Is there a psychiatrist registered or lurking here?

The Readers Digest is preparing a feature article on fake medical degrees. The story is nearly done, but now they are anxious to talk to a psychiatrist who might have something to say about why people either buy medical degrees from fake schools, or pretend to have an M.D. from a real school. If, perchance, there is a psychiatrist among the 673 registrants, or among the 'lurkers,' would you respond to Readers Digest editor Randy Fitzgerald at (707) 928-6201 (I believe that's his home office in California). He's a very nice, very knowledgeable man. (And yes, I did think about Dick Crews, late of Columbia Pacific, and Emailed him this information, at his new home in Texas.)

--John Bear, home for 48 hours,
then off to the wilds for 5 weeks

 

I'm not a psychiatrist so I would just be guessing when I say - to impress their old classmates at the upcoming high school reunion. Alternatively, they may buy the degree with $100 to show something to dad who gave the young "medical" student $100,000 over the last four years.

 

The two doctors that I believe will be featured in the Digest story, Caplinger and Perry, had both been practicing for many years -- more than 20, I think, for Caplinger. Caplinger's MD cost him $100 from Metropolitan Collegiate in London. Perry bought his from the phony Caplinger started, British West Indies Medical School (based, of course, in Indiana). Caplinger was convicted on many counts just a year ago, but escaped and is, I think, still at large. Perry was scheduled to go to trial in the fall, with one of the charges being manslaughter; he took a young patient off insulin and she died.

Both the Caplinger and Perry cases are covered in some detail at www.quackwatch.com

 

John,

Since you mention Quackwatch, why not get the proprietor, Dr. Stephen Barrett (a Psychiatrist) on the show?

 

Gerstl: Since you mention Quackwatch, why not get the proprietor, Dr. Stephen Barrett (a Psychiatrist) on the show?

Bear: I didn't know he was. Info passed along to the Digest. Thanks.