Ex-UC Irvine student is accused of pretending to be a doctor

Prosecutors have filed charges against a former UC Irvine student accused of pretending to be a doctor at UCI and Children’s Hospital of Orange County, officials said Wednesday.

Ariya Ouskouian, 23, of Irvine was charged Tuesday with a felony count of providing medical diagnosis while impersonating a doctor and eight misdemeanor counts of misrepresenting oneself as a licensed medical practitioner, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.

Officials allege he claimed to be a doctor while diagnosing a patient about a growth on his neck at a UCI consult room May 3. He also is accused of impersonating a doctor at CHOC at least seven times between April 23 and June 4.

In each occasion, Ouskouian claimed to security that he had misplaced his hospital badge before requesting a temporary one, the district attorney’s office said.

When hospital staff asked for verification of his status as a doctor, he provided the name of a person with UC Irvine, authorities said.

“The defendant is further accused of convincing the UCI personnel of his alleged doctor status. The UCI personnel then verified Ouskouian to CHOC,” the DA’s office said.

CHOC alerted the Orange Police Department, which investigated the case.

Ouskouian was arrested Tuesday and released on bond Wednesday afternoon, according to Orange County Sheriff’s Department records.

Authorities provided no further information about Ouskouian.

If convicted of all charges, he could face three years in state prison and eight years in Orange County Jail, authorities said.