Professional Conduct report – August 2022

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Dr. Aasim Malik suspended after admitting to unprofessional conduct

Family physician Dr. Aasim Malik was suspended from medical practice by a CPSA Hearing Tribunal, after admitting to charges of unprofessional conduct.

Background

Dr. Malik was accused of using inappropriate sexual language in conversations with four female healthcare professionals he worked with and disclosing personal, sexual details about himself. He was also accused of hugging two colleagues without their consent and providing an antibiotic prescription for one colleague’s child, without assessing the child or creating a medical record for the care provided.

Dr. Malik admitted to the allegations and the Hearing Tribunal accepted a joint submission on sanction, which includes the following:

• Malik’s practice permit is suspended for six months.
• The conditions currently on Dr. Malik’s practice permit will remain in place for six months after Dr. Malik completes his suspension. If there are no complaints to CPSA in that time similar to the charges levied in this case, Dr. Malik may request the conditions be lifted.
• Malik must submit a letter to the Hearing Tribunal outlining his understanding of his conduct and how it affected the complainants (who will also receive a copy of the letter).
• Malik is responsible for two-thirds of the costs of the hearing and investigation (final amount to be determined).

As the complainants in the boundary aspects of this case were not patients, Dr. Malik’s actions do not meet the definition of sexual misconduct under Alberta’s Health Professions Act. The Tribunal’s decision can be viewed in full on CPSA’s website.

Learnings

Everyone has a right to feel safe in the workplace and should never have to worry about sexual harassment or inappropriate behaviour, especially from someone in a leadership position.

Maintaining appropriate boundaries in all aspects of medical practice is a vital part of upholding the integrity of the medical profession. While respectful physician-patient relationships are key, the Code of Ethics & Professionalism also emphasizes the importance of treating all colleagues with respect and dignity. Regulated members should also be familiar with the expectations outlined in the Duty to Report Self and Duty to Report a Colleague standards of practice. It is a physician’s responsibility to report unprofessional behaviour, whether it is a colleague’s conduct or their own, so CPSA can take any necessary steps as part of our commitment to patient safety.