Criminals in Med School

[Anxious Patient]

A Quandary in Sweden

In contrast with the United States, Swedish laws and customs are sympathetic to released offenders, saying that once they have served their time they should be treated like ordinary citizens. The case of a Nazi sympathizer, 33-year-old student, Karl Helge Hampus Svensson, who entered a famed Swedish medical school in 2007, seven years after being convicted of a hate murder, throws a rarely discussed question into sharp focus: Should a murderer ever be allowed to practice medicine?

(Some students feel that) Mr. Svensson should be allowed to become a doctor. "Who is to say that he might not become a great doctor, even if it in some ways would feel wrong or awkward to have a murderer for a colleague?" he asked. "It is not fair to have preconceptions about his character."

...in many societies, including the United States, criminals who pursue an education during or after their prison sentence are often admired for their determination to turn their lives around. A killer turned healer might seem to be a shining example of prison rehabilitation, but...

How many doctors and nurses would feel comfortable on the same team as a murderer, particularly a perpetrator of a hate crime against one's own group?

or

How many patients would go to a hospital where a doctor was a convicted murderer?

The answer to the last question is obvious. So, I'll bet dollars to donuts that if a convicted murderer, rapist or whatever would ever be allowed to practice in the U.S., the patient would never be able to make an informed choice because all that negative information would be kept secret. Just like patients today are kept in the dark if their surgeon or anesthesiologist is currently in drug rehab.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/health/24docs.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

[jujube]

In the U.S., due to stringent physician licensing requirement, a "convicted murderer, rapist.." would never be able to obtain a state license, let alone obtain admission into a U.S. medical school. The screening process is very thorough. For example, when one applies to medical schools, each school will conduct a criminal background check so it would be futile to lie about having a felony, misdemeanor on the applications. And if you lie about this, the medical school will rescind your acceptance to med school and you will be black-balled from every U.S. med school. I know someone who did this.

So, the chances of a U.S. educated physician hiding a criminal past (i.e. murdering someone) would be almost nil. Now, if a physician chooses to hide a drinking problem, drug problem (i.e. lying by omission on the physician licensing board application ), that is a different issue. I am not condoning this, by the way. But yes, it is possible for physician with a substance abuse problem to be practicing on your team. It has happened.

[Busybusybee123]

If the convicted murderer was allowed to practice, then the patient would be kept in the dark. However, in NYS, it's very difficult to get licensure in any profession if you've been convicted of a crime. Also, most institutions will run a criminal background check before hiring someone. What hospital would want that kind of a liability? So even if a convicted murderer gets a medical education, hopefully, the licensing and hiring systems will keep him from actually practicing. Don't get sick in Sweden.

[Transplant Nurse, BSN, RN]

Sheesh! In Indiana your professional license gets put on probationary status for a DUI or public intox charge. Okay maybe the Swedes are a bit liberal, but I believe our rules are a bit overboard. I've seen nurses who cannot get hired for a nursing job after probationary status is over, or they can only get a LTC/nursing home assignment. We wonder why there is a shortage.

[kayty2339]

While I don't agree with allowing convicted murderers or rapists to be doctors, nurses, or in any other profession where somebodies life is on the line or dealing with children. I think our rules here in America are way too strict. It's getting to the point where any crime committed no matter how small or how long ago it was, will keep you from getting a good job. I know so many people who made mistakes when they were young and got caught up in things they shouldn't have. But they are good people who learned from their mistakes and will have to suffer the consequences of their actions for the rest of their lives. They would never have the opportunity to become a nurse or a doctor or a teacher. I just think some crimes are so bad that of course they shouldn't be in certain positions, but so many crimes (like drugs or DUI or a fight you got into when you were 18 and stupid) should be forgiven after a certain amount of time.