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Contextualizing And Strengthening State Medical Board Responses To Physician Sexual Misconduct, Patricia A. King, Emily Gerard, Mark Staz, Eric M. Fish

Saint Louis University Journal of Health Law & Policy

As the instrument through which states regulate the professional conduct of medical practitioners, state medical boards play a critical role in addressing physician sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct in the medical profession is particularly troubling given that physicians are often privy to the most intimate aspects of their patients’ lives. Patients place a profound trust in their physician, and the resulting relational dynamic may impact how a patient perceives or reacts to a physician’s conduct. State medical boards are often criticized for failing to respond appropriately to instances of sexual misconduct. However, some of these criticisms fail to consider historical attempts …