MOUNT VERNON — A Knox County physician lost his license after the State Medical Board of Ohio ruled he engaged in sexual misconduct with a patient.
The board ruled on Feb. 11 that Dr. Frederick C. Carroll’s conduct is “sufficiently egregious to warrant the harshest sanction the board can order,” and permanently revoked his license.
Additionally, the board imposed a $10,000 civil penalty, which must be paid within 30 days.
Carroll has 15 days to appeal the board’s ruling.
Repeated attempts to reach Carroll’s attorney, Elizabeth Collis of Dinsmore & Shohl, were unsuccessful.
Carroll opened Colonial City Internal Medicine in 2006. He sold the practice to Knox Community Hospital in 2014, but remained an employee of the hospital.
Hospital CEO Bruce White said that in compliance with privacy laws and hospital policy, the hospital does not release personal information about its staff or patients.
However, he said Carroll has been on voluntary leave since April 2025. Carroll’s employment with Knox Community Hospital ended in October 2025.
“During this time, KCH provided temporary physician coverage for the office practice. Additionally, KCH and other local primary care providers stepped up to ensure Dr. Carroll’s patients had continued access to care,” White said.
“We’re grateful for the teamwork and dedication shown by this community of health care providers and staff. We know this situation created a lot of uncertainty and change for many patients, including adjusting care or having to seek and choose a new provider. We truly appreciate their patience as we worked together to try to ensure access to care.
“At Knox Community Hospital, we highly value and appreciate the trust our community places in us. We take the responsibility that comes with that trust very seriously. Providing access to high-quality, safe care for our patients will always be our top priority.”
Complaints of sexual misconduct through examination and texting
The SMBO notified Carroll in March 2025 that it was investigating a sexual misconduct complaint filed by a patient. It conducted videoconference hearings on June 6 and July 7, 2025.
According to the complaint, Carroll provided wellness exams and prescribed medication to the patient during 15 visits between April 28, 2021, and July 1, 2024.
The complaint alleged that Carroll was aware of the patient’s diagnoses of bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, alcohol dependence, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Additionally, the complaint alleged Carroll was aware the patient’s medical history included two suicide attempts.
According to SMBO documents, Carroll touched the patient’s nipples during a July 1, 2024, office visit. Carroll testified that the patient said he had nipple piercings and one had ripped out.
He acknowledged the patient did not complain of having problems with either nipple piercing nor ask Carroll to examine them. However, he said he asked to look at the patient’s nipples because he did not know when the ripping occurred in relation to the office visit.
According to the documents, after the patient left the office that day, Carroll started a lengthy text message exchange over the next several days. During that exchange, Carroll repeatedly invited the patient to his office after hours and shared his sexual performance, preferences, history, and detailed pornographic references.
Carroll testified that the patient reminded him of a good friend, and the doctor wanted to try “to establish a friendship outside of the office.”
He testified he did not intend to have a sexual relationship with the patient when he started texting him and that “it just snowballed.”
The patient testified that he texted Carroll because “it was nice having someone to talk to” and that he did not socialize much. However, he said Carroll kept steering the conversation “back to a sexual intent.”
Exploiting the physician/patient relationship
According to the board’s report, Carroll used his time on administrative leave to “improve many aspects of his life, including his health, spiritual life, family relationships, and friendships.”
It noted that if Carroll returned to practice, he would work fewer than the 80- to 90-hour weeks he previously worked.
Carroll assured the board he would not engage in future boundary violations, saying, “self-care was virtually completely absent in my life. … I see a difference in terms of where to set the boundaries. … I don’t see the need to work like I did.”
Four medical practitioners and another patient testified on Carroll’s behalf, saying the allegations were shocking, out of character, and did not change their opinion of Carroll.
In recommending revoking Carroll’s license, the board said Carroll “exploited a patient he knew to be vulnerable, a person with a history of mental-health and addiction issues.”
The board said it is irrelevant that the patient participated in the text exchange.
Regarding Carroll’s examination of the patient’s nipples, the board said that, given the totality of the circumstances, Carroll had no legitimate medical purpose in examining or touching the patient’s nipples.
“Dr. Carroll asking about the meaning of Patient 1’s earrings combined with his text messages, in particular the one in which he admitted to a nipple fetish, along with Dr. Carroll’s repeated requests for Patient 1 to come to his office and asking about Patient 1’s sexual history and preferences, make it clear that Dr. Carroll was attempting to initiate a sexual relationship with Patient 1,” the report states.