Washington, Jan 20 (IANS) Doctors and nurses walked away from a field clinic in Haiti last week over security concerns, leaving CNN's chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta as the only doctor to ensure the patients, some badly wounded, made it through the night.

Indian-American Gupta told CNN's sister network HLN Tuesday that he was 'shocked' at the incident last Friday night.

As Gupta watched doctors pack up some of their supplies and walk away from the clinic he 'looked at my crew and I said, 'I'm gonna stay. You decide what you want to do.' And the whole crew, we decided to stay and take care of these patients throughout the night.'

When asked if these doctors had left completely of their own volition, Gupta said he thought they were most likely ordered to leave. 'I really don't think they wanted to go.'

The next day one of the doctors who came back told Gupta that he was ashamed.

Gupta was considered by President Barack Obama for the post of surgeon general but withdrew his name in March last year due to family and career reasons.

In 2003, Gupta was named one of People magazine's 'Sexiest Men Alive' and a 'pop culture icon' by USA Today.

Gupta received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a doctorate of medicine from the University of Michigan Medical School.