If you are a licensed medical professional in Pennsylvania, criminal charges can completely upend your personal life and career. Regardless of whether it relates to your practice, a criminal charge or conviction could result in the suspension of your professional license. At Hark and Hark, we often represent clients and defend them against criminal charges.

According to the AMA Journal of Ethics, there is a connection between your license and “moral turpitude” outside practicing medicine. There are four behaviors or qualities that appear related to whether you can continue working in your chosen profession, legally.

Good physical and emotional health is the responsibility of each doctor. Any impairment could cause patients harm. If a medical professional suffers from treatable issues, such as depression or addiction, and he or she behaves in an unacceptable manner, the licensure board may suspend their medical license.

Patients must trust doctors with their emotions and body. Any health care worker who crosses boundaries during the course of the physician-patient relationship constitutes a boundary violation. Regardless of patient behavior, the doctor is 100% responsible for maintaining the proper standards. T

The public no longer trusts a doctor convicted of criminal charges. Not only does it affect the individual practitioner, but it also erodes trust in the entire profession. As a result, the licensing authority typically suspends your license as a method of preventing further behavior that can affect patient safety.

Patients trust that a doctor accurately represents diagnoses and findings during the patient-doctor relationship. This honesty is a fundamental ethical imperative and is one of the nine AMA Principles of Medical Ethics. Dishonesty, as it relates to a patient’s medical treatment, is a breach of professionalism.

If you face charges that concern your moral turpitude, your livelihood may be at risk. Talking with an attorney who understands medical licensing and criminal defense may help you get ahead of the issue. Visit our webpage for more information on this topic.