State action revokes medical license of primary care physician in Stanislaus County
The California Medical Board is revoking the license of a rural doctor in Stanislaus County after years of investigations.
The July 1 board decision against Dr. Mark Cook of Oakdale is effective July 31. The family practice physician has been ordered to pay $135,076 to reimburse the state for costs of investigation and prosecution.
The state board took action to revoke Cook’s medical license in 2024 over allegations of sexual misconduct, gross negligence and dishonest acts. But the board stayed the revocation and placed the doctor on 10 years of probation, subject to conditions.
According to the medical board, Cook continued to see patients during a license suspension period in 2024 and violated other terms of the probation order.
Cook also did not comply with conditions requiring board-approved practice monitoring and a chaperone while the doctor examined female patients. The violation of the suspension period prompted medical board staff to issue a “cease practice” order barring Cook from practicing between June 23 and Nov. 19, 2024. The doctor didn’t obey that order, the state said.
The board found that Cook practiced medicine at least three times while his license was suspended:. He asked a pharmacist by phone to increase a methadone prescription for a patient, signed a lab order and provided another doctor with tramadol, which is an opioid pain reliever.
Employees told investigators that Cook routinely saw patients during the suspension period. The July 1 board decision concluded: “The only appropriate remedy is to set aside the stay order and revoke respondent’s license. Despite being on (10 years) probation and being subject to an actual suspension and a cease practice order, respondent continued to practice medicine in multiple contexts.”
The original board accusation alleged that between 2015 and 2017, Cook provided grossly negligent medical treatment to his then- wife and stepdaughter. Oakdale police investigated a complaint of sexual exploitation of the minor-age stepdaughter, but the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute, citing inability to prove the criminal allegation beyond reasonable doubt.
The medical board also accused the doctor of repeated negligence with other patients, failure to maintain adequate records, and storage of COVID-19 vaccine in a negligent manner.
After Cook was accused of violating terms of his suspension and the cease practice order last year, an administrative law judge heard testimony during hearing dates in December 2025 and early April.
Cook was reached by phone Monday. When asked if he will comply with the medical board decision revoking his license, effective July 31, Cook said, “I have always complied with all medical board decisions, but we will have to wait and see.”
According to the medical board website, practicing medicine without a license in California is a public offense, which is punishable by a fine up to $10,000 and possible sentence of a year in jail or more.
This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 6:31 PM with the headline "State action revokes medical license of primary care physician in Stanislaus County."
