Sexual Abuse by a Doctor or Medical Provider

A medical visit asks a patient to trust someone with their body. When a doctor or other provider uses that trust for sexual purposes, it is abuse, not medicine. This page explains how that misconduct is defined, who oversees medical professionals, and how a civil claim may work.

What doctor sexual abuse can involve

The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) describes physician sexual misconduct as behavior that “exploits the physician-patient relationship in a sexual way.” Its 2020 report says plainly that “sexual behavior between a physician and a patient is never diagnostic or therapeutic.”1 The same principles apply to many other licensed providers, such as nurses, physician assistants, chiropractors, physical therapists and technicians.

The FSMB report explains that misconduct often happens along a spectrum. It can start small and grow worse over time.1 Without going into graphic detail, it can include:

• An intimate exam with no medical reason, or with no explanation or consent
• Touching that goes beyond what the exam needs
• Sexual comments, jokes or questions that have no clinical purpose
• Asking a patient to undress more than the exam requires, or watching them undress
• Seeing a patient alone when a chaperone should be present
• “Grooming,” such as gifts, special favors, personal texts or after-hours contact
• Any sexual or romantic relationship with a current patient3
• Sexual assault, including during sedation or anesthesia

Many patients are told that what happened was a normal part of the exam. The FSMB report notes that grooming and smaller violations often come first, and that they usually happen in private where no one else can see.1 Feeling confused afterward is common. It does not mean you misunderstood.

Medical professionals with documented cases

This directory will list individual medical professionals only where there is documented litigation, criminal charges, a conviction, a government finding or a licensing action, each verified against primary court, prosecutor or medical-board records.

No named medical professionals are listed here yet. We add an entry only after verifying it against primary records such as court filings, prosecutor releases or medical board orders. You do not need to see a name here to talk with us, and you can still tell us your story.

Who may be responsible

The person who committed the abuse is responsible for their own conduct. A civil claim may also look at others whose choices made the abuse possible. Whether anyone else can be held responsible depends on the facts, the state’s law, the relationships among the people and organizations involved, what they knew or should have known, and what duties they had. Responsibility for an employer or hospital is never assumed; it has to be shown.

• The individual provider. A doctor, nurse, therapist or other professional who abused a patient.
• The practice or medical group. An employer may be responsible in some states for how it hired, trained, supervised or kept a provider, or for ignoring complaints.
• The hospital or health system. Hospitals credential doctors and grant privileges. Federal rules for Medicare-participating hospitals require the medical staff to examine credentials and periodically appraise its members.5
• Clinics, staffing agencies and contractors. When a provider works through an agency or as a contractor, the relationships can matter a great deal.
• Universities and training programs. Where abuse happened in a teaching setting, the school’s role may be part of the review.

Abuse by medical staff can also happen inside larger institutions, such as schools, jails or residential facilities. Our page on institutional abuse covers those settings.

Chaperones, credentialing and supervision

Hospitals and practices have tools meant to prevent abuse. When those tools are missing, ignored or poorly run, that failure may matter in a civil case.

Chaperones

A chaperone is a trained staff member who is present during a sensitive exam. The American Medical Association’s ethics guidance says practices should adopt a policy that patients are free to request a chaperone, should always honor that request, and should use an authorized member of the health care team as the chaperone.2 The FSMB report supports the recommendation of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that a chaperone be present for all breast, genital and rectal exams.1

The FSMB also warns that a chaperone can give only the “illusion of safety” if they are untrained, unsure of their role, or work for the doctor being watched.1 So the question is not only whether a policy existed, but whether it was followed.

Consent for sensitive exams

In April 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) told hospital inspectors that patients must give informed consent before students or other practitioners perform breast, pelvic, prostate or rectal exams for teaching purposes, especially while a patient is under anesthesia.6 That guidance is about consent in teaching settings, not about criminal abuse. But it reflects a basic rule: a patient decides what happens to their body.

Credentialing and patient rights

Under federal hospital rules, patients have the right to personal privacy, to receive care in a safe setting, and “to be free from all forms of abuse or harassment.”4 Hospitals must also review the credentials of doctors before granting privileges.5 Questions a lawyer may ask include whether earlier complaints were recorded, whether they reached the people who made decisions, and whether anything changed.

State medical boards and the 2020 FSMB report

Each state has a medical board, and often separate boards for nurses, osteopathic physicians and other professions. These boards issue licenses, investigate complaints and can discipline providers. A board’s job is to protect the public. It does not award money to patients.

In May 2020, the FSMB adopted a report on physician sexual misconduct as policy. Among its points:1

• Boards should make filing a complaint easy, and should consider letting complainants stay anonymous to the public.
• Investigators should be trained to use a trauma-informed approach.
• Health care workers and institutions have a duty to report sexual misconduct, including less severe conduct that may be grooming.
• Even a single finding of sexual misconduct is often serious enough to justify revoking a license.
• Private agreements or letters of warning are not appropriate in sexual misconduct cases, and board actions should be public and clearly labeled.

The FSMB is a national organization of state boards. Its report is guidance. Each state’s own laws decide what its board can do and what it can make public.1

Allegations, lawsuits, charges and board actions

News about a doctor can use many legal words that sound alike. They mean very different things. Here is what each one means in plain terms.

What the terms mean

Allegation

A claim that something happened. It has not been proven.

Civil lawsuit

A case filed by a patient seeking money for harm. It is not a criminal case, and filing one proves nothing by itself.

Criminal charge

A formal accusation by a prosecutor. The person is presumed innocent unless convicted.

Conviction

A guilty verdict or a guilty plea in a criminal case.

Acquittal

A finding of not guilty in a criminal case. It means guilt was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt. A civil case may still go forward under a lower standard.

Dismissal

A court ends a case, or part of it, without a trial verdict. The reasons vary, and some dismissals allow the case to be filed again.

Board disciplinary proceeding

A medical board’s process for investigating and deciding a complaint, which may include formal charges and a hearing.

Licensing action

What a board does to a license: for example, a reprimand, restrictions, probation, suspension, revocation, or a surrender of the license.

Settlement

An agreement that ends a lawsuit, usually for payment. A settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing unless it says so.

Verdict

A decision by a jury or judge after trial. It can be appealed.

These are general descriptions. The exact meaning and effect of each step depend on the state and the court.

How to look up a doctor’s license

Checking a provider’s license and public record

1. Find the right board

   Start with the licensing board in the state where the provider practices. The FSMB keeps a directory of state medical boards with links to each board’s website.

2. Search the board’s license lookup

   Most boards have a free online search by name or license number. It usually shows license status and any public disciplinary orders.

3. Check other states

   Providers can hold licenses in more than one state. The FSMB’s DocInfo website makes public board action information reported by state boards searchable in one place.1

4. Know what is not public

   The National Practitioner Data Bank, run by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, collects reports of malpractice payments and certain adverse actions. Its reports are confidential and not available to the public.7 Hospitals and boards use it when they check a provider’s history.8

A clean record does not mean nothing happened. Many patients never report, and some boards are limited in what they can publish.1

Evidence that may matter

You do not need to have all of this. A lawyer can often get records you cannot. Useful information may include:

• The provider’s name, the practice or hospital, and the approximate dates of visits
• Appointment reminders, bills, insurance statements or patient portal messages
• Medical records, including notes on who was in the room
• Names of anyone you told, and when, such as a friend, partner, therapist or another doctor
• Any complaint you made to the practice, the hospital, a board or the police
• Texts, emails or social media messages from the provider

Deadlines vary by state

The time limit to file a civil claim depends on the state, the patient’s age when the abuse happened, the type of defendant, and when the patient understood the harm. Some states have longer deadlines for sexual abuse claims, and some have opened temporary windows that revived older claims. A medical malpractice claim can follow different rules than an assault claim.

Claims against public hospitals, state universities or government clinics may require a formal notice of claim within a much shorter period. Because of this, it helps to have a lawyer look at the specific facts early, even if you are unsure whether you want to go forward.

Criminal cases, civil claims and privacy

A criminal case is brought by a prosecutor and can lead to prison. A civil claim is brought by the survivor and seeks money for harm. A board complaint concerns the provider’s license. These paths are separate. A civil case does not require a criminal charge or a conviction, and the civil standard of proof is lower.

Many survivors worry about privacy. Depending on the court and the state, it may be possible to ask a judge to let you proceed under a pseudonym, such as “Jane Doe.” That is up to the court, so no one can promise it. You can learn more about the wider area on our sexual assault and abuse page.

How CBW reviews these claims

We start by listening. We ask where and when care took place, who the provider worked for, and what you remember about who else was involved. We then look at licensing records, court records and the rules that applied to the practice or hospital.

The review is free and confidential. If we take your case, there are no attorney’s fees unless we recover for you. We cannot promise any result, and we will tell you honestly what we see.

What happened in that room was not your fault, and it is never too early to ask a question.

Questions

Questions patients ask about doctor sexual abuse

Short answers to the questions we hear most. Every situation is different, so a lawyer can give you a clearer picture.

How do I know if an exam was abuse?

Sexual behavior between a doctor and a patient is never diagnostic or therapeutic, according to the FSMB.1 Warning signs include an intimate exam with no explanation, touching beyond what the exam needed, sexual comments, or being seen alone when a chaperone was expected. If something felt wrong, it is reasonable to ask a lawyer to look at it.

Does it matter if the provider was a nurse, chiropractor or therapist rather than a doctor?

No. Many licensed professionals have their own boards and ethics rules. The questions in a civil claim, such as who employed the provider and what they knew, are similar.

Do I need a police report or a criminal conviction?

No. A civil claim is separate from a criminal case. A police report or conviction can help, but many claims go forward without one.

Should I file a complaint with the medical board?

That is your choice. A board complaint may lead to action against the provider’s license, but boards do not award money. Some patients file a board complaint and a civil claim. A lawyer can talk with you about timing.

Can the hospital or practice be responsible?

Sometimes. It depends on the facts and the state’s law, including how the provider was hired and supervised, whether there were earlier complaints, and whether policies like chaperone rules were followed. Responsibility for an organization is never assumed.

It happened many years ago. Is it too late?

Not necessarily. Deadlines vary by state, by your age at the time, and by the type of defendant. Some states have extended deadlines or revived older claims. A lawyer can check the rules that apply to you.

Will my name become public?

Depending on the court and the state, it may be possible to ask to proceed under a pseudonym. The judge decides, so no one can promise it, but it is something we discuss at the start.

What does it cost to talk to you?

Nothing. The review is free and confidential, and contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. If we take your case, there are no attorney’s fees unless we recover for you.

Tell Us Your Story

You trusted a medical professional with your care. If that trust was broken, you deserve to be heard.

You can tell us as much or as little as you want. There is no cost, and asking does not commit you to anything.

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This page is general information, not legal advice, and reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Allegations described anywhere on this site are allegations unless a court or agency has found otherwise. No outcome can be promised. Laws and deadlines vary by state.