Florida Teen Posed as ER P.A., Treated Patients: Cops

[Renew Deal]

Doogie Howser, he was not: a Florida teen masquerading as a physician's assistant was arrested Friday after treating emergency room patients at Osceola Regional Medical Center, reports NBC affiliate WESH.

Kissimmee police say Matthew Scheidt, 17, even performed CPR on a patient in cardiac arrest since obtaining a hospital ID badge on August 24.

The teen claimed to be a 23-year-old physician's assistant in a program at Nova Southeastern University, according to the Orlando Sentinel, and applied for a hospital ID badge under the pretense that he worked as a P.A. for a surgical group that had just changed its name.
<snip>

While at the hospital, Scheidt also interviewed an undisclosed number of patients, read confidential medical records, conducted physical exams on disrobed male patients, cleaned and dressed wounds, and restrained one combative patient, authorities said.
<snip>

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/Florida-Teen-Posed-as-ER-PA-Treated-Patients-129222843.html

[saras]

1. There's a long "tradition" of this - some are good enough to get away with it for decades.

And they're not quack doctors - they're something else entirely. Often they are actually skilled enough to perform the job they're pretending to be qualified for. As this hospital notes, probably quite accurately, the patients received appropriate care, and it was logged properly. Why they won't just go to school and get licensed - who knows? That's the kind of psychology we don't bother to study.

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro...

(edit - typo in subject line)

[izquierdista]

2. When the insurance companies find out he works cheap....

they'll cut their payments to doctors with those fancy pieces of paper on their walls.

[LiberalFighter]

6. If the insurance companies really want doctors to be paid less

they should demand that there be more openings for medical school. And allow more foreigners to attend medical school in the USA.

[lpbk2713]

3. We also had a chimp who pretended to be Prez for eight years.

He got away with it too.

[Scuba]

4. "Charter" hospital. n/t

[PADemD]

5. He has a long way to go to best this man

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTN2WTNkkNNI_zhnjoWpCgGVj0NQYPHV6qwDcQX6FGvkYo2sn6HoQ

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Waldo_Demara

[MrScorpio]

7. Catch me if you can, Baby nt