California Physician Assistant License Defense Lawyer

What Unlock Legal Does for Physician Assistants Facing License Threats

If your license is in jeopardy for any reason, contact us immediately for a consultation. When you sought out your Physician Assistant license you were following your passion. It is our passion to keep you doing what you want to do with your career and your life.

How the California Physicians Assistant Board Regulates and Disciplines PAs

Physician assistants are regulated and licensed in California by the Physicians Assistant Board. The PAB does the following:

• Prescribes licensing standards for physicians assistants
• Administers examinations and licenses PAs
• Prescribes regulations that physicians assistants must follow
• Investigates complaints and reports of misconduct
• Takes enforcement actions against PAs as necessary

Defending PA License Applications and Responding to Statements of Issues

Applying for your license is exciting because it is one of the last hurdles before you can begin your career. For many the application process with the PAB is straightforward and simple. However, for some, past criminal convictions or other issues can lock them up. The attorneys at Unlock Legal will complete and file your application on your behalf to make sure that you have the best chance of having it granted.

If you have submitted your application and it has been denied, you are not locked out of your career. A denial of your application is called a Statement of Issues. We will defend you to the PAB with the intention that you are granted your license free and clear. If you must be on probation, we will negotiate the best possible terms and conditions. A part of your defense may be cleaning up any past criminal issues to show your rehabilitation to the licensing body.

What Happens During a PAB Investigation of a Physician Assistant

If someone files a complaint against you with the PAB, the PAB may instigate an investigation against you. The attorneys at Unlock Legal will request a copy of the complaint, assist you in preparation of any statement, prepare you for the investigation interview, and represent you at the interview with the investigator. It is important to have experienced counsel with you at an investigation interview to assist you in answering any questions appropriately, and advising you when not to speak. With the right advice and counsel an investigation may end at the interview stage. If not, your licensing body may choose to file a formal complaint against you called an Accusation.

How to Respond to a Formal PAB Accusation Against Your PA License

An Accusation is a formal complaint drafted by the Attorney General’s office. It alleges various causes of action against you which may stem from conviction of a crime, and/or allegations of other bad acts like substance abuse, or deviation from the standard of care. You have only 15 days to send a Notice of Defense once you have been served with an Accusation. If you miss the deadline a default order may be rendered against you resulting in the revocation of your license.

It is imperative that you hire experienced counsel to represent you if an Accusation has been filed against you. Time is of the essence, and your career and livelihood is at stake.

PAB Enforcement Actions That Can Threaten a Physician Assistant License

The PAB may take action when they believe that physicians assistants have committed the following violations:

• Commission of a crime that is substantially related to duties as a physician assistant
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Sexual assault or improprieties
• Unlicensed practice of medicine
• Gross negligence, incompetence, or repeated acts of negligence
• Excessive prescribing or misuse of prescriptions
• Failure to meet continuing education requirements
• Continuing education was not accepted by the board
• Accused of continuing education fraud

Disciplinary Actions the PAB Can Take Against a Physician Assistant

The Board takes two different types of enforcement actions:

• Non-disciplinary administrative actions for more minor violations of laws and regulations that may include a fine or citation. Even though these are minor violations, they are still a matter of public record for five years. These are not offenses that require action to protect the public
• Administrative disciplinary action for more serious violations that could include license revocation, suspension, probation, or other penalties. These disciplinary actions can both take away your ability to earn a living and the professional reputation that you have worked so hard to build.

The Board has wide discretion to take disciplinary action, but they must prove that you violated a rule if your case goes to a hearing.

Why Physician Assistants Need a License Defense Attorney for PAB Cases

You do not have to sit back passively while the investigator does their work and your career is in jeopardy. A physician assistant license defense attorney can help you prepare your best defense to the allegations, engaging with the investigator early in the process to present evidence or your own side of the story.

You are entitled to have your side of the story heard, and we will work with witnesses and experts to disprove or cast doubt on the story that the PAB is telling. We can also engage with the PAB to potentially negotiate a lesser penalty or even none at all. Without a strong license defense attorney, you may have to watch as everything you have worked for is taken away. The Board may approach your case differently when they see an attorney with a track record of successful license defense sitting across the table. You may at least have more legal options than you otherwise would have on your own.

Reinstating a Physician Assistant License After PAB Disciplinary Action

If you have lost your license you are not locked out of the career of your choice. After a certain amount of time you are eligible to ask the PAB to grant your license again. In addition, you can generally request that the terms and conditions of probation be modified or terminated early. The legal team at Unlock Legal has filed petitions for reinstatement for many clients who made one mistake, and who have paid the price. We love to demonstrate mitigating circumstances and rehabilitation to the PAB to get our PAs back in the doctor’s office, hospitals or care facilities as soon as possible!

Schedule a Consultation with Unlock Legal for Physician Assistant License Defense

The physician assistant license defense attorneys at Unlock Legal can help you when your livelihood and reputation are on the line. We can work with you on an aggressive yet pragmatic defense strategy against the charges that you are facing. We engage early in the process to tenaciously defend your license. You must call a lawyer as soon as you learn that you are being investigated. Contact us online or call us today at (949) 988-4444 to begin your defense.