Doctors are highly trained medical professionals who have completed many years of education and training to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries. They undergo rigorous schooling and licensing to ensure they provide safe, effective, and ethical care. However, some individuals may falsely claim to be licensed doctors when they do not have proper qualifications. So what exactly is a false doctor called?
Different Terms for False Doctors
There are a few different terms used to describe someone who claims to be a legitimate doctor without having the proper licensing or credentials:
- Quack – This is probably the most common term used for a false doctor. It refers to someone who dishonestly claims medical knowledge or skills they do not possess.
- Charlatan – Similar to a quack, a charlatan poses as a doctor but lacks genuine medical training or expertise.
- Fake doctor – This straightforward term directly states the individual is not a real doctor.
- Fraudulent physician – This emphasizes the criminal nature of falsely claiming to be a licensed doctor.
- Unlicensed practitioner – This focuses on the lack of proper licensing rather than intent to defraud.
These terms all capture the essence of someone who is essentially pretending to be a doctor without the appropriate qualifications, education, training, or licensing required in the medical field.
Dangers of Fake Doctors
Seeing a false doctor instead of a properly trained, licensed physician can potentially endanger your health and safety in multiple ways:
- Misdiagnosis – Without genuine medical expertise, an unqualified doctor may fail to properly diagnose your condition or get the diagnosis completely wrong.
- Delayed treatment – Fake doctors may provide ineffective treatments or false hope, causing critical treatment delays.
- Unsafe medical care – Treatments delivered by untrained individuals pose many risks of injury or harm.
- Medical fraud – Patrons of false doctors often pay for services that lack legitimacy and validity.
- Disease transmission – Improper sanitization, infected tools, or substandard hygiene practices increase infection risks.
- Wasted money – Seeing a quack leads to paying for useless or potentially dangerous advice and services.
In short, seeing a fraudulent doctor rather than a properly licensed and trained medical professional endangers your health, safety, and wallet. Some jurisdictions even prosecute individuals for practicing medicine without a license for exactly these reasons.
How to Spot a Fake Doctor
Here are some warning signs that a physician may not be properly licensed or qualified:
- Lack of official certification – Doctors should proudly display licenses and certification in their office.
- Dubious or nonexistent credentials – Be very wary if a doctor cannot verify medical school and post-graduate training.
- Exaggerated claims of expertise – Genuine doctors do not need to make outrageous, unsupported claims about their skills.
- Recommendation of risky procedures – Extreme, dangerous, or experimentally treatments should raise red flags.
- Failure to accept insurance – Licensed doctors participate in major medical insurance plans.
- Office in strange location – Fake doctors may see patients in garages, rented rooms, their car, etc.
You can also verify a physician’s credentials through resources like state medical boards, certification agencies, medical associations, licensing bureaus, education institutions, and consumer protection divisions.
Legal Consequences
Practicing medicine without a proper license is punishable by law. The exact charges and penalties depend on jurisdiction, but commonly include:
- Felony fraud
- Criminal negligence
- Reckless endangerment
- Assault or battery
- Violation of state medical practice acts
- Civil fines and financial penalties
- Jail or prison time
In most places, actually treating or diagnosing patients while posing as a doctor constitutes a felony offense and carries stiff sentences. Even in areas with lesser charges, several repeated violations often result in felonies.
Real World Examples
Unfortunately, we do not have to look far to find instances of individuals masquerading as licensed doctors:
- In 2022, Julio Sosa was charged with multiple felonies for operating clinics in three states without a medical degree or license.
- John Brinkley became rich performing dangerous fake surgeries and prescribing quack cures in the early 1900s.
- James Buleje worked as an NHS general practitioner for 22 years despite having no qualifications.
- Ernesto Solitaire treated patients and prescribed medication in Florida for years with only a reinforced nursing license.
- Marc Mumper falsely claimed to be an infectious disease specialist as he dispensed experimental vaccines in Kansas.
These examples remind us we must carefully validate qualifications before entrusting anyone with our medical care.
Avoiding Quacks
Here are some tips to avoid becoming the victim of an unqualified fake doctor:
- Verify licenses and credentials with state boards or online databases.
- Look for medical school and residency information online or request transcripts.
- Ask people why they recommend a doctor and how long they’ve been a patient.
- Confirm the office matches credentials (e.g. a qualified neurosurgeon’s office has MRI and CT imaging).
- Seek second opinions on extreme, unusual, or risky treatments.
- Check with your insurance company on the doctor’s credentials and network status.
- Ask your primary care physician for referrals to specialists.
While there are some talented doctors who end up losing their licenses, knowingly seeing unlicensed doctors means putting your care in unqualified hands. Instead, take steps to verify any new doctor’s credentials before becoming a patient.
Conclusion
Individuals who falsely claim to be licensed doctors put people at great risk of harm. They should be called out as quacks, charlatans, or fake doctors so patients avoid their dangerous practices. With so many unqualified frauds attempting to profit from the trust placed in doctors, we must diligently confirm credentials and watch for warning signs of medical fakery. If you have doubts about a doctor’s qualifications, report them to the appropriate medical boards and licensing agencies before becoming a patient.
