outcome could have been different if an EDC on her person. That's conjecture and open for debate but the only other option is at the mercy of the perpetrator. Highly unlikely that any physician is armed and criminals know this. Even walking into the VA you see tons of signs saying no guns or knives allowed on premises. These are people going after soft targets, aka unarmed. Most hospitals have unarmed staff though I have seen that the major metropolitan have posted armed city police.
criminals usually try to catch you at your most vulnerable time. Most can bet that clinics and hospitals will not allow any staff outside of security to be armed.
Where I did my anesthesia and pain fellowships, unrelated locations, gas station holdups were far more common than anywhere I had lived previously.
I had done a rotation in downtown chicago and every single phone store I has walked into had openly armed security. Chatted up a few of them and most were off duty policemen. I'm sure your life is worth more than some phones.
No need to look farther than the pain doc murdered by an ex security guard in his apartment, the PM&R doc killed walking to his car by an angry family member, the family doctor hacked to death with an axe and machete during clinic hours, the numerous murder suicides at the VA, many over pain meds. Could a gun have changed the outcomes? Most likely no but probably better than nothing.Numbers are on the criminal side to get the jump on the physician, having a weapon may or may not change the outcome.
I did have an EM physician on a med school rotation who was rumored to have a revolver in his work backpack that he kept next to his computer. Asked him on a night shift if it was true and he wouldn't confirm or deny.
For a private clinic, I guess barring state, medical board and local regulations, having something in clinic may not be such a crazy idea, especially with an impulsive, addicted, nonworking, psych heavy population, drusso has some valid points; especially if no in house police or security. Insurance.
