Sexual allegations against California doctors up sharply

A newspaper investigation finds the number of complaints against California physicians for sexual misconduct has risen 62% since fall of 2017 — a jump that coincides with the beginning of the #MeToo movement.

A Los Angeles Times analysis of California medical board data reveals complaints of sexual misconduct, though small in number, are among the fastest growing type of allegation.

During the fiscal year that ended in June, the board got 11,406 complaints against physicians and surgeons, the most it has ever received.

In fiscal year 2017-18, 280 complaints were filed against physicians for sexual misconduct, compared with 173 the previous year. In the 2018-19 fiscal year, there were 279.

The Times story comes from public records requests to the board, which doesn’t typically publicize sexual misconduct numbers.