Much depends on culture.
In South Africa I attended an anti-hijacking course with four other guys: 2 paramedics, one radiologist and one orthopaedic surgeon. That was a necessity because medical staff were being hijacked with alarming frequency in JHB and some were shot and killed. One was shot dead whilst the rear wheels of his BMW were still on hospital premises.
So yes, we did those courses and many of us carried on the job, usually concealed. The last time I went on a medical response car in JHB I was encouraged to "carry" by the doctor and the paramedic on that shift.
UK: different story. Here it is seen as a Bad Thing(tm) if you have any interest in guns. Nonetheless we have ranges where a visitor can take a .22 rifle or a lever action .357 and shoot paper targets, if it is a guest day at the range.
Now, I have made it my mission to get as many people as I can from the allied and medical community (these are my colleagues after all) down to the range to do some shooting, especially if they haven't been before. I gotta tell you that in all these years I have been a member I have scored a grand total of 1 doctor. It was a female GP and she won't be back because when her husband saw the pictures (he is a doctor also) he said she can't do that again. He is mega anti (we are still friends though).
I have had some successes with allied staff such as nurses and radiographers. The Australians have been keen to come down to the range, I must have taken about 4 or 5 Ozzie radiographers alone.
Generally the doctors are anti here in the UK. In SA I would estimate that most are anti, but there are those who will buy a gun and learn to use it as a necessity.
In South Africa I attended an anti-hijacking course with four other guys: 2 paramedics, one radiologist and one orthopaedic surgeon. That was a necessity because medical staff were being hijacked with alarming frequency in JHB and some were shot and killed. One was shot dead whilst the rear wheels of his BMW were still on hospital premises.
So yes, we did those courses and many of us carried on the job, usually concealed. The last time I went on a medical response car in JHB I was encouraged to "carry" by the doctor and the paramedic on that shift.
UK: different story. Here it is seen as a Bad Thing(tm) if you have any interest in guns. Nonetheless we have ranges where a visitor can take a .22 rifle or a lever action .357 and shoot paper targets, if it is a guest day at the range.
Now, I have made it my mission to get as many people as I can from the allied and medical community (these are my colleagues after all) down to the range to do some shooting, especially if they haven't been before. I gotta tell you that in all these years I have been a member I have scored a grand total of 1 doctor. It was a female GP and she won't be back because when her husband saw the pictures (he is a doctor also) he said she can't do that again. He is mega anti (we are still friends though).
I have had some successes with allied staff such as nurses and radiographers. The Australians have been keen to come down to the range, I must have taken about 4 or 5 Ozzie radiographers alone.
Generally the doctors are anti here in the UK. In SA I would estimate that most are anti, but there are those who will buy a gun and learn to use it as a necessity.
:banghead: