Individuals who are subject to professional licensing are often required to self-report the criminal charges that are issued against them. Certain crimes and convictions may be weighed against them and can threaten one’s ability to attain and retain his or her license to practice in the medical field. Those who fear that criminal legal matters may derail their medical careers and threaten their medical licenses may wish to consult with attorneys who provide medical licensing and criminal defense in their communities.
An interesting issue arises, however, when individuals consider the topic of statutes of limitation and self-reporting in the medical licensing field. A statute of limitations is a law that indicates how long a party has to bring a case against someone who they believe has committed a crime or caused damages in the civil realm of the law. The question that may come up with regard to licensing is therefore whether an alleged crime must be reported if the statute of limitations that applies to it has run.
Readers should seek their own guidance on this topic but may find information offered by the National Council for State Boards of Nursing useful. This regulatory body states that even if a statute of limitations has run on a matter affecting a licensed nurse, it still must be reported and may be held against that individual in board actions and licensure reviews.
Criminal convictions, civil penalties, and other legal sanctions may run their course or be barred from further action by applicable statutes of limitation. These laws may not, however, protect medical licensing applicants and license holders from having to address them when they seek to maintain their right to work in the medical field.
