medical marijuana repercussions?

[pelical]

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So I'm planning to get a recommendation for medical marijuana from a local physician. However, I'm wondering if that paper trail will have any negative effects on me in a few years when looking for residencies or obtaining my license. Will this go in my medical record? Do I have to send a copy to every doctor I see or can I just pretend I never had that appointment? Insurance is not involved.

The funny thing is that I can easily get some weed illegally from other sources with pretty much no chance of getting caught (this is Berkeley after all). However, I want to do it more or less legitimately and here is where the problems start.

Oh and I've been around SDN long enough to want to mention that I'm not concerned about the safety of my future patients with regards to this, and I'm sure they'll be fine.

Any experiences or advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[8744]

You see. That shows you the sophistication of the typical SDN poster. Nobody is taking the bait. I personally wouldn't touch this post (except for this comment) with a twenty foot blunt.

Now watch some novice, still in love with the internet and typing furiously on the first computer that he doesn't have to share with his parents and his dopey sister, come along and share with us his poorly formed, fresh from the cortex solution to the problem of, like, everything and stuff.

 

[pelical]

Well sadly I'm not a troll. I have a couple hundred posts on my real account, and I'm sure you can understand why I'm not using it right now. Perhaps if I asked my questions in different terms then it would be easier to answer.

1) How does your medical file travel with you? Is it like AMCAS where you have to include transcripts from all colleges you attended? Or can you selectively choose what to include? Sad analogy I know, but I think you understand what I mean.

2) What do states look at when determining certification? Do they take your medical history into account?

There, those are the questions I hope can be answered. Feel free to ignore my first post. I really don't want to start a stupid argument. I won't be starting medical school until August, so if the above two questions show complete ignorance about how the medical system works, then that's why. I'm trying to be a good poster, I promise. 😉

 

[NinerNiner999]

If you get sued once, just one time, any lawyer worth anything in gold will find your "paper trail" and you will be banished as a high doctor, meaning your license will go away - forever. If you want to smoke weed, medicine is not for you.

Moderators - please close this thread.

 

[trkd]

You see. That shows you the sophistication of the typical SDN poster. Nobody is taking the bait. I personally wouldn't touch this post (except for this comment) with a twenty foot blunt.

Now watch some novice, still in love with the internet and typing furiously on the first computer that he doesn't have to share with his parents and his dopey sister, come along and share with us his poorly formed, fresh from the cortex solution to the problem of, like, everything and stuff.

Well, I see the point of the question AND the reason he/she would go about asking in a very troll type of way. I would probably be thinking the same way if I was about to ask for medical weed.

I wish I could help my friend. No clue though. I would imagine that it wouldn't follow you. I certainly don't expect to deliver my medical records to my residency program-to-be. That would be pretty lame. None of their business. Just my opinion though.

 

[SoCuteMD]

Well, I see the point of the question AND the reason he/she would go about asking in a very troll type of way. I would probably be thinking the same way if I was about to ask for medical weed.

I wish I could help my friend. No clue though. I would imagine that it wouldn't follow you. I certainly don't expect to deliver my medical records to my residency program-to-be. That would be pretty lame. None of their business. Just my opinion though.

Then you might be in for a bit of a nasty surprise. I believe they require at least some records.

Plus, like someone else said - all it will take is one malpractice school and a lawyer worth his weight in peanuts and it will be unearthed.

 

[wook]

If you get sued once, just one time, any lawyer worth anything in gold will find your "paper trail" and you will be banished as a high doctor, meaning your license will go away - forever. If you want to smoke weed, medicine is not for you.

Moderators - please close this thread.

Agreed, if you are sued, you will have private invetigators looking at ALL aspects of your life. So, I doubt you will have much luck hiding.


Wook

 

[docB]

As I see it these are your issues as a physician who uses medical pot (aside from the patient care aspect which you said doesn’t bother you):

Will this info come to light?
Maybe. My residency did not require medical records. Some do. Others require a physical and/or a drug test. If any of your friends know and someone talks and the info gets back to someone in authority in your med school or residency there will be some very pointed questions asked. One of the main questions will be what having a known drug user on the institutional insurance means. It won’t mean anything good. If you get named in a suit it is much more likely to come out and in a negative way. As for licensure and hospital privileging you have to answer and sign forms about drug use and impairments. If you fudge this (answer “no”) and your drug use eventually comes to light it will give the hospitals the ability to wash their hands of you which is what they will want to do. The licensing boards would consider this an impairment and put you into their physician rehab program. They would not knowingly allow you to continue using and hold an unrestricted license.

What would happen?
Med schools and residencies would likely suspend you until you have completed a rehab program that attests you are clean. If you were to relapse you would be terminated. Later on, as mentioned, hospitals would dump you. Licensing boards would put you in their rehab programs.

Your problem is that a physician who uses pot gives at least the appearance of impairment and the people who will pay the bills for that (insurers) or who make a living by maintaining no appearance of impropriety (or at least trying not to, hospitals, med boards) won’t buy into it.