Md. Board Pursues Criminal Checks For MD Licensees

BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Maryland Board of Physicians is reversing its opposition to criminal background checks for medical license applicants.

The agenda for Tuesday's meeting in Baltimore includes discussion of a legislative proposal the board is developing to enable it to conduct background checks.

The reversal follows a revelation that Dr. William Dando, a family practitioner licensed in 1996, was convicted and imprisoned for raping a woman at gunpoint in Florida 10 years earlier.

Dando's criminal history came to light after he was charged in May with molesting a patient at a walk-in clinic in Allegany County.

The state board opposed mandatory background checks recommended by the Department of Legislative Services in 2006.

The state medical society, MedChi, testified in favor of criminal background checks for license applicants in the 2013 General Assembly.

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