Police: Florida teen posed as doctor for a month

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Police in Florida said a teenager caught posing as a doctor at a hospital had been carrying out his ruse at the facility for about a month.

Police were called to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach on Jan. 13 on a report of a juvenile falsely identifying himself as a doctor while wearing a white lab coat and carrying a stethoscope.

"The individual never had contact with any hospital patients and did not gain access to any patient care areas of the hospital at any time. The hospital immediately notified local authorities, who took the individual into custody, and we are cooperating with their ongoing investigation," the hospital said in a statement.

However, Dr. Sebastian Kent, an OB/GYN with St. Mary's, said the teen was with him in an examination room while he was with a patient.

"The first thing I thought was, 'I am really getting old because these young doctors look younger every year," Kent told CNN.

Kent alerted police, who said security guards reported seeing the teenager walking around the hospital while dressed as a doctor on multiple occasions in previous weeks.

"I saw him outside our office building with policemen surrounding him. I believe they had him in handcuffs. There was quite a commotion," Kent said.

The teen told police he had been a doctor for "years," but his mother said he suffers from an illness and has been refusing to take his medication.

The hospital and police said they have decided not to pursue charges against the boy.