The distilled version from reading the many, many, many articles is that he likely had a serious combination of psychiatric illness superimposed on severe substance abuse.
Some highlights:
-Was allegedly suspended during residency after an OR nurse recognized him from da club the night before, where he'd been using cocaine. He was about to scrub a pediatric neuro case while still under the influence. Was suspended and went through a substance abuse program before being reinstated and allowed to finish residency. Was, according to the various news articles, otherwise considered a fine resident.
-Substance abuse went off the rails in practice. One of his very first cases he operated, walked out of the hospital, and flew to Vegas on a multi-day bender, leaving behind a patient in the hospital with no covering physician or plan for transition of care.
-Psych issues began worsening, surrounding some very messy relationship/paternity issues. (See the "cold-blooded killer" letter)
-Hopped from hospital to hospital while the TMB lagged behind. Major systems issues in terms of inadequate hospital reporting of adverse events and a board that was slow to act.
-Continued substance abuse issues. The friend of his who was paralyzed was doing drugs with him a day or two before his operation.
-Surgical skills were deemed so bad that a doctor in the state literally called up his medical school asking for a photo of him as a student, thinking it may be an imposter impersonating a doctor.
-Finally got his license tossed, fled the state. Was in a major manic swing, founding research companies. Literally was chasing reporters around in comments sections posting manic diatribes in response to these stories coming out!!
-Arrested in a Walmart for stealing clothes!!
-Finally justice system caught up. The life sentence is a sad but necessary end to this crazy story.
