Dr. Paul Gosselin of Waterville has had his license suspended for up to 450 days by a state medical board for practicing medicine after ingesting drugs and prescribing medicines for himself in “circumstances that did not warrant self-treatment.”

The state Board of Osteopathic Licensure imposed the sanction after finding Gosselin had violated board rules.

Gosselin has 1,400 patients at his osteopathic practice.

His attorney, Eric Mehnert of Bangor, said Wednesday that the board’s July 17 decision has been appealed to Kennebec County Superior Court, noting that the assistant attorney general representing the state in the decision also is counsel to the Board of Osteopathic Licensure.

Gosselin had been before the board on disciplinary matters twice before, state records show.

In 2002, he admitted that he had demonstrated unprofessional conduct by calling pharmacies, pretending to be his own physician’s assistant and ordering prescription drugs. He also responded to an emergency call when not on call and after consuming alcoholic beverages in October 1999, which was three months after he first was licensed to practice in Maine.

He received another warning in June 2011, when he was ordered to take a course in professional boundaries and undergo a psychological examination after allegations of unprofessional conduct for treating a family member and of sexual misconduct with a patient.

In July 2012, the board ruled that Gosselin had complied with the sanctions in that case and issued a final order that it was satisfied that he “does not pose a threat of harm to the public.”

Nine months later, Gosselin was charged with operating under the influence of drugs after a traffic accident in Fairfield. He ultimately agreed to a deferred disposition in which he participated in a substance abuse program and had the charge reduced to driving to endanger. Gosselin said he had experienced medical problems at the time of the accident.

In the most recent case, the board’s order that Gosselin’s license be suspended 450 days can be reduced to a 90-day term followed by five years’ probation provided that Gosselin undergoes substance abuse and mental health evaluations, and submits a plan to respond to the results of the assessment.

Amy Calder can be contacted at 861-9247 or at:

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17

Copy the Story Link