Disciplinary Actions
Disclaimer
The Physician Assistant Board (Board) provides information regarding administrative disciplinary actions for immediate access and the convenience of interested persons. While the Board believes the information to be reliable, human or mechanical error remains a possibility, as does delay in the posting or updating of information. Therefore, the Board makes no guarantee as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, currency, or correct sequencing of the information. The Board shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the use or results obtained from the use of this information.
To obtain a copy of the disciplinary documents or to determine if a physician assistant has any action taken against their license, please use the DCA License Search tool.
If the disciplinary documents are not available, please submit a request by email: paboard@dca.ca.gov, fax: (916) 263-2671, or phone: (916) 561-8780.
Non-disciplinary Administrative Action
Citation Order – Administrative action, usually including a fine and/or an order of abatement, for violations of the laws and regulations enforced by the Board addressing relatively minor violations that would not necessarily warrant discipline in order to protect the public. Citation Orders are not disciplinary action but are matters of public record for five years.
Citation Issued – Fine and/or Order of Abatement issued to address relatively minor violations.
Citation Resolved – Fine levied paid in full and/or Order of Abatement fulfilled, representing satisfactory resolution of the matter for purposes of public disclosure.
Administrative Disciplinary Action
Accusation – Legal document formally charging a licensee with a violation(s) of the Practice Act, and notifying the public that a disciplinary action is pending against that licensee.
Amended Accusation – Additional information or amendments have been made to a previously filed accusation.
Cease Practice Order – The Board has ordered the licensee not to practice as a physician assistant as the result of a violation of probation.
Default Decision – Decision based on the licensee's failure to respond to formal charges after it has been served, or failure to appear at an Administrative Hearing. All charges are deemed true. The decision results in the revocation of the license.
Disciplinary Order – Order for discipline adopted by the Board.
Effective Date of Decision – The date the disciplinary decision goes into operation.
Interim Suspension Order (ISO) – Order issued by an Administrative Law Judge suspending a licensee from all or part of his or her physician assistant practice.
PC 23 – Under California Penal Code Section 23, during a criminal proceeding, a judge may order that a licensee be suspended from practice or may place restrictions on how the licensee may practice.
Petition to Revoke Probation – Legal document filing charges to revoke a licensee's probation for a violation(s) of the terms and conditions of his or her probation.
Probation – Allows the licensee to practice as a physician assistant under terms and conditions for a set period of time.
Probation Term Completed – Licensee successfully completed the probationary period.
Proposed Decision – Decision rendered by an Administrative Law Judge through an Administrative Hearing. A proposed decision must be adopted by the Board before it can go into effect.
Public Reproval – Licensee is issued a public reproval resulting from a settlement of an accusation pursuant to Business and Professions Code Section 495.
Revoked – License is rescinded for a minimum of three years and the individual is prohibited from practicing as a physician assistant in California. Reinstatement of the license may be granted only after the individual petitions the Board and provides clear and convincing proof of rehabilitation during a formal hearing.
Revoked, Stayed, Probation – Stayed means the revocation is postponed. Professional practice may continue so long as the licensee complies with specified terms and conditions of probation.
Statement of Issues – Legal document formally charging an applicant for initial licensure with a violation(s) of the Practice Act, and notifying the public that a disciplinary action is pending against the applicant.
Stipulated Settlement – Settlement agreed by the parties in lieu of a formal hearing to resolve the accusation and impose discipline.
Stipulated Surrender – The Board agrees to allow the licensee to surrender the license as a resolution to a disciplinary matter. The individual can no longer practice as a physician assistant in California
Suspension – Licensee is ordered not to practice as a physician assistant for a set or indefinite period of time. Suspensions may be imposed in disciplinary actions, prior to a probation term, or may be imposed as the result of a violation of probation.
Writ of Mandate – Licensee has appealed the Board's Decision to the Superior Court.