Former Merced physician surrenders medical license

A former Merced cardiologist surrendered his medical license earlier this week after facing accusations of gross and repeated medical negligence in connection with a misdiagnosed female patient in 2011, the California Medical Board confirmed Friday.

Raif Tawakol, 75, in October signed a Stipulated Surrender of License and Order, which went into effect this week, agreeing to forgo all his rights as a physician in California.

Cassandra Hockenson, a spokeswoman with the Medical Board, explained that if Tawakol wanted to regain his physician rights in the state he would have to reapply for a medical license. If he were to reapply for new certification, all existing charges and allegations would be taken into consideration, according to Medical Board documents. The allegations against Tawakol would be deemed “true, correct and admitted” in the event he were to reapply for his license in California.

In an email Friday, Tawakol said that after retiring in March, he moved to Houston. Tawakol told the Merced Sun-Star he doesn’t intend to return to California, and thus has no need to maintain his license.

“...I did not wish to renew my medical license, and opted to surrender it through my medical Board Attorney,” Tawakol wrote.

On Dec. 2, 2013, the Medical Board formally accused Tawakol of misdiagnosing a 62-year-old female patient, starting in September 2011. According to the accusation, filed by the California attorney general’s office, Tawakol misdiagnosed the woman with hypothyroidism and prescribed three medications at the same time that “put the patient at risk for severe hypoglycemia, coma, and death.” He also prescribed, without any medical justification, Forteo, a drug used to treat osteoporosis.

The case marked the third time in the past 20 years the state Medical Board found Tawakol culpable of gross medical negligence.

In 1996, Tawakol was placed on probation by the Medical Board for five years after performing “inappropriate” medical procedures amounting to “gross negligence” and failing to keep and properly consult basic medical records, according Medical Board records.

According to the settlement in the 1996 case, Tawakol failed to recognize a blood vessel condition suffered by a 58-year-old man who eventually had his left arm amputated and later died from sepsis. The Medical Board said Tawakol’s failure to recognize and treat the man’s condition “was an extreme departure from the standard of practice ...”

He admitted gross negligence in 2006 and acknowledged making false statements in medical records, as well as repeated acts of negligence and failing to maintain adequate records, according to the 2006 settlement agreement.

Tawakol was again ordered to serve five years on probation.

He first received his Physician’s and Surgeon’s Certificate in 1983, according to Medical Board records.

This story was originally published December 26, 2014 at 9:26 PM with the headline "Former Merced physician surrenders medical license."