Will I Lose My Medical License if I Get Injured?

As a doctor, not only is your patients’ health important to you, but your personal health should be too. This is because if your health is compromised, you may be inhibited from giving your patients the best quality of care. This is why it is all the more devastating when you incur a serious physical injury that has yet to be fully rehabilitated, and you may be unsure how to handle it. Well, please read on to discover whether you will lose your medical license after getting injured, and how one of the seasoned OPMC/OPD misconduct defense lawyers at Walker Medical Law can help you balance your personal recovery with your professional work.

Will I lose my medical license if I get injured and can’t practice?

You may let out a sigh of relief knowing that you will not automatically lose your medical license if you become physically injured. Rather, you can take a step back from practicing while you focus on healing and recovering, and take other actions to maintain your license’s validity. For example, the New York State Board for Medicine offers an inactive status for medical licenses, which essentially works to place your authorization to practice on hold.

Secondly, you may apply for a waiver of continuing medical education requirements. The Board may grant you this waiver for a hardship reason, such as a physical injury. This may be a better alternative if you have a clear, attainable timeline in which you will fully recover and be able to return to work. Either way, when you are ready and deem it safe to resume your medical role, you may apply for a reactivation of your medical license, likely supplemented by a reinstatement fee and other documentation.

Will I lose my medical license if I get injured and don’t report it?

Even though you are a doctor, you are still human, and it is okay and understandable if you happen to get injured. What is found to be unacceptable, though, is if you get injured and fail to report it to the New York State Board of Medicine. Not only does this violate state law and Board guidelines, but it goes against the duty you promised to uphold as a doctor. If the Board somehow finds out about your unreported injury, they may decide to revoke your medical license outright.

What’s worse is if your injury gets uncovered after one of your current or former patients files a medical misconduct complaint with the Department of Health’s Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) or Office of Professional Discipline (OPD). This is because the hearing board may assume that your injury is what affected your ability to practice medicine safely and ultimately put your patient in harm’s way. Again, this may end with a voided license, along with other significant consequences.

Before you find yourself in an even worse position, you must retain legal representation from Walker Medical Law. One of the competent OPMC/OPD misconduct defense lawyers from our law firm will guide you on what to do.