Could a neurosurgeon become president of the United States?
Former Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon-turned-political correspondent Ben Carson, MD, has experience with the healthcare system and gained credibility with the Republican Party base over the past few years, which could propel him to the highest office in the country.
Dr. Carson released a 40 minute documentary about his life recently and rumors that he’ll make a presidential run are running rampant.
Here are eight key facts about Dr. Carson's political position and aspirations for the future:
1. He promotes the "free market" approach to healthcare and supports health savings accounts, which could be augmented by $2,000 per year and shifted among family members under his plan, according to a Bloomberg Politics report.
2. He supports electronic medical records but would augment them with a microchip for the patient to keep instead of putting the information in cyberspace.
3. The second amendment right for Americans to "bear arms" is important, but Dr. Carson realizes issues with violence in inner-city neighborhoods and would support to opportunity to discuss how to "protect our rights and at the same time protect the lives of innocent people affected by gun violence," according to the report.
4. America has a role to play on the global stage in dealing with radical Islamic extremism, he believes.
5. Dr. Carson was once radically left-wing, but Ronald Reagan changed his mind; President Reagan "made so much sense" to him.
6. There was a movie made about Dr. Carson in 2009, in which Cuba Gooding Jr. played Dr. Carson as he became the first surgeon to separate twins conjoined at the back of the head.
7. He would prefer party labels removed from the ballot and recently changed his voter registration from an "obscure Independence Party of Florida" to "Republican," according to a Post on Politics report.
8. Dr. Carson was previously a commentator for Fox News, a job he quit recently leading to further speculation that he’ll run for president.