Dr. Mehmet Oz, known simply as Dr. Oz, is a Turkish-American cardiothoracic surgeon and television personality who hosts “The Dr. Oz Show”. He has come under scrutiny in recent years regarding the medical advice he gives on his show as well as his endorsement of questionable weight loss supplements.
This has led many to wonder – does Dr. Oz still have a valid medical license that allows him to practice medicine and perform surgery? Let’s take a closer look at Dr. Oz’s background and credentials.
Dr. Oz’s Medical Training and Education
Dr. Oz was born in 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University in 1982 and obtained his MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1986. He also received an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1986.
After completing his dual medical and business training at Penn, Dr. Oz completed his residency in general surgery at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia Campus and conducted heart transplant research at Columbia University.
He then served as Associate Professor of Surgery at Columbia University until 2001. During this time, he pioneered minimally invasive heart valve surgery techniques.
Dr. Oz’s Surgical Career
Dr. Oz has maintained an active medical and surgical career alongside his television work. He serves as a professor of surgery at Columbia University and directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
As a cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Oz has performed thousands of heart operations and has patents for inventing medical devices related to heart surgery. He has also published over 400 scholarly papers in peer-reviewed medical journals focusing on topics like heart health, weight management, and complementary medicine.
Does Dr. Oz Have a Current Medical License?
Yes, Dr. Oz maintains an active medical license that allows him to practice medicine and surgery. According to records from the New York State Department of Health, Dr. Oz holds a physician license that was originally issued in 1989 and remains valid through 2023.
In order to renew his medical license each year, Dr. Oz must complete continuing medical education credits and follow state guidelines for practicing physicians. He has maintained his license consistently each year since 1989.
Controversies and Criticisms
Throughout his television career, Dr. Oz has faced scrutiny from the medical community regarding some of his medical advice and health recommendations. Some examples include:
- Promoting alternative therapies that lack scientific evidence, like Reiki energy healing.
- Supporting the use of hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment, which has not been proven effective.
- Making inaccurate claims about weight loss supplements or “miracle” foods.
- Allowing guests on his show to make unsubstantiated claims about health topics.
In 2014, a group of physicians sent a letter accusing Dr. Oz of “manifesting an egregious lack of integrity by promoting quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain.” Ten physicians spearheaded the letter, but it ultimately received over 1000 signatures from doctors nationwide.
In 2015, Dr. Oz was called to testify before a Senate subcommittee about his medical advice. The Senator leading the hearing accused Dr. Oz of endorsing “miracle” weight loss products on this program using language that “borders on hysteria”.
Despite these controversies, Dr. Oz has not faced any legal or disciplinary action that would threaten his medical license. He continues to practice at Columbia University and perform cardiovascular surgeries on a routine basis. However, the criticism has damaged his credibility as a source of medical advice in the eyes of some physicians and public health experts.
Does Dr. Oz still perform surgery?
Yes, Dr. Oz still actively performs cardiothoracic surgery alongside his television work. As recently as 2019, he stated he performs around 250-300 surgical operations each year. This includes complex procedures like triple bypass heart surgery, valve replacements, aneurysm repair, and other life-saving cardiovascular surgeries.
As part of his role overseeing the Cardiovascular Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. Oz also leads medical students and residents during surgical training. He maintains full surgical privileges at the hospital.
In a 2019 interview, Dr. Oz stated that he sees his continuing surgical practice as critical to maintaining credibility in the public eye: “If I don’t have an active practice, my words mean nothing.” Despite his lucrative media career, it seems Dr. Oz remains committed to maintaining his credentials as a practicing heart surgeon.
Responses to Criticisms
Dr. Oz has pushed back against criticisms of his advice in several ways over the years:
- He maintains that he provides balanced information and diverging opinions on his show to empower viewers to make their own health decisions.
- He states the “Oz Effect” leads millions of viewers to discuss and research health topics, leading to positive behavior changes.
- Dr. Oz claims he uses “flowery” language on his show at times, which can be misinterpreted by critics.
- He shared letters from loyal viewers who believe his medical advice has extended their lives.
However, Dr. Oz has tempered some of his most controversial statements and recommendations in response to the scrutiny. He acknowledged endorsing alternative therapies before fully vetting them during Senate testimony in 2014. More recently in 2022, Dr. Oz stated he misspoke in promoting hydroxychloroquine as a COVID-19 treatment.
Could Dr. Oz Lose His Medical License?
It’s hypothetical, but possible Dr. Oz could lose his medical license if:
- He is found guilty of professional misconduct by a state medical board.
- He fails to complete the required hours of continuing medical education.
- He voluntary surrenders his license.
- He is convicted of a felony criminal offense.
However, Dr. Oz is currently in good standing with the New York State Board of Medicine and no disciplinary proceedings are underway. As long as he satisfies all requirements to maintain an active license, there are no indications Dr. Oz would lose his credentials or disciplinary abilities, despite the criticism of his medical advice.
What Impact Do His Controversies Have?
The main impacts of the controversies surrounding Dr. Oz appear to be:
- Damage to his reputation among physicians, scientists, and public health experts.
- Declining credibility as a source for evidence-based medical advice.
- Undermining public trust in some of his recommendations.
- Driving scrutiny from regulators and legislators over medical claims in the media.
- Potentially reducing his influence and impact as a health communicator.
However, Dr. Oz remains popular with a large segment of the general public who appreciate his personal approach. His show continues to have high ratings and he plays an influential role in raising awareness of health topics, even if aspects of his advice are questionable. There are no signs his controversies have substantially impacted his status as a licensed physician able to actively treat patients.
Could Dr. Oz’s License Be Revoked?
It is unlikely Dr. Oz’s medical license could be completely revoked based on his controversial media statements. According to medical ethics and health law experts:
- Providing questionable health information on a television show does not meet the legal standards for revoking a medical license.
- Generally, only clear criminal offenses like fraud or abuse would lead to full revocation of a license.
- At most, he could potentially receive a citation or a probationary period if he was found to give particularly misleading or dangerous advice.
- As long as Dr. Oz fulfills his continuing education and proper credentialing, mere controversy is unlikely to prompt license revocation.
Due to First Amendment protections and the subjectivity of medical advice, disciplining physicians for media statements sets a high bar. While critics argue Dr. Oz should be more rigorously disciplined, his license remains active with no serious threats to its revocation at this time.
Conclusion
In summary, despite recurring controversies surrounding his medical advice, Dr. Mehmet Oz still maintains an active license to practice medicine issued by the state of New York. He continues to perform cardiovascular surgeries on a routine basis to remain professionally active. While his credibility with other physicians may be damaged, there is little indication Dr. Oz would lose his medical license based on his media statements in the foreseeable future.
Maintaining his professional credentials appears important to Dr. Oz as he balances his surgical practice and media career. Only clear legal offenses or professional misconduct complaints would open the door to potential license suspension. But for the time being, the controversial Dr. Oz remains a licensed medical doctor able to treat patients.