A Florida jury found a teenager guilty Thursday of impersonating a physician assistant and practicing medicine without a license.
Matthew Scheidt spent some two weeks posing as a professional at the Osceola Regional Medical Center in August 2011. He was just 17 at the time.
Scheidt told investigators he went to the hospital last year to get a badge for his job as a clerk at a doctor's office across the street. But he said someone botched the paperwork.
He was charged with two counts of impersonating a physician assistant and three counts of practicing medicine without a license. He was found guilty on four of the five counts, excluding one count of practicing medicine without a license.
Scheidt is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14. Each count carries a maximum of five years in prison.
According to prosecutors, Scheidt worked in the hospital's emergency room, changing bandages and helping to conduct exams. He sported a lab coat, scrubs and a stethoscope, in addition to the badge that identified him as a physician assistant.
He held the hand of a child who was getting sutures and helped to restrain an unruly psychiatric patient, trial testimony showed.
After his arrest, Scheidt admitted to performing CPR on a patient suffering from a drug overdose, authorities told CNN affiliate WFTV.
"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," he told investigators at the time, according to the television station.
During his interrogation, Scheidt confessed and admitted he had made mistakes, according to WFTV.
"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.
Scheidt pleaded not guilty to the charges and had sought to get his confession thrown out of court. The defense argued that Scheidt presented himself as a student, not a physician assistant, and that whatever contact he had with patients was minimal and meant simply to provide comfort.
He was arrested in September 2011 and allowed to bond out.
But in January, Scheidt was back in police custody.
The charge: impersonating a police officer.
CNN's Lateef Mungin and In Session's Aletse Mellado contributed to this report.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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There was also a TV show called "The Pretender".
He didn't care about practicing medicine. He just wanted some of that $7 billion in medicaid fraud as it was diverted to 0bamacare. There's a good living to be made in socialized medicine.
What about quackydoodle homeopathic and faith healer types? Sadly people pay these phonies for nothing... Maybe the kid should be sent to medical school if he is truly interested in helping people that are sick... find a blessing in the curse... BaL ShemTov... Shalom
Reblogged this on Words of a B Student.
Lol And your point is what. Cracks me up every time I see it. I'm thinking you work for CNN now that I think about it. Drum up support and get folks involved on CNN blogs. What other reason would you post the same thing ver batum over and over...???
With all due respect, Jay jay, while you don't post things verbatim, you tend to post the same things over and over...and that's your right, just as it is Jeff Frank's to post what he wants to.
Dangit! I'm under moderation. Lol. I know I'm a flippin blow hard sometimes, well most of the time. I'm just passionate about the direction we are heading in our country. Anywho, you guys cool off this week banz? My bud in Iowa said it was still in the nineties last week! That's crazy...
banz. Anyone that says some stupid stuff about about me I'll call em out every time. And since he was replying to my original post about Clint Eastwood it was very appropriate...
Jeff wan's replying to your original post.
You were replying about his list.
You and Jeff share the same ideology; pretty much indicative by the (R-Ohio) behind his name...
And yes, it finally cooled down a bit here, thankfully.
While you're here, I don't know if you saw my post concerning your daughter, but may she kick butt in her upcoming matches; I'm pulling for her!
Keep me posted, yes?
I saw your earlier post. She's a fighter. Will keep u posted
. Thx!
Promises to be an interesting year for your young lady!
I thinks what she's doing is Cool. As. Heck.
Wtg, Dad!