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Dr. Ben Carson to leave medicine, hints at politics

OXON HILL, Maryland – Dr. Benjamin Carson, the neurosurgeon who made headlines in February for making political statements during his address at the National Prayer Breakfast, said Saturday he was leaving medicine and pursuing other opportunities, which could include politics.

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, Carson said he was ending his medical career "while I'm on top," making the comparison to airplane pilots who retire before crashing.

"There are so many more things that can be done," Carson said, pointing to his educational foundation Carson's Scholars.

Asked if he would consider entering politics, Carson said, "Once we get that taken care of, who knows."

During his speech, Carson further fueled speculation that he'll run for elected office, asking hypothetically, "What if you magically put me in the White House?"

The crowd roared.

Carson became a conservative favorite when he indirectly criticized tax policies and health care reform while President Obama sat just feet from him at the prayer breakfast.

"When I pick up my Bible, you know what I see? I see the fairest individual in the universe, God, and he's given us a system. It's called tithe. Now we don't necessarily have to do 10 percent, but it's the principle," Carson said, adding that the progressive tax system is the "kind of thinking that has resulted in 602 banks in the Cayman Islands."

"That money needs to be back here building our infrastructure and creating jobs," he said.

Carson, a renowned pediatric neurosurgeon, also lamented the idea of government-funded health insurance.

During his speech at CPAC, Carson lamented that political watchers often dismiss the notion of Republicans who aren't white.

"When did we reach a point where you had to have a certain philosophy because of your skin color," asked Carson.