A Florida teen is now on trial facing charges of impersonating a physician assistant and practicing medicine without a license. 
CNN is calling the Florida teen a real life “Doogie Howser”. Doogie Howser was a 90s comedy-drama starring Neil Patrick Harris as a teenage doctor dealing with the struggles of his career and teenage life.
Just this past week, a Georgia man made national headlines for using someone else’s credentials to obtain employment in South Carolina as doctor.
Clerical Error
The Florida teen, Matthew Scheidt, unlike Doogie, is not a board-certified surgeon. Instead the 18 year old, acquired a medical badge through a clerical error. The teen spent several days posing as a physician assistant and treating patients.
Scheidt told investigators he acquired a physician assistant badge on accident. He states, he went to Osceola Regional Medical Center to pick up the badge for his job as a clerk. He was supposed to be working at a doctor’s office located across the street. When he was receiving his badge, he noticed someone botched his paperwork and gave him a badge with his information on it and the title of physician assistant. At the time, Scheidt was only 17 years old.
Confession
Prosecutors state that Scheidt used his badge to work in the hospital for weeks. While at the hospital, he worked in the emergency room and changed bandages, handled IVs and helped conduct exams. He even at one point administered CPR ton a patient suffering from a drug overdose.
“I felt so uncomfortable even doing that. And, you know, the only reason why I did do it was because there was nobody else in there. And I’m not going to let her die,” Scheidt told investigators regarding the CPR he administered.
Scheidt also told investigators of how he obtained his credentials. “Their error was putting me in apparently as a physician assistant into their computer,” he said. “Let’s even say that I said I was a physician assistant. Let’s even say that I was. Are you that stupid that you are just going to put me in the system as that, without any credentials or any paperwork or nothing?” Scheidt stated.
During the interrogation, Scheidt confessed and admitted he made mistakes stating, “I messed up. I should have addressed the issue when it was given to me. I just didn’t want any questions asked, like I just wanted to learn as much as I possibly could,” he said.
The Trial
Scheidt is now facing two counts of impersonating a physician’s assistant and four counts of practicing medicine without a license. Opening statements are to start Tuesday, August 28 in a Florida courtroom. Osceola County Circuit Court Judge Jon Morgan expects the trial to last three days.
In court, Scheidt issued a plea of not guilty and sought to get his confession thrown out.
The charges stem from his September 2011. Following the arrest, he left jail after posting bond. Scheidt landed back in jail in January on, of all things, charges of impersonating a police officer.
South Carolina Professional Licensing Defense Lawyer
If you find yourself under investigation by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, you need to contact a South Carolina professional licensing defense lawyer. The South Carolina professional licensing defense lawyer at the Strom Law Firm will assist you during and after the investigation. We will fight to clear your name and restore your license. Call the Strom Law Firm today to see how we can help you. We offer free confidential consultations. 803.252.4800
