What happens if your medical license is restricted?

On Behalf of | Aug 2, 2021 | Professional License Issues |

A doctor who is facing discipline may not have their license revoked and may not decide to surrender it, but that doesn’t mean nothing will happen. In some cases, a doctor’s license will merely be restricted by the board. This doesn’t mean they can no longer practice, but it may change what they can do. They’ll be more limited than before. 

For instance, medical experts note that a lot of license restrictions make it so that a doctor can no longer prescribe medication. They may lose other clinical privileges, as well. This happens to hundreds of doctors every year; in 2017 alone, for instance, there were 1,343 such cases. 

Why will a medical license be restricted?

A license can be restricted for many of the same reasons that it could be revoked. It just depends on what the board determines is the best course of action. Some common reasons include:

  • Substance abuse issues, especially when coming to work while under the influence
  • Health conditions that impact cognitive abilities, such as dementia
  • Mental health issues and conditions, which may develop and change over time
  • Overprescribing of otherwise legal prescription medications
  • Criminal charges that are not medical in nature, such as getting a DUI

If you’re facing these types of accusations, it can have a massive impact on your career and earnings, even if you don’t entirely lose your license. You must know about all of the legal options you have. When your livelihood and all that you have worked for and invested in for years — or even decades — is a stake, there is simply no room for error.