Medical Board of California

Physician License Defense

Each year, the Medical Board of California receives more than 10,000 complaints, including mandated self-reports from physicians, public complaints, and required reports from courts, insurance carriers, coroners, professional groups, and health facilities.

If you’re a physician facing a board investigation or disciplinary proceeding, our attorneys have the experience and resources to provide expert representation.

Complaints and investigations

The following represent the most common allegations we help physicians address:

Gross negligence or incompetence
Unprofessional conduct
Inappropriate prescribing
Drug or alcohol abuse
Mental or medical conditions affecting a physician’s ability to practice safely, including chemical dependency
Convictions for criminal conduct

Following an initial review, the board’s complaint unit may forward the complaint to a district office for investigation. Once the investigation is complete, the matter may be closed, referred for criminal prosecution, or referred for a citation or disciplinary action. The attorney general may file an accusation or, in the case of an applicant, a statement of issues, which initiates a formal hearing process under the California Administrative Procedures Act.

While each situation is unique, it’s generally wise to engage counsel before responding to a board investigator or a request for information. Answering questions, providing documents or evidence, or agreeing to other actions without counsel can be risky. As a physician, you have important statutory and constitutional rights, and are also legally obligated to protect patient and employee confidentiality. Immediately seeking advice from an attorney experienced in healthcare licensing helps protect your reputation and career.

How we can help

Our experienced attorneys can provide information to assist you in closing an investigation without discipline or minimizing the discipline that may be eventually imposed. In many cases, we can assist in negotiating an agreed resolution with the board’s counsel without a hearing, or in aggressively defending you at a contested hearing.

Whether you have been wrongfully accused of misconduct or have made an uncharacteristic mistake, such as driving under the influence, our attorneys offer the experience, resources, and reputation to aggressively defend you before the board. We will listen, offer advice, and develop a plan designed to obtain the best result possible.