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Medical School Professor Covered Up for Colleague, Psychotherapist Charges

Stromsten filed an affidavit Wednesday as partof a malpractice and wrongful death suit broughtagainst Bean-Bayog by Lozano's family.

In the affidavit, she said Bean-Bayog, 48,discussed her "erotic sexual feelings" for Lozanoduring a professional consultation group in 1990.

Stromsten said Lozano later told her he had asexual relationship with Bean-Bayog for "a numberof years." She said Lozano felt "ashamed,embarrassed, dirty" about the "kinky" relationshipand continued it because "he wasn't paying hervery much."

Bean-Bayog has questioned Stromsten'scredibility and knowledge of the case. She hascontradicted Stromsten's description of Lozano asa clean-cut medical student, insteadcharacterizing him as a liar and thief who"harbored homicidal, violent and delusionalthoughts."

The case has been in the public spotlight sincethe Lozano's attorney filed thousands of pages ofdocuments in court, including notes, letters andwritten sexual fantasies allegedly in Bean-Bayog'shandwriting.

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The media attention has prompted Bean-Bayog'sattorneys to move to place a gag order on allphysicians and relatives involved in the case,Stromsten said.

Medical School officials have been trying todistance themselves from the Bean-Bayog case.

"She was a part-time, unsalaried facultymember," said Sylvia L. Memolo, a Medical Schoolspokesperson.

"Bean-Bayog was not actually teaching withinthe University," said Suzanne Rauffenbart,associate dean for public affairs.

Bean-Bayog is based in private practice inLexington and is affiliated with the CambridgeCity Hospital Rauffenbart said.

She said Bean-Bayog's teaching role is limitedand "in tracking hospitalized patients she'd takemedical students on rounds."

The Medical School last May placed Bean-Bayogon leave and took her name off all referral listsone week after hearing about the charges.

"A special committee was established to reviewthe allegations and immediately, in one meeting,the decision was made to put Bean-Bayog onadministrative leave," said Rauffenbart, addingthat the school is not conducting its owninvestigation.

In contrast, Bean-Bayog's attorneys havepublicized her links with the University.

"She received her undergraduate, graduate andpost-graduate training at Harvard... She is anassistant clinical professor of psychiatry atHarvard Medical School, where she has taughtnumerous undergraduate and post-graduate courses,"read one press release.

The case has stunned the medical community.Some physicians have spoken in support ofBean-Bayog, a respected expert on alcohol abuse,while others say they still have unansweredquestions.

But most Harvard psychiatrists are not talking.Officials at the Harvard-affiliated McLeanHospital said doctors have been instructed not totalk to the media.

The Board of Registration in Medicine, whichhas come under fire for not responding sooner tomisconduct complaints, against Bean-Bayog, decidedMonday not to revoke Bean-Bayog's license pendingfurther investigation and a formal hearing.

The board said a lost letter and missingmedical records delayed the agency'sinvestigation. According to a chronology releasedyesterday, the board was first contacted 15 monthsago with complaints about Bean-Bayog.Photo courtesy of The Boston Herald

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