Doctors rip Santorum for saying students should learn CPR instead of protesting gun violence

Doctors and health-care professionals are criticizing former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) after he suggested Sunday that student activists should learn CPR instead of protesting for gun control.

The day after thousands of students across the country took to the streets to protest gun violence during the March for Our Lives, Santorum made remarks about CPR while appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“How about kids instead of looking to someone else to solve their problem, do something about maybe taking CPR classes or trying to deal with situations that when there is a violent shooter that you can actually respond to that,” Santorum said.

Dr. Heather Sher, a Florida radiologist, called the statement “gobsmackingly uninformed” on Twitter, suggesting that the former GOP congressman leave “public health and medicine to docs.”

Gobsmackingly uninformed. Rick Santorum “instead of looking to someone else to solve their problem, do something about maybe taking CPR classes or trying to deal with situations that– where there is a violent shooter.” perhaps best to leave #publichealth and #medicine to #docs.

— Heather Sher MD. (All opinions are my own) (@hshermd) March 25, 2018

Sher wrote in The Atlantic about her experience examining the wounds of victims from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting on Feb. 14 in Parkland, Fla.

Eugene Gu, a surgeon who has operated on gunshot victims, called Santorum’s statement “simply unconscionable.”

As a surgeon, I’ve operated on gunshot victims who’ve had bullets tear through their intestines, cut through their spinal cord, and pulverize their kidneys and liver. Rick Santorum telling kids to shut up and take CPR classes is simply unconscionable.

— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) March 25, 2018

Gu, who is also an opinion columnist for The Hill, compared Santorum to the former queen of France, Marie Antoinette.

Marie Antoinette: Stupid peasants, let them eat cake.

Rick Santorum: Stupid students, let them learn CPR.

— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) March 25, 2018

Other critics on Twitter piled on to the criticism of Santorum. 

Mr. Santorum, CPR doesn’t work if all the blood is on the ground. This is a dangerous and wrong message. https://t.co/KLG3JPvV1v

— Jo Buyske (@BuyskeJ) March 25, 2018

For 13 years I worked as a physician in a trauma center. If a gunshot victim is pulseless, his chance of survival approaches zero. Neither CPR, transfusions, nor surgery will save him.

But scientific facts matter little to smug rhetoric-spewers like Rick Santorum. https://t.co/HELejUTsZL

— American Dissent (@keith_pochick) March 25, 2018

Perhaps @RickSantorum was confusing CPR with #StopTheBleed ?While we’re teaching everyone we can, NOTHING beats PREVENTION in the FIRST place.

But here you go: visit @bleedingcontrol (https://t.co/BdYTX8hJWZ) & spread the message I hope he meant.

Sign up for your local class! pic.twitter.com/lw0ZOyD1cO

— Franki Boulos, MD (@FaaBoulos) March 25, 2018

#Docs4GunSense know that:

1. Kids can learn 2 things at once.
2. But prevention of a gunshot wound is bettee than treatment
3. And by the time you get you CPR, the patient is dead https://t.co/6FmAghh9Bi

— Megan Ranney MD MPH (@meganranney) March 25, 2018

Hey @drsanjaygupta could you educate your @CNN colleague @RickSantorum about how CPR is not the answer for pulseless arrest in penetrating trauma while in the field. Prevention of the gunshot in the first place is much more effective

— Kay Vandenberg (@kay_vandenberg) March 25, 2018

In my 1st career I was an OR tech, I scrubbed in & assisted surgeons. I’ve seen gunshot victims who’ve had bullets rip through their spinal cords & intestines & tear their other organs to shreds. Rick Santorum telling kids to be quiet & take CPR classes is simply disgusting.

— Cathleen (@ItsMeCathi) March 26, 2018