I think this is the first time I’ve given an award to someone I know in real-life, for being in the news.
Today’s winner is Mark Schreiber. He gets the award for the following–
WEST PALM BEACH — Former Boynton Beach plastic surgeon Mark Schreiber – in and out of trouble with medical licensing authorities for years – pleaded guilty Tuesday to four felony charges of practicing medicine without a license in exchange for a sentence of two years in prison plus a year of probation.
Schreiber also paid $15,000 each to four women who say he botched their lip, eye and breast procedures. Schreiber, 53, is now a four-time convicted felon never able to seek or obtain a medical license again, according to the plea deal.
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Chief Assistant State Attorney Alan Johnson, who brokered the plea deal, said the criminal case against Schreiber was compromised by the Department of Professional Regulation repeatedly suspending Schreiber’s license and reinstating it. It was hard to precisely pinpoint the status of his license at the time he treated the women.
Schreiber’s license was first suspended in 1999, a year after one of his patients died following a nine-hour operation performed at his office. In later years, he faced scrutiny again for another patient death and inappropriately touching a patient.
My personal acquaintance with Dr. Schreiber dates back to 1994-1995. That was when the plastic surgeon operated on me about 6-8 times either at his office or a nearby hospital. All the operations being to re-excise skin tissue around malignant melanomas or dysplastic nevi that had been discovered. After I changed insurance plans, I had to find a new surgeon.
Somewhere between 98-99, the wife and I changed insurance plans again, and Leonita saw the doctor herself this time for a odd looking mole on her back. This was removed in office, and was benign. Our personal experiences with the doctor were always good.
Something has changed since. There is no excuse for practicing medicine when your license is suspended. That is what Mark Schreiber did, and for that he is today’s Knucklehead of the Day.
