Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 54.1-2915 (2026)

Unprofessional conduct; grounds for refusal or disciplinary action

✓ current as of May 2026

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A. The Board may refuse to issue a certificate or license to any applicant; reprimand any person; place any person on probation for such time as it may designate; impose a monetary penalty or terms as it may designate on any person; suspend any license for a stated period of time or indefinitely; or revoke any license for any of the following acts of unprofessional conduct:

1. False statements or representations or fraud or deceit in obtaining admission to the practice, or fraud or deceit in the practice of any branch of the healing arts;

2. Substance abuse rendering him unfit for the performance of his professional obligations and duties;

3. Intentional or negligent conduct in the practice of any branch of the healing arts that causes or is likely to cause injury to a patient or patients;

4. Mental or physical incapacity or incompetence to practice his profession with safety to his patients and the public;

5. Restriction of a license to practice a branch of the healing arts in another state, the District of Columbia, a United States possession or territory, or a foreign jurisdiction, or for an entity of the federal government;

6. Undertaking in any manner or by any means whatsoever to procure or perform or aid or abet in procuring or performing a criminal abortion;

7. Engaging in the practice of any of the healing arts under a false or assumed name, or impersonating another practitioner of a like, similar, or different name;

8. Prescribing or dispensing any controlled substance with intent or knowledge that it will be used otherwise than medicinally, or for accepted therapeutic purposes, or with intent to evade any law with respect to the sale, use, or disposition of such drug;

9. Violating provisions of this chapter on division of fees or practicing any branch of the healing arts in violation of the provisions of this chapter;

10. Knowingly and willfully committing an act that is a felony under the laws of the Commonwealth or the United States, or any act that is a misdemeanor under such laws and involves moral turpitude;

11. Aiding or abetting, having professional connection with, or lending his name to any person known to him to be practicing illegally any of the healing arts;

12. Conducting his practice in a manner contrary to the standards of ethics of his branch of the healing arts;

13. Conducting his practice in such a manner as to be a danger to the health and welfare of his patients or to the public;

14. Inability to practice with reasonable skill or safety because of illness or substance abuse;

15. Publishing in any manner an advertisement relating to his professional practice that contains a claim of superiority or violates Board regulations governing advertising;

16. Performing any act likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public;

17. Violating any provision of statute or regulation, state or federal, relating to the manufacture, distribution, dispensing, or administration of drugs;

18. Violating or cooperating with others in violating any of the provisions of Chapters 1 (§ 54.1-100 et seq.), 24 (§ 54.1-2400 et seq.) and this chapter or regulations of the Board;

19. Engaging in sexual contact with a patient concurrent with and by virtue of the practitioner and patient relationship or otherwise engaging at any time during the course of the practitioner and patient relationship in conduct of a sexual nature that a reasonable patient would consider lewd and offensive;

20. Conviction in any state, territory, or country of any felony or of any crime involving moral turpitude;

21. Adjudication of legal incompetence or incapacity in any state if such adjudication is in effect and the person has not been declared restored to competence or capacity;

22. Performing the services of a medical examiner as defined in 49 C.F.R. § 390.5 if, at the time such services are performed, the person performing such services is not listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners as provided in 49 C.F.R. § 390.109 or fails to meet the requirements for continuing to be listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners as provided in 49 C.F.R. § 390.111;

23. Failing or refusing to complete and file electronically using the Electronic Death Registration System any medical certification in accordance with the requirements of subsection C of § 32.1-263. However, failure to complete and file a medical certification electronically using the Electronic Death Registration System in accordance with the requirements of subsection C of § 32.1-263 shall not constitute unprofessional conduct if such failure was the result of a temporary technological or electrical failure or other temporary extenuating circumstance that prevented the electronic completion and filing of the medical certification using the Electronic Death Registration System; or

24. Engaging in a pattern of violations of § 38.2-3445.01.

B. The commission or conviction of an offense in another state, territory, or country, which if committed in Virginia would be a felony, shall be treated as a felony conviction or commission under this section regardless of its designation in the other state, territory, or country.

C. The Board shall refuse to issue a certificate or license to any applicant if the candidate or applicant has had his certificate or license to practice a branch of the healing arts revoked or suspended, and has not had his certificate or license to so practice reinstated, in another state, the District of Columbia, a United States possession or territory, or a foreign jurisdiction.

Code 1950, §§ 54-316, 54-317; 1954, c. 627; 1958, cc. 161, 461; 1966, cc. 166, 657; 1968, c. 582; 1970, c. 69; 1973, c. 529; 1975, c. 508; 1978, c. 622; 1979, c. 727; 1980, c. 157; 1985, c. 96; 1986, cc. 86, 434; 1988, c. 765; 1993, c. 991; 1997, c. 801; 2003, cc. 753, 762; 2004, c. 64; 2005, c. 163; 2013, c. 144; 2017, c. 171; 2019, cc. 213, 224; 2020, cc. 1080, 1081.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1990–2025 · leading case: VA Bd. of Med. & VA Dep't of Health Professions v. Leila Hadad Zackrison, M.D., 796 S.E.2d 866 (Va. Ct. App. 2017).

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VA Bd. of Med. & VA Dep't of Health Professions v. Leila Hadad Zackrison, M.D., 796 S.E.2d 866 (Va. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 10× “” Code § 54.1-2915. “[Ujnprofessional conduct” includes the “intentional or negligent conduct in the practice of any branch of the healing arts that causes or is likely to cause injury to a patient,” Code § 54.”

Goad v. Virginia Bd. of Med., 580 S.E.2d 494 (Va. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 12× “1-2914(A)(13) 2 and imposing sanctions under Code § 54.1-2915(A)(3). On appeal, Goad contends the circuit court erred in affirming the Board’s order because (1) the evidence presented by the Commonwealth was insufficient to support the conclusion that Goad was guilty of…”

Humenansky v. Minnesota Bd. of Med. Examiners, 525 N.W.2d 559 (Minn. Ct. App. 1994). “26, § 1353(a)(10) (1994); Va.Code Ann. § 54.1-2915(B) (Michie 1991); Wash.”

Mirshahi, M.D. v. Patient First Richmond Med. Grp., LLC (E.D. Va. 2024). · cites it 40× “6 65); ® constituted medical “misconduct” under Va. Code Ann. § 54.1-2915 (A)(3), (12}+(13), (ECF No.”

Phillips v. Virginia Bd. of Med., 749 F. Supp. 715 (E.D. Va. 1990). “1-2914, and § 54.1-2915 authorizes the Board to “revoke any certificate or license” for any of several causes, including: 3.”

Ray W. Mettetal, Jr., M.D. v. Virginia Bd. of Med. (Va. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 34× “Code § 54.1-2915 lists 24 instances of “unprofessional conduct” for which the Board may “revoke any license.”

Reffat K. Abofreka, M.D. v. Virginia Bd. of Med. (Va. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 34× “We begin by reviewing some basic principles.”

Pankaj Merchia, M.D. v. Virginia Bd. of Med. (Va. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 14× “He contends that: (1) “[t]he evidence does not support the Board’s findings of facts”; (2) the Board denied him due process by failing to comply with certain constitutional and statutory requirements; (3) “it is both unlawful and unreasonable for the Board to hold [him] liable…”

William G. Clowdis, Jr., M.D. v. Virginia Dep't of Health Professions (Va. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 12× “The Board issued a “Statement of Particulars” on May 26, 2009, concluding that Clowdis “may be in violation” of various professional conduct laws, including Code §§ 54.1-2915(A)(1), (2), (4), (14), (16), (18), (20) and 54.”

Hazem Garada, M.D. v. Virginia Bd. of Med. (Va. Ct. App. 2018). · cites it 4× “” The Board concluded that these factual findings constituted “acts of unprofessional conduct” for which it could refuse to issue a medical license under Code § 54.1-2915(A).4 4 Code § 54.1-2915(A) authorizes the Board to refuse to issue a medical license for “acts of…”

Yvoune Petrie v. Virginia Bd. of Med., 648 F. App'x 352 (4th Cir. 2016). “” Va.Code § 54.1-2915(A). Petrie’s chiropractic practice came to the Board’s attention after several of her patients filed complaints alleging, among other things, that Petrie was “passing herself off as a diabetes and thyroid specialist,” S.”

Hurwitz v. Virginia Bd. of Med., 46 Va. Cir. 119 (Arlington Cir. Ct. 1998). · cites it 2× “Statutory Section 54.1-2915.(A)(3) and § 54.1-2914 validly grant the Board power to act, and exercise of that power here is not inconsistent with the “safe harbor” of the Virginia Intractable Pain Act.”

— Va. Code Ann. § 54.1-2915(13) — 1 case

VA Bd. of Med. & VA Dep't of Health Professions v. Leila Hadad Zackrison, M.D., 796 S.E.2d 866 (Va. Ct. App. 2017). “” Code § 54.1-2915. “[Ujnprofessional conduct” includes the “intentional or negligent conduct in the practice of any branch of the healing arts that causes or is likely to cause injury to a patient,” Code § 54.”

— Va. Code Ann. § 54.1-2915(3) — 1 case

— Va. Code Ann. § 54.1-2915(A) — 7 cases

Mirshahi, M.D. v. Patient First Richmond Med. Grp., LLC (E.D. Va. 2024). “6 65); ® constituted medical “misconduct” under Va. Code Ann. § 54.1-2915 (A)(3), (12}+(13), (ECF No.”

Hazem Garada, M.D. v. Virginia Bd. of Med. (Va. Ct. App. 2018). “” The Board concluded that these factual findings constituted “acts of unprofessional conduct” for which it could refuse to issue a medical license under Code § 54.1-2915(A).4 4 Code § 54.1-2915(A) authorizes the Board to refuse to issue a medical license for “acts of…”

Pankaj Merchia, M.D. v. Virginia Bd. of Med. (Va. Ct. App. 2018). “He contends that: (1) “[t]he evidence does not support the Board’s findings of facts”; (2) the Board denied him due process by failing to comply with certain constitutional and statutory requirements; (3) “it is both unlawful and unreasonable for the Board to hold [him] liable…”