THE six-month suspension from practice against a general practitioner who embellished his qualifications to give the impression that he was a specialist in cosmetic surgery will take effect from June 1, said the Singapore Medical Council on Friday.
Dr Zubin Firdos Medora, 36, who got his degree from Britain in 1998 and his master's here in 2003, practised at two clinics, the Medora Centre for Aesthetic Medicine at Camden Medical Centre, and Plastic Surgery & Hair Clinic at Delfi Orchard.
On the clinics' website, he weaved in information to create the impression that he was well-trained in the field. He claimed to have won a scholarship to the prestigious Johns Hopkins University in the United States, when all he did there was a four- week undergraduate exchange programme.
He also claimed to have completed a 'one-year fellowship in Cambridge' and 'worked at one of the most renowned cosmetic surgery hospitals in England'. A casual reader would assume it to have been the hallowed Cambridge University, but he was in fact referring to Cambridge Private Hospital, an 11-bed hospital that was liquidated in January.
Dr Medora also claimed that he spent years practising overseas: He 'operated inGermany', 'was based in Los Angeles' and 'worked in Japan and Hong Kong'. The truth: He was in Japan, Hong Kong and Pasadena in California for stints as a clinical assistant. No evidence exists that he had practised elsewhere.
He was convicted by the SMC's Disciplinary Committee after he pleaded guilty to two charges at a disciplinary inquiry held on Feb 23 and 25.
The DC found he had breached the Medical Registration Act and the SMC's ethical code and ethical guidelines.
On the first charge that Medora had falsely assumed the title of specialist and consultant in cosmetic surgery, SMC said the DC took a serious view of this breach as the MRA clearly provides that a medical practitioner must obtain a certificate from the Specialists Accreditation Board ('SAB') certifying that he has completed and obtained the requisite qualifications and training.
The second charge related mainly to misleading statements put up by Medora cn the website of the two clinics (www.cosmeticsurgeon.sg) "which created a false impression that he was a specialist and/or consultant in the practice of plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery," said SMC.
The DC ordered Medora to be suspended from practice for six months after the disciplinary. He then appealed to the Court of three judges against the suspension sentence. At the court hearing on May 20, his appeal was dismissed with cost.
