A 39-year-old man with no medical training was arrested and charged with identity theft and practicing without a license after posing as a nurse practitioner at a medical clinic in San Francisco.
According to NBC Bay Area news, Chad Brian Litz pretended to be an NP for four months at the San Francisco City Impact Health & Wellness Center, a free medical and dental clinic that accepts nonmedical and medical volunteers.
Mr. Litz volunteered at the clinic, where he treated at least 28 patients and prescribed medications, including controlled substances. To get the volunteer position, he presented a forged certificate from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, as well as other faked documents.
According to the clinic's website, medical volunteers must submit an online form, go in for a "brief" interview and go through a "brief" orientation before starting.
In a statement to NBC Bay Area news, the clinic's executive director, Christian Huang, said Mr. Litz volunteered during a time when the clinic's patient volume was low. "Our clinic's scope of practice was very limited at the time because of its infancy," the statement reads.
Mr. Litz was arrested March 10 and arraigned Thursday. He pleaded not guilty and his bail was set at $65,000.
City Impact did not immediately return a Becker's request for comment.