Dos and Don’ts of Professional Medical Advice
Live Webinar Offering
This webinar will be broadcasted LIVE from 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM PT on May 7, 2026. 

Credit for this course must be claimed by August 5, 2026.
Overview

Description 

The webinar reviews risks and liabilities healthcare professionals face when giving informal advice to the public or colleagues. It explains when casual guidance becomes a formal consultation, offers strategies to reduce malpractice risk, and examines recent legal cases on standards of care and consultant responsibilities. 

Format 

Live webinar.

Learning Objectives 

At the completion of the activity, participants will: 

Examine components of malpractice liability.  

Identify actions that may inadvertently create a physician-patient relationship.  

Recognize factors that indicate formal consultation. 

Outline 

  • Malpractice Risk 
  • Standards of Care 
  • Physician-Patient Relationship 
  • Case examples 
  • Question and answer 

Target Audience 

Resident or Fellow, Medical Student, Physician Assistant, Nurse, Psychiatric Technician, Psychologist, Counselor/Therapist, Social Worker, Student (Non-Medical), Peer Specialist, Administrator, Legal/Policy Professional, Researcher 

Instructional Level:  
Introductory  

Estimated Time to Complete 

Estimated Duration: 1 hour 
Program Release Date: 05/07/2026  
Program End Date: 05/07/2026 

Ongoing Interdisciplinary Discussion Board 

After completing the course, engage with colleagues in the mental health field through the Webinar Roundtable Topics discussion board. This is an easy way to network and share ideas with other clinicians who participate in this webinar. Access through the discussion tab.  

How to Earn Credit 

After completing the evaluation, participants will have the opportunity to claim their hours of participation and download the appropriate certificate. Physicians may obtain an official CME certificate, other healthcare professionals may receive a CE certificate (as applicable), and all other attendees may generate a certificate of participation. Each certificate will reflect the event date and total hours earned. 

Continuing Education Credit 

In support of improving patient care, American Psychiatric Association (APA) is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.  

Physicians   

The APA designates this live event for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.   

Faculty and Planner Disclosures 

The American Psychiatric Association adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CME activity - including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others - are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity. 

Faculty: 

  • Leon Ravin, MD, is a board-certified general adult and forensic psychiatrist. Dr. Ravin has been working for the State of Nevada in various clinical and administrative roles since 2006 and has been the Statewide Psychiatric Medical Director for the DPBH since August 2015. Dr. Ravin is a vice chair of the Statewide School Safety Committee for the State of Nevada and a vice chair of the Executive Committee of the Medical Directors Council of the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors. Dr. Ravin is a consultant for BioXcel Therapeutics.  

Program Planners: 

  • John Torous, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Torous has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.  

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities 

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance. 

Technical Requirements 

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following: 

The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari 

Internet Explorer 11+ 

This Web site requires JavaScript and session cookies to be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, or Windows Media Player. 

Optimal System Configuration: 

Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version) 

Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version) 

Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher 

Minimum Requirements: 

Windows PC: 

Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video 

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity |  

Contact support@smicaladviser.org for technical assistance 

Summary
Availability:
Registration Required
Expires on Aug 05, 2026
Location:
Online Meeting
Date / Time:
May 07, 2026 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM PST
Credit Offered:
1 CME Credit
1 COP Credit
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