When someone mentions the phrase “playing doctor” they could be referring to several different things.  First, they could be talking about a couple kids pretending to be a doctor and a patient (please try and keep your mind out of the gutter on this one if you can). Second, maybe they are talking about an actor that plays or portrays a doctor on television.   Or last, they might be referring to someone who has stolen the identity of a real doctor and has decided to practice medicine.  As ridiculous as the last explanation is, that is what happened in Orangeburg, South Carolina last week.

A man stole the identity of his friend (nice friend, huh?) who was a doctor and decided to give this doctor gig a try for himself.  He probably thought that the 8-12 years of post-graduate education that doctors go through wasn’t that important.  According to reports, he opened up shop and for six months, treated over 500 patients.  In fact, he was hired by Agape Senior Primary Care in February of this year. 

Now there are several shocking things about this article.  First, he was able to so easily steal his friend’s identity as a doctor.  Stealing social security # and opening a credit card at Best Buy is one thing, but stealing a doctor’s identity and actually pretending to be a doctor should not be that easy.  Second, he actually treated over 500 patients.  How can you do that and not be discovered?  Did he do a good job?  Were patients happy?  Maybe being a doctor is not as hard as we think it is?  Lastly, he actually applied and got a job at a health clinic to treat patients.  Wouldn’t there have been an interview, wouldn’t they have checked references, and wouldn’t they have done some background research on the guy?  It really makes you wonder.  So the next time you go to a new doctor, keep in the back of your mind…is this really a doctor or is it just his friend playing a doctor…we’re just saying!  Read the original story below.

Original article: Cops: Austell man stole doctor’s identity and practiced medicine in S.C.