Dr. Monica M. Harms' bio states that in addition to being a Laguna Hills family practice physician, she is a certified personal trainer, a former U.S. Navy reservist and a Spanish-speaking member of Mensa.
But it was not smart of her to get convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol twice, within four years of each other.
For that, Harms could lose her license to practice medicine in California.
The Medical Board of California has placed her license on five years probation because of the DUI incidents in Newport Beach in 2013 and the West Covina area in 2009, when she was involved in a collision.
Harms was sentenced in Orange County Superior Court to five years probation in 2014.
For the medical board, Harms and her attorney signed off on her agreeing to: abstain from alcohol and controlled substances; inform her office supervisors and those of any hospital or facility where she has privileges of her status; undergo a psychiatric evaluation and drug and alcohol testing; designate a workplace substance abuse monitor; attend support group meetings; and obey all laws.
She is also prohibited from supervising physician assistants during the probationary period, and she must inform the board if she takes a break for practicing medicine or if she leaves the state.
If Harms breaks any of the terms of her probation, her license will be subject to revocation.
“Devoted to fitness and nutrition, Dr. Monica Harms encourages her patients to utilize exercise and healthy eating habits in order to maintain their health and happiness,” reads her bio. “A certified personal trainer, Dr. Harms effectively helps her patients incorporate exercise into their daily routine.”
Later it's mentioned she's a former paramedic.
It doesn't take a Mensa membership to know those first responders treat an awful lot of DUI crash victims.
OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.
How can a doctor practice health and medicine and give advice and have DUI and mutiple convictions severe caused a collision and on probation. I wont go see her for treatment
How can a physican practice health and medicine and give advice and herself had several DUI cause collision under influence and does drugs now on probation. I wont go take her advice
I know this reply is a bit late however i just found this information via internet, (of course). I recently started seeing Dr. Harms as my primary physician and though my visits are few, i believe i have a good read on her character both as a physician and a person. I understand people make mistakes and I do NOT pass judgment on anyone for their errors from the past. I think people that do need to take a good honest look in the mirror before they jump to conclusions. I also believe we need to look at the positive side and all the good she has done for herself and others as a first responder and physician.
Note: I am not saying that anyone is wrong for their opinion, we are all entitled. However, please don’t forget to look at both sides scales.