The New York State Department of Health’s Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) and Office of Professional Discipline (OPD) investigate and judge misconduct complaints against physicians, physician assistants, specialist assistants, and other health professionals. Unfortunately, the day may come when one of these complaints concerns you and your medical practices. If so, the OPMC or OPD may require you to endure their emotionally challenging, not to mention career-threatening, medical conduct system. Understandably, being the subject of this investigation and legal process may place undue stress on your personal and professional life. With all that being said, please read on to discover how to cope with the ultimate disciplinary action made against your medical license and how a seasoned OPMC/OPD misconduct defense lawyer at Walker Medical Law can support you through this low point in your career.
How do I know if my disciplinary action will be made public record?
Before we get into it any further, you must brace yourself for the anticipated outcome of your OPMC or OPD investigation and hearing proceedings. In an ideal scenario, the OPMC or OPD may close or dismiss the complaint made against you from early on. Here, your case and its associated investigative files, along with your name and identity, will remain confidential.
Unfortunately, though, if the OPMC’s or OPD’s final decision is that you are guilty of medical misconduct, they may take disciplinary actions against you. Here, their final decision, the charges on which they are based, and their imposed penalties are made easily accessible to the general public. They do so to protect patients and preserve public confidence in their medical conduct system.
How can I cope with the final medical disciplinary action made against me?
Not only may it be devastating for you to face disciplinary action from the OPMC or OPD, but it may be too much knowing that it has been made public record. However, during this trying time, it is important to pick yourself back up and make your overall situation better and more manageable. That said, below are tips for coping with this final disciplinary action:
- Consider seeking therapy or counseling sessions to process your emotions during this difficult time.
- Seek the advice of a life coach or career counselor to discover an alternate career path that will still give you purpose.
- Focus on things you can control, like getting daily exercise, getting a good night’s sleep, eating healthy, etc.
- Volunteer to feel you are a contributing member of society outside your mandated community service hours.
- Participate in training or educational courses if it is possible to reinstate your medical license eventually.
- Check yourself into a rehabilitative center if part of your issue has to do with substance abuse.
If all else fails, it is worth mentioning that you may obtain legal representation if you believe appealing the disciplinary action is an achievable possibility. To conclude, if you require further clarification on this issue, a competent OPMC/OPD misconduct defense lawyer at Walker Medical Law is willing to offer it. So please do not hesitate to seek out our services. We look forward to helping you.