The board deliberated for two hours. Two hours during which the room emptied, refilled, emptied again. Two hours during which reporters refreshed phones, lawyers whispered, and I sat beside Ethan feeling the old, bright anger settle into something harder and colder. When the board members returned, the chairman, Dr. William Foster, adjusted his glasses, looked down at the written decision, and began to read.
“After careful review of the evidence, testimony, and investigative findings, this board finds that Dr. Leonard Vance violated multiple standards of medical practice in his treatment of Mr. Ethan Mills. Specifically, Dr. Vance failed to perform an adequate physical examination, failed to order appropriate diagnostic testing despite clear clinical indicators, allowed personal bias to influence medical decision-making, and demonstrated a pattern of similar conduct in other cases. These violations constitute serious professional misconduct that endangered patient safety.”
He looked directly at Vance.