign (Texas).
As the sign isn’t in compliance with the law, I continue to carry. But I do so very discretely (sleeping dogs). I find pocket carry to work the best.
Well as a medical student I wouldn’t care if I saw the firearm if I was in a clinic and I’d probably strike up a gun conversation. Michigan law states that you can’t carry concealed in a hospital (but open carry is ok with CPL). I’d probably ask them (discreetly of course) if they have a CPL and inform them that its a no-go zone, but I wouldn’t report it to security because I disagree with the law.
I am a physician and a CCW instructor. My clinic employs about 50 people and I know that over half have permits to carry, because I trained them myself. I’ve told the staff that I don’t have any problems with carrying at work, just two rules: 1) concealed means concealed – no point in upsetting patients whose views on the 2A are not as “progressive” as ours; and 2) no unsecured firearms – particularly for the women, who like to wear scrubs and store their firearm in their purses, these need to be locked in a locker or drawer. I’ve had plenty of patients who carry and who know my interest in firearms – it’s not a big deal and we often talk about shooting and reloading. I once even bought a firearm from a patient during an office visit.
When I go to a physician myself, my firearm goes into my briefcase, slung over my shoulder. No point in worrying the sheeple.
Of course, I practice in a small town in WV, which is about as gun-friendly an environment as you can find this side of AK or VT.
Pretty soon, they’re going to have to start installing self-serve lockers.
As a doctor in TN – it is great
Watch out for the pediatricians, though…their policy is to report you as a “danger to children in the household”
If a patient (who isn’t impared) comes in to see me, we’ll discuss our respective firearms.
If they are impaired? Well, thats different…
Err, impaired….
I’ve been working in hospitals since the eary 70’s. First time someone had a firearm (1976) made me nervous because I was working her up for a psych admit (voluntary if she did what her family said, it would be non-voluntary if whe refused.) otherwise than that no problemo and this was way before I owned any handguns.
My most recent patient who pulled out a firearm was a woman in her 70’s :) Go Granny Go!
It is illegal to CCW where I work. But it is not uncommon. The BEST method is to give the gun to someone else or utilize Off-Body-Carrry. Failing that a standard that many in the health care field utilize is to put the gun under a towell at the head of the bed/cart, immediately above the head of the patient. The gun is not unloaded, nor taken out of the holster, nor uncovered until the pt is leaving the room.
As a prior poster noted MRI warnings are real and have already caused an AD. (The magnetism defeated a built in safety).
If however you run into someone who has a different viewpoint security is going to be called, who will call the Police who will then arrest the patient (Multiple felony level charges).
Who knows my name, what I look like, where I work and a good read on shift I am working :(
Best wishes NukemJim
No reason to carry to mine, since it’s all of a tenth of a mile down the road, but the medical center here (Geisinger) is the only one I’ve been in ever where you can find Guns and Ammo in the waiting rooms next to Good Housekeeping, not to mention Bibles (oh no!)
Never had a problem…carried (due to profession) into every doctor and dentist I have…Most ask me what I carry….some even ask to take them to the range…
Somehow I doubt my doctor would have such a non-reaction. Of course he doesn’t know I own any guns. I lied on the form asking about it, since it’s really none of his damn business.
We had an experience at the Chiropractors, that involved shuffling our LCP from myself to my wife and back.
Later turned out that our Chiropractor is an avid hunter and pro-gun.