Gupta opts out of surgeon general consideration

Sanjay Gupta, MD, a neurosurgeon and CNN's chief medical correspondent, has withdrawn his name from consideration as surgeon general of the United States. Gupta said he would likely have had to give up practicing had he taken the job. In addition, the 39-year-old and his wife are expecting their third daughter any time, and the government job would have meant long periods away from his family, he said. Gupta said that although he had not been formally nominated, he had spoken with senior members of the Obama administration who made it clear he was their choice.