NJ board blasted over minimal discipline for sexual misconduct

Overly lax discipline is letting some New Jersey physicians who have committed various egregious acts of misconduct off scot-free, says a November 1, 2015 investigative report by the Star Adviser.

 Reporters discovered numerous instances of physicians being allowed to continue to practice despite criminal convictions of sexual assault and other improprieties. Physicians have persuaded state officials to not pursue action, cases have been settled quickly and discreetly, and often, the physicians are given a slap on the wrist for alleged criminal conduct.

The case of Surendra Sharma, who was accused of sexual misconduct of a 13-year-old-girl and harassment of a nurse in 1992, was cited as a notable example. New Jersey revoked Sharma’s license, only to reinstate him in 1995 on the condition Sharma had a chaperone when treating female patients. The very next year Sharma allegedly sexually assaulted a 15-year-old patient. No chaperone was present. Sharma’s license was again revoked.

Three years later Sharma’s license was reinstated once more by New Jersey with strict guidelines; Sharma again violated the guidelines and treated female patients without a chaperone. Nonetheless, after this was discovered in 2008, Sharma was still allowed to see patients.

Read the full investigative story here.