Boris Molodov: Echuca, Bendigo doctor accused of unwanted sexual advances

A former Echuca GP “kissed and cuddled” a patient and offered another woman the best sex of her life, a tribunal has heard.

Dr Molodov faced VCAT. Picture: iSTOCK

A regional doctor has been accused of creepy unwanted sexual advances toward two former patients, a tribunal has heard.

Dr Boris Molodov fronted VCAT on allegations he was inappropriate towards two women at his former workplace Echuca Health between 2016 and 2017.

The doctor applied to have the tribunal review a Medical Board of Australia decision to take immediate action on the accusations.

The Russian immigrant now works at Bendigo Medical having started as a clinician at the practice in July 2019.

Barrister Emily Latif, for The Medical Board of Australia, told the tribunal one of the women reported that Dr Molodov told her she had “nice tits”, offered to “give her the best sex of her life”, and to show her around Melbourne.

Ms Latif said a second woman had previously disclosed similar issues with Dr Molodov.

The former patient said interactions with the doctor had started friendly but then he became very familiar with all aspects of the woman’s life.

“She felt the consultations were more like talking to a friend than a treating practitioner,” Ms Latif recounted.

“Dr Molodov became affectionate and the consultations started to go for longer and he would give her a kiss and a cuddle at the end of the consultation.”

She said while Dr Molodov performed a breast and vaginal examination, he continued to ask the woman, in unrelated consultations that didn’t warrant those exams, if she wanted more.

Ms Latif said the doctor would ask “how are your breasts, are they still sore?”, “Would you like another breast exam?” and “How are you doing down there” and whether she would like him to “have another look”.

“Patient B says she would refuse these further examinations but the situation made her feel uncomfortable.”

She said the woman had been attending the clinic on these occasions for completely unrelated health reasons.

Ms Latif told the tribunal Dr Molodov would often chat about matters unrelated to the patient’s medical care.

She said he would speak as if the two were friends, would ask the woman about her sex life, kiss her on the cheek and hug her as she left his rooms.

“This is a patient being treated by Dr Molodov for ongoing stress, insomnia and anxiety,” Ms Latif said.

Ms Latif said sexual misconduct against patients was an abuse of trust and credible allegations undermined the reputation of the medical profession.

“The board’s position is for the doctor, patient relationship to have efficacy and support good health outcomes for patients, patients must feel confident to confide deeply personal health information to their practitioner and permit intimate examinations,” Ms Latif said.

“The public must trust the doctor, patient relationship is a safe one, and must be confident practitioners will never use or attempt to use patients for their own sexual gratification.”

Ms Latif said the allegations, if true, posed serious risk to persons.

“The tribunal and previously the board is going to have very serious concerns about a practitioner who sexually harasses his patients,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter if they do it once or 10 times, or if they do it in 2016 and 2017 but not again.

But defence barrister Phil Cadman said Dr Molodov denied the allegations and posed no serious risk to patients.

He said the accusations were five years old and Dr Molodov had never received a complaint about sexual behaviour since starting work at Bendigo Medical in 2019.

Mr Cadman read out several professional references from the health provider’s general manager Jackie Plunkett, nurse manager, and other doctors which talked to Dr Molodov’s respectful conduct to patients and staff.

The letters refer to Dr Molodov always providing safe and good patient care, constant professionalism to patients and staff with no reports of any inappropriate conduct made against him.

Mr Cadman said Dr Molodov denied making the sexualised comments and that it was entirely out of keeping with his usual vocabulary as English is his second language.

He also said it was out of his general nature and didn’t align with references to his respectful professional conduct to patients and staff.

On September 3, 2021, VCAT delivered its ruling on this matter.

VCAT set aside the decision of the Medical Board of Australia to take immediate action against Dr Molodov as it was not satisfied on the material before it that a need to take immediate action was required.

VCAT formed a reasonable belief rejecting the proposition that Dr Molodov engaged in the behaviour alleged.