Are you a doctor accused of a DUI? The McShane Firm can help!

Statistics indicate that drug and alcohol abuse are the third most common triggers for Medical Board disciplinary action against physicians. The most common form of drug or alcohol-related charge relates to driving under the influence-DUI.

Many physicians erroneously believe that a DUI will not affect their medical license because it relates to conduct outside of their professional practice. That misconception could not be farther from the truth.  A physician’s “off-duty” conduct does matter to the Medical Board.

Here is an example of this.  Read the case of a PA physician whose medical license was suspended by the Board for 3 years after a DUI conviction.

Medical board suspends doctor after DUI charge

Randy Griffith rgriffith@tribdem.com

JOHNSTOWN — A Southmont physician’s medical license has been suspended for at least three years following a drunken driving charge dating from March of last year.

The State Board of Osteopathic Medicine suspended the license of Daniel J. Yost, 41, of the 100 block of Daisy Street, through May 2014, the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs announced.

Yost, an osteopathic doctor of family medicine, was already facing professional disciplinary action when he was arrested by West Hills police on March 25, 2010, the state board’s documents show.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine has the power to discipline physicians for offenses not directly related to medical practices. The Board has a very large and wide charge in investigating doctors to make sure that they are fit for work. Courts have justified this approach on the theory that bad behavior outside the practice of medicine negatively reflects on a physician’s fitness to practice medicine. With regard to DUI’s specifically, a physician may be issued a Rule to Show Cause and even disciplined by the Board for a DUI that occurs while the physician is not working and which does not directly impact patient care.

Therefore, for physicians who have the misfortune of being charged with a DUI, it is critical to make sure that it is handled aggressively, properly, and with an eye towards the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine. By being proactive, a physician can mitigate the collateral damage caused by a misdemeanor DUI accusation.

With the support of experienced legal counsel,  it is important to take appropriate steps early in the process.

To safeguard your rights, your career and your noble calling to help people, call The McShane firm 1-866-MCSHANE now. We can help.

Justin McShane

PA DUI attorney Justin J. McShane is the President/CEO of The McShane Firm, LLC - Pennsylvania's top criminal law and DUI law firm. He is the highest rated DUI attorney in PA as rated by Avvo.com. Justin McShane is a double Board certified attorney. He is the first and so far the only Pennsylvania attorney to achieve American Bar Association recognized board certification in DUI defense from the National College for DUI Defense, Inc. He is also a Board Certified Criminal Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, a Pennsylvania Supreme Court Approved Agency.