For as long as there have been written exams, there has been a subset of test-takers that cheat. Despite what we might like to believe, physicians and medicine are no exception. Take this brief description of an incident recorded in the 1899 meeting minutes of the North Carolina Medical Board. “A dastardly attempt was made … Continue reading Cheaters Never Prosper…well, they usually don’t, right?

Episode one closed with the California and Georgia medical boards stripping “Dr.” Phillip Dyment of his medical license. The good doctor was nothing, however, if not persistent. Like any good charlatan, he lawyered up. Today, we conclude the story of “Dr” Dyment but first a little context. In 1920, state medical boards were quasi-legal entities … Continue reading Proxy Wars Episode 2: The imposter strikes back

When state medical boards were being established throughout the United States in the last quarter of the 19th century, one of their primary statutory functions called for examining prospective candidates prior to issuing a license. This made sense as perhaps the greatest distinguishing feature of America’s medical schools at that time was their wide variation … Continue reading Proxy Wars: A state board saga Episode 1: The Clone Wars

One of the foremost stories in American medicine continues to be the epidemic of opioid misuse. According to the National Institutes for Health, every day more than ninety Americans die as a result of overdosing on opioids. This translates into roughly 33,000 people annually – the equivalent of a 320-passenger Boeing 777 crashing every three … Continue reading Prescriptive power and value of the medical license