She plays doctor for 3 years with fake cert

FIRST, she worked as a clinic assistant.

Tempted by a doctor's hefty income, the woman, 47, then impersonated one.

She allegedly stole a doctor's certificate from a clinic in Kelantan where she worked.

Then, she allegedly changed the name on the certificate to 'Dr Tina', and made a photocopy, which she used as her 'credentials'.

'Dr Tina' then worked as a relief doctor and dispensed medicine to patients at six clinics in Shah Alam, Selangor, from 2007 to this year.

But 'Dr Tina' was finally exposed at her last clinic in Bukit Sentosa, reported China Press. She was charged in a court in Shah Alam yesterday.

Based on her hourly charge of RM30 ($12), her monthly income was at least RM5,000.

The chief doctor at the Bukit Sentosa clinic felt suspicious when he saw her fake certificate and checked with the Malaysian medical authorities.

The doctor was then told that the real owner of the certificate is someone else, prompting him to make a police report.

Arrested

'Dr Tina' was then arrested on 3 Jun in the Bukit Sentosa clinic, a police spokesman said, barely three days after she had started work there.

The spokesman said 'Dr Tina' was able to pass off as a doctor as she had worked as a clinic assistant and was familiar with medicine.

Although the police had previously received at least five reports of a fake doctor operating in Shah Alam, it was not known if any patients were wrongly diagnosed or given the wrong medication by 'Dr Tina'.