Former patients accuse deceased Ohio State physician of sexual misconduct — 6 insights

Orthopedic Sports Medicine

The late Richard Strauss, MD, who was a physician at Columbus-based Ohio State University, has been accused of sexual misconduct by former student health center patients and student-athletes, The Crescent-News reports.

Here are six insights:

1. Investigators are interviewing more than 130 people who claim to have knowledge about Dr. Strauss' alleged misconduct.

2. Dr. Strauss, who died in 2005, served as an associate professor of medicine at Ohio State, a team physician from 1981 to 1995, and an employee at the university medical center and student health center.

Dr. Strauss was also selected to test Olympic athletes for illegal drug use and studied injury rates and steroid use among athletes.

3. Former athletes affiliated with the university's baseball, cheerleading, cross-country, fencing, football, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball and wrestling teams reported alleged misconduct.

4. Dr. Strauss' personnel file doesn't indicate the university was aware of the alleged sexual misconduct.

5. In 1998, then-medical school dean Bernadine Healy, MD, questioned a proposal to award Strauss "professor emeritus" status after his retirement.

6. Ohio State hired Perkins Coie to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations. The law firm will evaluate the extent of the university's knowledge of the allegations during Dr. Strauss' tenure there.

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