A report covered by media outlets around the world told the story about an 18-year-old South Florida teen who opened a clinic in West Palm Beach, Fla. and illegally practiced medicine without a license. His defense? The word doctor has different meanings.
Malachi Love-Robinson claimed to have earned a Ph.D. – although he won’t disclose what field it is in – and said in an interview with CNN that “just because someone has the title ‘doctor’ in front of their name does not necessarily imply that person is a medical doctor.” In fact, Love-Robinson says that his medical training consisted primarily of shadowing many doctors.
Love-Robinson was – thankfully – caught after he performed a physical on an undercover law enforcement officer.
The…ahem…enterprising teen even had a website for his practice that listed him as President, CEO, and Founder, and included a host of acronyms after his name to supposedly complete the charade.
Check Out Your Doctor’s Claims
While this story may make us smirk, it also should serve as a reminder to verify that your physician is who they say they are. As attorneys who specialize in medical malpractice, we’re all too familiar with the extensive harm that can be caused by those who do not know what they’re doing, and are merely trying to hustle for a few bucks.
Finding out if there are any medical malpractice related issues with your physician can be difficult because – in some cases – it is up to the doctor to self-report such issues. Also, physicians who commit malpractice in one state can easily pick up stakes and move to another.
In this digital age, however, you can easily verify your physician’s credentials.
- To find out if your physician is properly certified, one useful tool is the CertificationMatters site maintained by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
- To verify your doctor’s licensing, visit the Federation of State Medical Records.
We’re Malpractice Experts
If you feel that you have been a victim of medical malpractice, you need a strong ally fighting on your behalf. Contact us at the Fitzgerald Law Firm today for a free consultation.