Former Student Impersonated Doctor At OC Hospitals, OCDA Says

IRVINE, CA — A 23-year-old former UC Irvine student was charged with posing as a doctor and dispensing medical diagnoses, the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday.

Ariya Ouskouian, an Irvine resident, was charged Tuesday with providing a medical diagnosis while impersonating a doctor and misrepresenting himself as a medical practitioner, according to Michelle Van Der Linden of the Orange County District Attorney's Office.

Ouskouian is accused of posing as a doctor and diagnosing a patient about "a growth on his neck" in a consult room on May 3 at UCI, Van Der Linden said.

He is also accused of impersonating a doctor at Children's Hospital of Orange County on at least seven occasions between April 23 and June 4 and of misrepresenting himself as a doctor to CHOC security and accessing restricted floors, according to Van Der Linden.

Police were notified after hospital workers became suspicious and the investigation ensued.

"Ouskouian is accused of claiming to have lost his hospital badge and requesting a temporary one be issued on each of these occasions," Van Der Linden said.

If convicted as charged, Ouskouian could be sentenced to three years in state prison and eight years in the county jail.

Orange Police Dept. Booking Photo