Ep 49-AZ Stands for CrAZy! The Disturbing Case of a Slasher Surgeon

A trusted OB carved his initials into a new mother’s abdomen—and the room stayed silent. That chilling moment became a case study in how personal trust, professional boundaries, and institutional oversight can all fail at once. We walk through Liana Geds’ experience, the legal strategy that separated malpractice from battery, and the bizarre Pick’s disease defense used to argue away intent. The outcome? A plea to second-degree assault, light institutional fines, and a five-year licensing bar that raises more questions than it answers.

If you care about patient safety, medical ethics, and real transparency, this conversation will leave you informed and fired up. Tap play, subscribe for more stories that expose and educate, and leave a review so others can find the show. What would true accountability look like to you?

Resources: 

NY times 

CBC 

capecode times

CBS news 

patientsafety.com 

medicalbag.com 

cracked.com

News BBC  

NY times 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:44

Hey Ellicats, it's Jenna here. I'm inserting the soundbite before we start because I realized that one of our biggest friends of the pod, founder of medical mishaps and revealer of weather pants, has a birthday on the day that this will be released. Richard Marsh from Caverack in Cornwall, England. Happy birthday, dear sir. Happy birthday to you. Rich and I first met many moons ago at a beach party on the island of Bintan, Indonesia. He was filming a surfing competition and yet found time to dance in between shots. Rich, that day seems both a lifetime ago and just yesterday. Happy birthday, dear friend, and may this year be as magical as that beach was that day long ago. Now let's start the show.

SPEAKER_01 1:44

Amanda!

SPEAKER_02 1:52

You know, as I'm talking to you, there was literally a ladybug on my charger on my phone that I'm looking at you on FaceTime. There is a ladybug upside down, just like touring the wire, just like, ha ha ha. You watch me. They're so obsessed with you. And yet again, they're featuring it in the heck.

unknown 2:14

I know.

SPEAKER_02 2:17

I think I sound like a crazy lady. Me and all my ladybugs. How are you doing? Speaking of crazy ladies. No, just kidding. Instead of a weird old lady with cats, like the old the strange cat lady. I'm like the strange ladybug lady, which is not sad funny, funnily. But um yeah, I think the ladybug lady is a little sadder, especially since they're not even authentic ladybugs. They're posing.

SPEAKER_00 2:46

Well, and yeah, and they would just be there regardless anyway. Well, I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 2:53

So another day, another dollar?

SPEAKER_00 2:57

Yep. Worked hard for the money today, girl. How was your day? She worked hard for the money.

SPEAKER_02 3:06

She worked hard for the money, and she looked into many ears.

SPEAKER_00 3:11

I did see some cutie pies though, so it was worth it.

SPEAKER_02 3:16

I'm jealous. I don't, I mean, I see cutie old older people, but I used to see mostly cutie kids, and so it just makes me appreciate kids when I see them now, as opposed to just being primarily kid oriented.

SPEAKER_00 3:30

Yeah. I did receive some feedback from a kid today. She told me the best guy. Yeah. She said, This would be cooler if you brought prizes for us when we were done. And I said, Well, what would that look like if I had one? And she said, Lollipops.

SPEAKER_01 4:01

So I said, Okay, okay. Oh.

SPEAKER_00 4:04

And I said, you know, would it be a lollipop with something in the middle or just like a straight up lollipop? She goes, Oh yeah, no, nothing in the middle. But she goes, she's like, I like a sour lollipop. And I'm like, girl, that feels like a very specific taste bud. Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:28

Listen, you're telling me you want a sour patch kit, or like, you know, she's like, I have a lollipop in mind. You want a warhead with on a stick. I remember if if a restaurant when you were walking out had a like a bowl of dum-dums that you could help yourself. I just was like, this is the most special place in the world. And now kids are like, eh. And if you look at it, it's it's it's pretty clever because it's a tiny little boiled candy, which should amount to almost nothing. But because it's on a stick, oh, it's a little bit more. So I think I'll have it for dum-dums. Yes. If it wasn't on a stick, that sucker would be gone, cavities would be uh rampant, and uh fillings would probably be knocked loose because people would just go in there and just chomp. You know, but yeah, exactly. Because there's a stick, it's an Yeah, but because there's a stick, it's an experience. Brilliant. Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah. Whoever designed those nom nom nom nom.

SPEAKER_00 5:25

Yeah, it'd be like a a lemonhead. You know, back in our soccer days as well, remember when it used to mean something when there was the little if your uh wrapper had the star on it? Like the the Native American shooting the uh No, I don't know of what you said.

SPEAKER_02 5:46

The bow and arrow with the star? And I probably should since I'm in Native American territory.

SPEAKER_00 5:50

It was on Tootsie Pop. I think that's what it was. Someone was shooting a bow and arrow on a sucker wrapper, and if it had a star on it, then you could turn that wrapper in and get a free sucker.

SPEAKER_02 6:03

Oh, okay. Listen, I missed out on that curiousness. I would have been 110% on board with that. No, all I can think of is, you know, dum dums have that mystery flavor, which thankfully they weren't like those delicious. Yeah, thankfully they weren't like those uh jelly belly jelly beans that have like the snot and the puke flavor flavor ones, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 6:30

Yeah, you know, yeah, yuck. What are we doing, people wouldn't do it? I've only done that a couple times, and I can't, I don't think I've ever gotten a nasty one.

SPEAKER_02 6:45

Oh the jelly belly challenge. Have we done the jelly belly challenge? Yeah, you didn't get the rotten egg or like the no, or like the face of dirt. No, yeah.

unknown 6:56

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 6:57

Listen, no, but of all the things we've said, the dirt one sounds the best. Right.

SPEAKER_02 7:04

Well, that that brings me back to pregnancy. I used to crave grass. I'd wanna, I'd wanna just take the car over to the side of the road and get into that field and start chomping grass. I would see grass and I literally start salivating. And they say people do that about dirt and other things because you know your body's like, oh, I need I need iron and whatever.

SPEAKER_01 7:26

So you must be doing well since you're not uh dreaming of no grass up far over and chewing on grass.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Yeah, there's a lot of things. Listen, if you're craving snow, just in warm. Just yeah. If you're craving snow, just don't go for the yellow patches. That's all I'm saying. That's my tip.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

Oh, god, thank God you told me that. Thank you. I thought that was lemon flavor.

SPEAKER_02 7:55

Oh man, okay. Well, here we are. Episode 49 is so fine.

SPEAKER_00 8:01

Well, anyway, everyone, this is how weird we are all the time. So I guess. Just let it all hang, right? Yeah. I don't think any corrections. No? I don't think so. I mean, I think we're pretty much job.

Candy, Cravings, And Childhood Nostalgia

unknown 8:16

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 8:18

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SPEAKER_02 8:45

Ugh. I love how you describe that. It makes you much like it's a good idea. Yeah, that's why I had a gag reflex quick. Thick and chunky.

Show Start, Sponsors, And Setup

SPEAKER_00 8:54

Because I've uh had a little yeah, ugh, I've had that. Okay. Yeah. Clear, though, has 20 grams of protein with zero sugar and zero lactose, making it ideal for most diets. Clear helps build and maintain muscles as well as supports endurance and recovery. Oh, and even better, no bloating, unlike what you could expect from traditional lactose-based protein. Elevate your protein game with clear whey protein, lactose-free, sugar-free, and refreshingly delicious. Perfect for a flavorful protein-packed boost. Visit clearprotein.com to receive an exclusive 20% off any product when you use our promo code STAYSUSPIOS. That's clear with a K. Visit ClearProtein.com and use promo code STAYSUSPicious for 20% off any product today. I have a boatload of resources that will be in the show notes. And pre-warning, I obviously always have heartburn, so hiccups will be present. Thank you. And my trigger warning for this episode, more recovering Dr. Zorro, is miscarriage. It's not the case is not about that, but there's just a mention of it. So that's right, bring it. Can't wait. Alright, shall we? Okay. Raven is staring at me like, oh wow, wow, what are we gonna talk about? This feels very exciting.

SPEAKER_02 10:35

Wondering how that part escaped. Nope.

Introducing Liana Geds And Dr. Zarkin

SPEAKER_00 10:39

Well, I mean, I don't know what's to come, but she is just looking at I did not pre-read this one to her. I usually pre-read them. So this is gonna be a surprise for all of us. Oh she's on the edge of her seat. I mean, not for me, I wrote it, but anyway. Woohoo! Okay. Dr. Liana Geds is a Russian-born dentist who graduated from New York University Dental School in 1994. Um, I'm like, you guys are probably thinking I went back to dentistry. I didn't. She just happens to be in dentistry.

SPEAKER_02 11:15

I was just gonna say, I was just gonna say, I thought we were gonna give them a break for a bit, but it's been a bit.

SPEAKER_00 11:21

It's been a hot minute. Yeah, no. Cause then listen to this. After dental school, she entered clinical practice and eventually operated a private dental practice in New York City for many years, and she is married to a man named Robert Galili, who is an oral surgeon.

unknown 11:39

Oh.

SPEAKER_00 11:40

So I was like, everyone's gonna think this is dental. Yeah, no, they're just in the future. That's what I'm thinking right now. The story has nothing to do with teeth. So very limited information online regarding their backgrounds or personal lives, but that's okay because that's not what this story is about. Liana and her husband, Robert, were in the exciting chapter of growing their family. They were trying to have a baby. Yay! And again, there's little information on the personal journey, which is respectable because fertility journeys are most typically private and not often spoken about. However, I do know from court transcripts that they did experience at least one miscarriage in their journey to parenthood. So just want to take a brief moment to acknowledge anyone that has suffered a miscarriage, whether it was chemical, mid, or late stage, because all of them suck, and your feelings and your grief are valid. And if you're still in the trenches of a rainbow baby following the loss, I'm sitting with you in that. My husband and I know that journey all too well. And while everyone's story is different, looks different, just know that I am sitting with you, and I'm so sorry if even the mention is triggering for you, because I seriously could hardly even read books that mentioned it. So I get it. And this is the last time I will mention it. So, yeah, but anyway, that was a part of their journey, which is she's like, give me a microphone. I think she should go play with her dad, but she seems glued to me.

SPEAKER_02 13:31

So she just wants to be on the pod. I think she needs to be our mascot. You know how, sorry, sidebar. You know how those of you who listen to my favorite murder, I think they used to end there, or they still do sometimes, and their podcast with uh Georgia asking her Slamese cat, do you want a cookie? Elvis, do you want a cookie? And then the cat goes, Meow. We should say, Oh my god. Ringham, if you've got some bloating, and then she goes, end of every episode.

SPEAKER_00 14:05

We can't give her a reputation of being gassy. She is a polite, very sleek little lady. Um, she does have some rank booty sometimes, but I'm not gonna make that her personality. Uh okay. So, Raven, we love you. So, anyway, Liana and her husband. Nope, that's the wrong. We're moved on from that paragraph. Let me get to real life here. Liana was speaking with a friend about their loss, and this friend then had recommended an obstetrician for them to work with, someone her friend had personally worked with before. We love a referral, especially when it comes, you know, from a friend recommendation.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

Yeah.

Delivery Day And The Abdominal Initials

SPEAKER_00 14:54

So Dr. Alan Zarkin was the OB at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan, New York. So Liana went to see him after the loss of the baby to establish care. And again, I don't know anything about their backgrounds, but we do know that eventually her and her husband were expecting again. Yay! So they continued to work with Dr. Zarkin for all of her obstetric care. Long-term prenatal care throughout Liana's pregnancy built a bond between herself, her husband, and Dr. Zarkin. He provided her OB care for about seven months, according to transcripts, which is interesting because it's 10 months over here for me, but okay. Which naturally involves close interaction and regular appointments. It was reported in some sources that she had a high-risk pregnancy, so that would mean even more frequent visits and close monitoring, if that were the case, and perhaps up to even two to three times per week. So during that time, a strong doctor-patient rapport was established between the couple and Zarkin. According to a source and court documentation, their relationship was not limited to office visits or hospital interactions. Liana and her husband invited Zarkin and his family to her country home in East Northport, Long Island. Wow. They reportedly spent summer nights together, suggesting meals and social gatherings outside of a clinical context. So it feels pretty safe to say that they were all, you know, pretty well established in friendship and enjoyed each other's company. Great, wonderful. We love friendship. After finishing the delivery, Dr. Zarkin announced, quote, I did such a beautiful job. I'll initial it. He then took a scalpel to carve a three by one and a half inch letters. The letters A and the letters Z into the abdomen of Liana, directly above the cesarean incision that he had just closed. Yep, can't make this up, guys. The operating room was crowded with people watching as he did it. But no one cried out for help. No one called the police, filed a report, and no one told the patient that she had been intentionally injured. Where there is no accountability, abuse is guaranteed. This maniac forgot that human beings are not pumpkins, and he carved her stomach. What a He truly believed that the cesarean section was a work of art worthy of signing, like a professional athlete signing a game ball. Isn't that bananas? After the surgery, Liana had memories of Dr. Zarkin asking for a scalpel and couldn't understand why. The incident created a buzz, and hospital staff paraded in and out of Liana's recovery room to look under her bandages, but no one would tell her why. In some sources, it said that she finally demanded that someone bring her a mirror so that she could see for herself what all the attraction was about, and held up the mirror to her stomach, and that is when she saw the initials A Z carved into her abdomen. But in several other sources, it was reported that the day after she was in tremendous pain and asked her husband to get a mirror. And that is when she saw the letters carved into her hat her abdomen. Either way, she said, quote, I felt like a branded animal. It was supposed to be one of the most exciting times in my life, but it was a nightmare. Every time I take my clothes off or shower or undress in front of my husband, he has to look at another man's initials on my stomach. End quote.

SPEAKER_02 19:23

Oh man, I can't imagine how it would feel. That is egregious.

SPEAKER_00 19:29

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:32

So disturbing.

SPEAKER_00 19:34

So rather than focusing on her baby girl's arrival and healing her body from the journey of pregnancy and surgical delivery, she also had to place focus on whether or not to have major plastic surgery to remove the initials or to live with the branding for the rest of her life.

SPEAKER_02 19:51

Yes, the hormones, the oh my gosh. And then the trauma of having a C-section when, you know, most people try to go for a natural. And so C-section means something is emergent. You have to, you know, not burst according to your plans.

Fallout, Suspensions, And Clinic Firings

SPEAKER_00 20:08

Typically. And that also first baby, like, oh, don't worry, we'll hear why he did it later. Zarkin's right to practice at Beth Israel Medical Center was immediately suspended following the incident, and he later resigned. In addition to working at Beth Israel, he They should have fired him. Why was he allowed to resign? They should have fired him to during his record. That's a good question. A lot of people had that question. Yeah. In addition to working at Beth Israel, he also worked at a practice in the Murray Hill neighborhood. Neighborhood of Manhattan. And when the partners of this practice began hearing about the carving, he was fired. When this act occurred, when we found out about it, we did some small investigations, but we fired him immediately, said Dr. Howard Burke. Absolutely. We have been disassociated with him. That's the way to do it. Yeah. Yep. Surprisingly, after being dismissed from his former practice and resigning from the hospital, he was hired by an abortion clinic in Queens to perform abortions and general gynecological care, including prenatal exams. Again, he was fired as soon as the clinic learned about the carving incident. Thank goodness.

SPEAKER_02 21:28

The fact that we have to say carving incident, I mean that's like why isn't he behind bars? Okay.

Chart Note: New Biologic For Severe Asthma

SPEAKER_00 21:37

Yeah. But before we get more into what happens next, it is time for a chart. I like that. That's very nice. I'm in my shorter breast stage, so that's all I've got. So welcome to the chart note segment where we learn about what's happening in medicine and healthcare. All right. So a major advancement in asthma care. I thought you'd be excited about this. Is emerging with a new drug called Depamokamob, developed by Glaxco Smith Klein and branded as extensure. It has been approved in the UK and the United States as an ultra-long acting biologic for people aged 12 and older with severe asthma driven by xenophilic inflammation. Nope. Inflammation. It's a type of asthma that doesn't always respond well to standard treatments. So what makes extensure remarkable is its dosing schedule. So instead of frequent injections or daily medications, patients only need two shots per year, one every six months, to help control their asthma long term. This is made possible by the drug targets. No. Let me let me restart that sentence. This is made possible because the drug targets a key immune protein called interleukin-5, reducing the type of inflammation that drives severe asthma attacks. In large clinical trials, including the phase 3, SWIFT-1 and SWIFT-2 studies, patients who received extensure experienced substantial reduction in asthma exacerbations compared with the placebo and significantly fewer hospitalizations. Regulators see this as a potentially life-changing treatment because it could improve quality of life and reduce the burden on healthcare systems by keeping people out of emergency care, particularly for those who struggle with frequent dosing or whose symptoms aren't controlled with existing therapies. Extension is expected to become more widely available in 2026 with additional regulatory decisions pending in regions like Europe, Japan, and China.

SPEAKER_02 24:05

I like this. I like that it's a proactive approach so that it's like a couple of shots and it's not like lugging around another inhale because you know those things run out, or you don't have it with you, or it's in your car, or you know.

SPEAKER_00 24:18

Yeah, that's scary.

SPEAKER_02 24:20

And yeast synophilic load, you know, is is related to inflammation, you know, typically from allergies or whatever. And those you know, that chronic state of inflammation means you're constantly puffing on those things. And I remember, you know, in my my youth when I didn't have car or car, I didn't have health insurance. I had carbon insurance. And, you know, I'm struggling to breathe, but it's like I would sit in the emergency room parking lot to decide if I feel like I'm about to die, I'll go in, but otherwise I can't afford it. You know? Yeah. I mean, I'm sure I'm not alone. I'm sure it's probably even worse today. So Yeah, bring it. Love that. Love that for people with that.

The Lawsuit: Malpractice, Battery, And Damages

The Pick’s Disease Defense And Accountability

SPEAKER_00 25:09

Okay, back to the story. Liana sued Zarkin and Beth Israel Medical Center for 5.5 million. Quote, it's like a scene from a horror movie, she said. The lawsuit was filed November 8th, 1999, against the hospital, Zarkin, and Zarkin's medical group, New York GYNOB associates. The first cause of action sought unspecified damages for medical malpractice. So whatever the amounted to theoretically could have added to the 5.5 million total. Excuse me. The second cause of action was battery, an intentional tort for which the plaintiffs were asking for$5 million. And that figure included punitive damages. The additional$500,000 was requested for the plaintiff's husband to cover derivative damages. Subsequently, Zarkin was investigated by the State Health Department and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. The prosecutor and assistant district attorney reported that Zarkin had been the subject of several previous complaints about erratic behavior. Further investigation uncovered numerous examples of inappropriate behavior and lewd comments, but none of those rose to the level of criminal conduct. This is where I said, oh, we'll hear why he did it. Zarkin's defense strategy was that he suffered from a degenerative brain condition called Picks disease. Picks disease is a rare and permanent form of dementia that is similar to Alzheimer's disease, except that it tends to affect only certain areas of the brain. His lawyer argued that the disease causes deterioration of the brain's frontal lobe, resulting in impaired judgment, which explained Zarkin's bizarre behavior. Quote, he suffers from a brain disorder that affects what he says and what he does, end quote. That's what his lawyer said. The defense asked the court to dismiss the case, saying that Zarkin's actions were caused by medical incapacity and cerebral dysfunction, and not the result of anything negligent, willful, or intentional conduct. I don't know if I say this later. I don't think I do, but I'm like, if you have this, that sounds horrible. But maybe you also shouldn't be performing surgery.

SPEAKER_02 27:47

Exactly. If you know that you have this and it's at the point where you have erratic behavior that can't be controlled and your executive function is compromised, what the hell are you doing with a scalpel, dude? Put you're equally, you're equally culpable then. Or maybe even more. Yes. Because you knew you had something that would injure people, and we had to wait until you injured somebody.

SPEAKER_00 28:10

So when they say it's not a result of anything negligent, willful, or intentional, how? Yeah, it's all the above.

SPEAKER_01 28:18

It's all the above. It's all the above.

SPEAKER_02 28:20

Whether we take the defense's stupid ass the argument, which I think is BS, or what he actually did, he's culpable. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:32

They probably were like, okay, perfect, guys. This is what we're gonna go with. And it's like, yeah, no.

SPEAKER_02 28:39

They probably had no choice, but seriously.

SPEAKER_00 28:42

The prosecution countered and said they did not agree with the defense lawyer's contention that Zarkin is suffering from Pick's disease or that an illness caused his actions. Zarkin's attorney said that it was unclear whether the doctor realized at the time of the carving what he was doing. He feels absolutely terrible about the entire situation and can't imagine what possessed him to do it. Plattner, which is his attorney, said.

SPEAKER_02 29:24

Okay. Well, again, even if that's true, even if that's true, he is still culpable. Because if he was diagnosed with an illness that affects his ability to be cognizant of his behavior as a surgeon, if it's attacking your frontal lobe, this is on him to report that. I mean, come on. Yeah. So stupid. Yeah. What an ass.

Liana’s Court Statement And Data Bank Gaps

SPEAKER_00 29:52

Paramedical doctor, dude. Come on. Yeah. So, in a prepared statement by Liana, which was read to the courtroom, she shared. This is all gonna be quote. It's long, but it's worth it. She said, six months ago, I delivered a baby girl in Beth Israel Hospital by Caesarean section, emergency cesarean section. After the completion of surgery, Dr. Alan Zarkin carved his initials on my abdomen. What happened to me is traumatizing enough. What was more devastating is that after Dr. Zarkin was suspended from Beth Israel Hospital, he was able to work as an OBGYN physician for five more months, performing complicated and surgical procedures on unsuspecting patients. In Beth Israel's report to the New York State Health Department, Dr. Zarkin's actions were described as gross misconduct without giving any details. If the entire information would have been made available to the public through the National Practitioner Data Bank, I don't think Dr. Zarkin would have been able to practice medicine any longer. The patients seeing Dr. Zarkin after me would have known of my horrific experience. Dr. Zarkin's attorney blamed his action on a frontal lobe disorder. As described in any medical textbook, frontal lobe disorder manifests itself in violent behavior. It is very, very dangerous to have a person like this allowed to hold a scalpel when you give him power over your body or your life on the operating table. The information in the National Practitioner Data Bank should have been available not only to the medical facilities, but also for every patient who needs to protect themselves from questionable doctors and facilities. Another issue is whether hospitals fully comply with their statutory obligation to report to the National Practitioner Data Bank before hiring a doctor. The failure to do so would seriously undermine the ability of the data bank to protect the patient. Also, I truly believe we have a quote white wall of silence. Hospitals protect doctors, doctors protect their peers, and in all of this, crucial information is getting lost. We as the patient are in a very vulnerable position, not knowing if you are dead because God wanted to or because your doctor is insane. Please understand I am a doctor myself, and I am not attacking the medical profession. The United States has some of the most brilliant doctors and most sophisticated medical facilities in the world. But lately, medicine has become more of a business with bottom lines in detriment of patient care.

SPEAKER_02 32:45

This is so powerful because she is so articulate and she's a doctor. You know what I mean? Like beautifully said. Wow, I got chills.

SPEAKER_00 33:01

So immaculately dressed in a cashmere turtleneck loafers in a brown suit. The silver-haired obstetrician could calmly. I guess he was like a very eccentric dresser, which I kind of love actually.

SPEAKER_02 33:14

But no, but my point is like he is just like the dude. You know, I can just see, I mean, his little turtleneck and loafers. I didn't know.

SPEAKER_00 33:24

He calmly pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in the crowded courtroom in the Manhattan Criminal Courts building. Oh, excuse me, I could feel that one coming. So when asked by Justice White what he had done, Dr. Zarkin responded in a steady, almost soothing tone, quote, using the scalpel, I scratched my initials into her. End quote.

unknown 33:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 33:53

You like how he's like minimizing what he did. He just scratched a big slice. I just, it's a little scratch.

unknown 34:01

He cut her.

SPEAKER_00 34:03

Little cat scratch, it'll heel.

SPEAKER_02 34:05

Carved her like a pumpkin, as someone said earlier.

SPEAKER_00 34:08

So yeah, where I hate him. Where she described also in court documents to get this fixed, she would have had to have plastic surgery like literally get a tummy tuck. So like cut that part of her abdomen off because there was no way to fit, like it would just have been scarred forever. So there was not a scratch, my friend.

Plea Deal, Fines, And Systemic Failures

SPEAKER_02 34:32

What an ass. So he doesn't feel bad. No, we don't even scratch. If you scratched her, it would heal and it would go away, which is already bad enough. But you didn't, you cut her. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:43

You cut her, you carved her.

SPEAKER_02 34:44

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 34:46

He said trigger treat. Only tricks. So anyway, his guilty plea brought an end to a bizarre incident that resulted in one of the most jarring rebukes of a local hospital in a long time. The State Department of Health fined Beth Israel 14,000 and ordered it to improve its oversight of doctors. No shit.

SPEAKER_02 35:11

Health department officials said I mean 14,000 sorry, but 14,000.

SPEAKER_00 35:16

I know.

SPEAKER_02 35:17

Okay, fair enough. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:20

Health officials said that Beth Israel failed to file proper reports with the state after the carving, not scratching, incident and did not sufficiently monitor Dr. Zarkin, despite earlier complaints by hospital workers that his behavior had been erratic. The department, which is responsible for licensing doctors, did not suspend Dr. Zarkin's license until January, and his license wasn't revoked until February.

SPEAKER_02 35:51

So I mean, how many pumpkins could he have carved in that time period? I mean, my point is okay, he carved someone, he he, and that's horrible. It's assault, it's defacing a person. But somebody that erratic who Which should have been such a happy time. Exactly. But somebody that erratic with a scalpel? I mean we're lucky that he didn't kill someone. Unless it's all a lie, and he doesn't actually have a temporal lobe disease, which is, you know, just gonna say probably more likely, given the fact that he didn't kill anyone or carve anyone in that five months.

SPEAKER_00 36:31

Yeah, because if you're executive functioning, it's not functioning. Who knows what you're gonna do? Narcissistic. She'll she'll like this.

SPEAKER_02 36:40

He's like, she's my friend. I'm gonna she'll understand how awesome I did if I put my name here and I'll be a legacy on her belly. Ha ha ha. No, he was a stupid, dumbass, narcissistic idiot who came up with a defense that is indefensible.

SPEAKER_00 36:55

It actually just proves further that you shouldn't be doing this. Either way, so yeah, seriously.

SPEAKER_02 37:02

Right, exactly. You've been better off saying, Well, she was my friend, I thought she'd get a kick out of it. Which is stupid and hor horrific enough. But to say, well, I have this temporal lobe issue that, you know, means that I can wave a scalpel around and not be held accountable. What the hell?

SPEAKER_00 37:20

Come on, dude. So health department officials also temporarily closed all operating rooms at a Queen's Clinic Choice Choice's Women's Medical Center, where Dr. Zarkin worked as as the medical director, don't know how that happened, after the incident.

SPEAKER_02 37:38

Well, that sounds like a high-class place.

SPEAKER_00 37:41

I know. We always got the wrong men tripping up the ladders, don't we? In February, the state fined the clinic$20,000 for performing hasty abortions, lacking proper equipment and infection control, not having enough nurses, and improperly screening and monitoring employees. And now can we say that is because can we say it's because he worked there? No. But we could probably surmise that he was attempting to work in a shadier place because he knew maybe somewhere in his lobes that were working that a more prestigious place might, I don't know, look into his record? Probably. Yeah. So the state also cited the clinic for not thoroughly checking Dr. Zarkin's credentials and for allowing him to perform surgery unsupervised, even though a psychiatrist had told clinic officials that Dr. Zarkin had a brain disorder.

SPEAKER_02 38:39

Do we know that? I mean, did he have an MRI? Like, how do we diagnose this? I mean, we need to look into this so-called brain disorder. I've never heard of it.

SPEAKER_00 38:50

I know I had not heard of Picks disease before. I thought about doing that for the for the chart note, but then I was like, it came before I mentioned it, and then it didn't have like a good place to go after that.

SPEAKER_02 39:02

So if somebody has a seizure, right? That's documented seizure, their neurologist or whoever, yeah, the neurologist tells them you are not allowed to drive until we have medicated you and you've been on this medication for a certain amount of time without a documented seizure. Right? So if there's a psychiatrist who's a medical doctor diagnosing some sort of uh temporal lobe disorder that means that they can't be trusted with a scalpel for the safety. Far more risky than driving a car, I would even wager. Why wasn't he told then you cannot drive? In other words, you cannot do surgery until we if there, I don't know, there is such a thing as medication for this.

SPEAKER_00 39:50

They were just like, oh, you let him perform unsupervised. Well, he just shouldn't be performing surgery at all.

SPEAKER_02 39:57

Supervised He shouldn't be performing at all. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:01

If I'm supervising him and and his brain goes, Hey, wouldn't this be fun? Like I yeah, I can't fix that. They're performing the act, it doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_02 40:13

Exactly. No, no more than you can supervise someone who's epileptic driving a car. Oh well, I was in there supervising. Well, but they're driving. So how am I supposed to control a car? Right? So then we've got an even bigger problem if this is actually true.

SPEAKER_00 40:29

I agree. Agree. Zarkin was forced to accept a plea bargain with the consent of Liana and her family. Zarkin was found guilty of second degree assaults. The lawyer representing Liana. Said that his client did not want Zarkin to go to prison and opposed his criminal prosecution. Zarkin had been facing up to 25 years in prison if he had been convicted of the more serious charge he faced, which was first degree assault. Which, good, we like punishing people for bad things. But like I was kind of surprised, 25 years, because sometimes in murder cases, it's like they got four years, and you're like, what? And I'm like, 25 for first degree assault. Okay. Zarkin, who was 62 years old at the time and did not go to jail, he was barred from applying for medical licenses for five years. So to me, that says he could still be practicing.

unknown 41:29

What?

SPEAKER_02 41:30

Why only five years? Why not forever?

SPEAKER_00 41:33

He needs to be revoked. What the hell? Because you have a brain disorder, guys. This isn't a slap on the wrist. If you're blaming the brain disorder, you can't do it anymore.

SPEAKER_02 41:46

Are we gonna have to ask the public? Maybe this needs to be a future episode or a series, but like, are we supposed to look into whether or not our our surgeons and physicians have a history of a brain disorder now? Because they can just like wait it out for a few years and go back to biz? Yeah, I don't go back to biz, give them a knife, it's fine. Five years later, I'm sure that that temporal lobe's gotten better. That dementia reversed itself magically. Oh my god, it's so ridiculous. Sorry.

SPEAKER_00 42:17

Yeah.

unknown 42:18

Huh?

SPEAKER_00 42:20

Uh Zarkin settled the 5.5 million civil lawsuit against him for 1.75 million. It's the right result, said her, yeah, said her lawyer, Robert Sullivan. She has a healthy, beautiful baby, and she does not want to envision the doctor going to jail. Perhaps Liana and her husband's past friendship with Zarkin maybe played a role in the settlement. We don't know. Maybe over time they came to believe that there was no malicious or hostile motive behind the incident, but rather a harmful breach of trust by someone they considered both a caregiver and a friend. And on the other side of the coin, I feel like their friendship underscores how unexpected and shocking Zarkin's actions were. Like, can you imagine?

SPEAKER_02 43:08

I honestly think it it created an in-road. Like he, I think he probably the fact that he didn't do it to anybody else. I feel like he thought it would be appreciated. He was so in the moment in his disordered thinking. Just like, look at my piece of work. Exactly. She's gonna, you know, be really tickled by the fact that I did this and I'm signing off on it, you know. I think it was did such a nice job.

SPEAKER_00 43:35

You won't be able to see your C-section scar, but boy will my initials be there.

SPEAKER_02 43:40

I think honestly, I can see in that state of being, like somebody who's who's a narcissist with perhaps a little temporal lobe issue, like, is gonna be like, Well, we're friends, and I'm gonna let her know, like, I did this. Look how beautiful. He's just feeling proud of himself and like advertising his work, and she'd understand or appreciate it because she's his friend. Like, he hasn't done it to anybody else. I honestly think it was because of their friendship, which means you gotta set boundaries, people. And I'm the worst person with boundaries. I mean, I'd have people who were deaf, patients calling me on the You're not friends with any of your patients. You know, I'm I'm working on that. I've worked on it, but yeah, it's a slippery slope. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00 44:31

Um, I just thought this next part was interesting to put in because it's kind of like the well, we could have taken the hospital for everything, like as a hospital. So this is a risk manager's nightmare, said Margaret Douglas, masters, she's a master's of public health and she's a nurse and was director of the risk management at FPIC, which is a physician's insurance company based in Jacksonville, Florida. The only thing you could do is get them, the plaintiffs, in there and write them a check as quickly as possible and try to get them not to talk to the press, she said. The one point I mean, true, right? The 1.75 million settlement might be explained by the doctor's malpractice limits and everyone's desire to end the ordeal, she says. But she said that she can't imagine how the hospital avoided paying damages. I mean, really, they only paid$14,000. Fine. That's crazy. The doctor's reported friendship with the victim and her husband may have had something to do with how the case ended, she said. The doctor was not employed by the hospital, but Douglas says that she doesn't think it would help its case much. It's a very strange result, she says. The hospital would have been an ideal deep pocket, and they had no hope of really defending themselves. You'd never let this kind of thing go to trial. I can't understand why the patient would let the hospital off the hook unless there's something here that we just don't know about. But with that said, I feel, I feel me, myself and I, Amanda, feel like towards the end, it was more Liana's main goal to have information updated and available to consumers in the National Practitioner Data Bank. Like she talked about that over and over in the court transcripts, and she really wanted that to be an available option to the public so that they can make their own informed decisions about who is providing their health care. But again, as I think we touched on, it's like, how much frickin' research do we have to do to make sure we're being safe?

SPEAKER_02 46:42

Yeah. She has a point, and I think she was very forgiving and magnanimous to let him off so easy. And yeah, maybe that likely has something to do with their friendship. But like you said, the flip side of that is she should feel even more betrayed because they were friends, but probably more to do with the fact that she was also a physician and you know, just wanted to acknowledge that what he did was something that should be on the radar of people that are shopping for healthcare. Honestly, and shouldn't even be on the day. He should I'm surprised he was allowed to continue his license even after a five-year suspension. And I know he's old enough to where it's like, uh, well, he's 67, so by the time he's 72. But I mean, there's a lot of doctors out there that, especially this day and age where it's really difficult to retire because life is so expensive. You know, people are working in their 80s. I mean, I know my dad was like, people were shocked when my dad retired and he was 80. And it's like, yeah, it's time to let him just relax now, guys. Yeah, he's 80. Oh, okay, crap, you know. So, well, well done. That was absolutely shocking. I had no, I had never heard of this, and it's crazy. The only thing I kept thinking, which is maybe belittling the trauma that this caused this lady, and that's not my intent, but it was like AZ could be Arizona, maybe they could move there, of course, and they're kids.

SPEAKER_01 48:14

Turn it into a story. We like Arizona, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:17

Yeah, no, but no, but that's that's making light of the terrible thing. She should obviously not ever be able to look at herself and not remember that that's what happened.

SPEAKER_00 48:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:34

I wonder if you can get it. How well do tattoos? I know there are tattoo artists that work around scars and things to like integrate them so you can't even tell the scars there.

Sponsor Two And Support The Show

SPEAKER_00 48:44

I know, but then don't you think you'd still look at it and be like, I have this tattoo because I'm trying to hide a scar? I feel like I'd want the tuck to just, it's gone. Yeah, it's not, it's inexcusable. I'm just trying to think. Yeah. No. I did look up this national providers databank or practitioner data bank to see if anything had changed with that. Like if I was able to see anybody. I I put I did put two different links because I kind of clicked around. It so they'll be in the show notes if anyone else wants to try and click around. I didn't see that you could like look up anybody, but it's so it doesn't appear there's been any change there, but yeah. Any hoosies, so we have a long time. Crazy Dr. Zorro. But that brings us to our sponsor number two, which we heard about for the first time yesterday. Oh, uh that yesterday, lol. Not yesterday, last week. It's almost my bedtime on malfunctioning. Terrain, found at terrain.org, offers a unique collection of backpacks, totes, wallets, and travel gear designed for explorers and adventurers who prioritize sustainability. Crafted from upcycled materials like feed and rice bags, sourced globally, terrain products are eco-friendly, durable, lightweight, water resistant, making them ideal for travel, outdoor activities, and daily use. With bold, one-of-a-kind designs, terrain bags are sought after by eco-conscious consumers looking for gear that aligns with their active lifestyle and commitment to environmental impact. Founded by Nyla, a former apparel designer, terrain emerged from her desire to reduce waste and empower artisan communities. During a trip to Southeast Asia, Nyla discovered the potential of discarded feedbags and partnered with Cambodian artisans to upcycle them into stylish, functional accessories. Every item is handcrafted, supporting fair trade and ensuring high quality. Terrain bags also feature interiors lined with recycled plastics, plastic bottles, enhancing their environmental benefits. Combining strength, functionality, and sustainability, terrain has become a favorite among travelers, adventurers, and those eco-conscious individuals. Enjoy an exclusive 15% off discount with our promo code STAYSUSPIS found at terrain.org. And I did want to echo the word about our sponsors from last week. Producing a podcast is not free. If you would like to support us, we earn commission when you use our promo code StaySuspicious at checkout. So it's a win-win. You get a great deal on a fabulous product, and you get to support our show. I actually have over time, so we've been doing this for almost a year now, which is crazy. But I have had over the last year people reach out randomly and ask, like, oh my gosh, how do you do that? Or like, where'd you guys buy your microphones? Or like, what recording software do you use? And how do you get on Spotify? And all the it's like happy to answer, although Jenna honestly truly does most of the work. I just sit here and gab and then she makes it work with her track. But I it's not free to like we have to pay to be on these different platforms and and be out there, people can listen to our podcasts. So yeah, I think I never really heard from anyone else after all that information. But just so you know, if you want to support us, get some great deals and yeah, it can go help to go towards our costs.

SPEAKER_02 52:49

And if if financial support isn't up your alley right now, you're not able to, we get it. You know what you could do is just honestly give us a rating. Give us a rating wherever you listen. Apple, Spotify, we need to hear from you. I have so many people reach out to me personally and say, oh, I really wanted to comment on this or I really like that. Let's do it! That's wonderful, but can you put it out there so that other people are engaged and and we get you know higher in their rankings as as you know, somebody who's engaging an audience and is is you know creating a community. So we want to be able to do that. Don't be shy, guys.

SPEAKER_00 53:28

We're really social.

SPEAKER_02 53:30

Yeah.

unknown 53:31

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 53:31

Too social, probably. So leave us a comment as long as it's five stars, not just kidding.

SPEAKER_00 53:37

Seriously. No, seriously, we're type A. We can't handle we can't handle the thing anymore.

SPEAKER_02 53:42

That's great. Let's rate and review. That's free. That's free. It just yeah, it just takes a couple minutes of your time, and honestly, that will also help.

SPEAKER_00 53:50

Thank you for coming to our TED Talk.

SPEAKER_02 53:52

Yeah.

unknown 53:54

Hmm.

SPEAKER_02 53:56

That was our PSA. Is it time for a medical? It is.

SPEAKER_00 54:02

I thought that was gonna be a hiccup, but it was a yawn, but it is time.

Listener Email: Missed Brain Bleed In ED

SPEAKER_02 54:05

It is, you're yawning. I think, and I think it's my turn to read it. Okay, so this email, there's no subject line. It just starts out, Hi Amanda and Jenna. I'm writing this as a family member, not a medical professional. And for a long time, I wasn't sure if what happened counted as a medical mishap. But after listening to your podcast, I realized it absolutely does. My mom went to the emergency department late one evening because she was confused. Not dramatically, just off. She was mixing up words, repeating herself, laughing at things that didn't make sense. I just knew something wasn't right. But when you're in a hospital, it's easy to start doubting yourself. The initial test came back normal. The CT scan was clear, labs were fine. The doctor told us it was probably dehydration or a mild infection, and you know, confusion can happen with age. They gave fluids and said we could likely go home soon. But the confusion didn't improve. In fact, it got worse. My mom kept trying to get out of bed. She insisted she was late for work. But she'd been retired for years, and she didn't recognize me at one point. Every time I raised concerns, I was told, well, we're not seeing anything concerning right now. At one point, a nurse gently suggested that my anxiety might be making things get worse than they were. Around 3 a.m., my mom suddenly vomited and became unresponsive. The room filled with people instantly. I was pushed into the hallway while they worked. Hours later, a doctor sat down with me and explained that my mom had been having a slow bleed in the brain. One that hadn't shown clearly on the first scan. And by the time it declared itself, the damage was already done. How frustrating. My mom survived, but she was never the same. Her personality changed. Her independence disappeared. Our entire family life shifted in a single night. I don't blame any one person at this point though, but I was extremely frustrated while this was happening. Everyone I encountered was kind, but I keep thinking about how many times I said this isn't normal, and how many times I was reassured instead of truly hurt. What really grounded my gears is when a nurse suggested that it was my anxiety that was making things worse. Yeah, that went really PMO. The hardest part is knowing that I did exactly what you're supposed to do. I brought her in early, I stayed, I spoke up, and still we were almost sent home. I share this because families often know when something's wrong, even when the data hasn't caught up yet. I wish I'd known then that it was okay to push harder, to ask for another scan, to insist on observation. So I want to thank you for telling stories like these. It helps to know that we are not alone and that these moments matter. Sincerely, Mariah. Oh Mariah, I am so sorry to hear about that experience. That's sad and frustrating. I'm so sad. You did everything you could. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 57:22

And bless you for saying that you're not blaming any one person at this point, but thank you so much for that's tough.

SPEAKER_02 57:33

I mean, these stories are important. We need to keep talking about these so that you know someone in a similar situation might. I mean, I don't know that this was avoidable, but you know, push harder or or feel more emboldened to stand up for their loved ones. Yeah.

Next Week’s Tease And Closing CTAs

SPEAKER_00 57:49

Feel empowered. Yeah. I think that's our first, like perspective of that, too. Yeah. From what I can think back right now. Well, thank you, Mariah. Jenna, what can our listeners expect to hear next week?

SPEAKER_02 58:11

Well, next week we are going to be covering dumb cell scams.

SPEAKER_00 58:18

Oh. I love a good scam episode. It's a doozy. I bet.

SPEAKER_02 58:30

Meanwhile, don't miss a beat. Subscribe or follow Doctoring the Truth wherever you enjoy your podcasts for stories that shock, intrigue, and educate. Trust, after all, is a delicate thing. You can text us directly on our website at doctoringthetruth at buzzsprout.com. Email us your own story ideas and comments at Doctoringthe Truth at Gmail. And be sure to follow us on Instagram at Doctoring the Truth Podcast and on Facebook at Doctoring the Truth. We're on TikTok at Doctoring the Truth and ed at Aud. Don't forget to download, rate, and review so we can be sure to bring you more content next week. Until then, stay safe and stay suspicious. Stay suspicious.

SPEAKER_00 59:17

Good. Bye. Bye, friends. Goodbye. Bye bye. Three, two, one, bye.