Man posing as doctor in hospitals arrested

While kids across Israel celebrated Purim by dressing up and wearing costumes, one man didn’t wait for the Jewish holiday to strut his holiday best.

An unnamed 28-year-old man from the Arab Galilee village of Bu’eine Nujeidat was arrested Thursday on suspicion of spending four months “in costume” posing as a doctor in two major Haifa hospitals.

The man spent his time alternating between Haifa’s Rambam and Carmel hospitals wearing full medical attire, and when asked, he would either identify himself as either a pediatrician or a medical student.

He allegedly frequented the hospitals at night as well, and even stayed to sleep in a wing reserved for medical staff.

The fake doctor’s luck ran out when he was detected by a hospital staff member who recognized him as somebody who studied medicine in the past.

According to the staff member, the suspect posted images of himself wearing medical uniforms on his Facebook profile.

He was apprehended by police Thursday and brought in for questioning, where he admitted there was more to his white jacket and stethoscope than meets the eye.

The suspect asserted that he studied medicine in Italy but failed his final exams. He claimed that he wanted to become a doctor and would hang around the hospital wards to learn the trade.

Officials at both hospitals emphasized that the suspect did not treat patients, administer tests or distribute medication.

Rafael Beyar, director of Rambam hospital, told reporters that if the allegations are proved true, then the offense is extremely serious.

“We always require the crew to wear tags and keep an eye out because a hospital is a public place. I do not recall a similar case in our hospital of somebody posing as a doctor who could have endangered patients,” Beyar told Channel 2.

Police are expected to request an extension for the man’s administrative detention.

A spokesperson for the Rambam hospital said that management will conduct an inquiry into the allegations.