When you hold a professional medical license, your future could be in jeopardy if you are arrested and required to notify the Texas Medical Board (TMB) of the charges against you or a criminal conviction.
However, that does not mean that all arrests must be reported to the TMB. Before you contact the state licensing board, make sure you contact your medical license defense attorney at Bertolino LLP to find out what your legal obligations are. You do not want to put your medical license at risk if you do not have to.
The Impact of an Arrest on Your Medical License
Across various professions, licensing boards, regulatory agencies, and other professional organizations have specific laws and regulations licensees must adhere to in order to maintain their license or certification status. Failure to adhere to these rules could be devastating for you both personally and professionally.
Depending on the specific details of your case, if you are arrested, you could be facing the suspension or revocation of your Texas medical license. It does not matter whether you have been arrested, charged with, or convicted of a crime. The Texas Medical Board has the authority to suspend or revoke your license if you do not adhere to their disciplinary requirements.
If the Texas Medical Board determines that you may be a threat to the public or are not of good character, they have the opportunity to impose sanctions and disciplinary actions as well as suspend or revoke your Texas medical license. If this happens, you will be barred from practicing medicine unless or until your medical license is reinstated at any time.
Factors Influencing Potential Penalties
There are many factors that will be taken into account when determining whether the Texas Medical Board will handle your arrest. The type of criminal charges you are facing in the severity of the offense in question will have a significant impact on which disciplinary sanctions, if any, you will face.
The Texas Medical Board may also consider whether you have previously been charged with, convicted of, or arrested for another type of criminal offense. For example, if you were previously arrested for petty theft 10 years ago, your past arrest may not have an impact on whether the TMB decides to take action.
However, if you have a past arrest for a violent offense on your record, the TMB may consider your prior arrest when determining how to proceed with sanctions and disciplinary action. It is far more likely that you will face fines, suspension or revocation of your medical license, and other penalties if you have a prior conviction or arrest on your record.
When to Report an Arrest to the Texas Medical Board
When you are not sure whether you need to report your arrest to the Texas Medical Board, you should reach out to your medical license defense attorney at Bertolino LLP for help. Generally, misdemeanor arrests will not need to be reported to the Texas Medical Board. This might include DWI charges, accusations of criminal trespass, or other minor offenses.
However, if you have been arrested on suspicion of committing a felony, you should expect to be required to report your arrest to the Texas Medical Board. You may also be expected to provide the TMB with documentation of your conviction if you are found guilty of the offense in question.
Information to Disclose to the TMB
You are required to renew your medical license every two years under Texas law. When it is time to renew your medical license or apply for licensure, you are required to disclose any convictions, arrests, or pending criminal cases. It does not matter whether the offense in question is a misdemeanor or a felony.
You should be prepared to report the details of the offense to the Texas Medical Board if you hope to get your license approved or renewed. It is important to discuss your rights and whether you are required to report the arrest, charges, or conviction in your case with your medical license defense attorney. Many medical professionals make the mistake of reporting this information to the Texas Medical Board when they are not required to do so.
This can result in unnecessary disciplinary action taken out against their medical license. However, this is a delicate matter, as failure to report incidents that The TMB requires to be reported may be considered a violation of the TMB rules and regulations. This could have a negative impact on your ability to obtain your medical license or get your medical license renewed.
What to Do if Your Medical License Is in Jeopardy
If your medical license is at risk, the only thing to do is contact a professional medical license defense attorney at Bertolino LLP for help. The TMB could take adverse action against you by revoking or suspending your license if you do not provide them with the necessary information or documentation they need.
The TMB is tasked with protecting the public’s interests, so if they believe you are a threat to the public in any way, they will reject your medical license renewal application or deny your medical license application altogether.
This could have a debilitating impact on your medical career. License revocation and suspensions are public information, which could be devastating for you professionally. Your medical license defense attorney can help you work with the TMB to get your medical license reinstated and prove that you are not a threat or risk to the public or your patients.
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Protect Your Medical License and Contact Bertolino LLP Today
Arrests of any kind can come with harsh criminal penalties and collateral consequences. This could include the suspension or revocation of your medical license. Find out whether you are required to report your arrest to the Texas Medical Board when you contact your dedicated medical license defense attorney at Bertolino LLP for help.
Our firm proudly offers confidential consultations to medical license holders across the state of Texas. Take advantage of this opportunity when you call our office or complete our online contact form today.
Call or text (512) 476-5757 or complete a Case Evaluation form
