Rupa Patel

The College alleged that the registrant committed professional misconduct by engaging in disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct, and conduct unbecoming a physician, through sexual harassment and boundary violations involving two younger female colleagues over whom he held professional and academic power.

The registrant did not contest the allegations.

The Tribunal found professional misconduct and accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, an eight-month suspension, and $6,000 in costs.

The registrant was found to have committed professional misconduct by failing to maintain the standard of practice and engaging in disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct during a prenatal appointment, specifically regarding inappropriate breast and spine examinations without informed consent.

At the penalty hearing, the Tribunal accepted a joint recommendation from the parties.

The registrant was ordered to be reprimanded, his certificate of registration was suspended for four months, and conditions were imposed requiring a practice monitor for all intimate examinations for a minimum of two years.

The registrant was also ordered to pay $26,740 in costs.

The College alleged that the registrant physician sexually abused a female patient and failed to maintain the standard of practice during a prenatal appointment.

The Tribunal found that the registrant's examination of the patient's breasts through her clothing and his persistence in examining her spine despite her objections failed to meet the standard of practice.

The Tribunal also found that the substandard breast exam, performed without adequate consent, constituted disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct.

However, the Tribunal concluded that the College did not prove the allegations of sexual abuse, as the breast touching was not of a sexual nature and the evidence regarding genital touching was insufficiently reliable.