http://pjmedia.com/lifestyle/2012/12/22/the-sleep-deprived-doctor-saving-your-life/2/

 I went max of 36 hours at a shift during residency, which is long, but not much different than "pulling an all-nighter" which I did frequently during college.  The argument against these shifts is clear, but we should also consider the cost (everything in life is a trade-off).  If you are working less hours per year in training, (we did 100-120 and the current standard is 80) and there is the same amount of material to learn/practice (actually there is more now) do we want less trained young physicians, or do we want to extend residencies to minimums of 6 years, to more than 15-20 years for neurosurg?  Keep in mind also, that when I was in practice, there was no protected sleep, or limited hours.  I slept more than residency, but I was available.  Is this something we can train for, or how does it change availability patterns if during training you are told how important "protected time" is?  We all know it is harder to get physicians to take call nowadays.  Does this have something to do with it, and is that a fair trade-off? Are we willing to have less doctors available at night?  Does this mean we keep all new parents from working, since I slept less when I had a newborn at home? At least during residency it was one night in three or four, not every night! How about mandatory curfews for any doctor who has to work tomorrow? 

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-asks-doctors-help-deal-guns_696121.html

How about an addendum to allow doctors NOT to discuss this?  I don't want any responsibility for this.  What makes us think that we are experts on this subject?   I've never held a gun in my life;  should I be telling an ex-Marine how he should store his weapon?  If there is a violent member of their household, I think they probably already know.  What expertise do I have to add to this situation?