Patients and co-workers shocked Houston urologist was accused of being impaired during surgeries

Wednesday, January 8, 2025 7:15PM CT
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Urologist Nathan Starke was either a brilliant surgeon and mentor, or the Texas Medical Board was right to temporarily suspend his medical license.

Those starkly divergent views emerged a day after news broke that the Texas Medical Board took the rare step of suspending a physician's license to practice medicine.

"Dr. Starke is a great doctor," Jasmine Chatman, a medical assistant who worked under Starke for almost three years, said. Chatman and Kenya Lattin, another medical assistant, both spoke highly of the urologist and wanted to defend him after the allegations came out.

"They are very serious allegations and raise a lot of red flags, especially in a field that is so passionate or heartfelt. But like I said, we don't know, but we just know we worked with this great man, this phenomenal doctor," Chatman said.

RELATED: Texas Medical Board suspends license of Houston doctor accused of being impaired during surgeries
Texas Medical Board suspends license of Houston doctor accused of being impaired during surgeries


The medical assistants' views are vastly different than Jacob Castillo, a 25-year-old who underwent a vasectomy under Dr. Starke three years ago.



"It took me almost four weeks to fully recover," Castillo said, adding he was told the recovery period should be just a few days. "I wasn't really able to walk for two of those (weeks.) Bedridden and still in chronic pain to this day."

Castillo said when he began exploring a vasectomy, he could not even find a surgeon willing to perform the surgery on him because he was just 22 years old at the time. Starke was the only physician he spoke with who agreed to do the procedure.

Castillo doesn't know if Dr. Starke was impaired during his procedure, but medical board records show the urologist is accused of performing multiple surgeries while impaired and has been subject to drug and alcohol screening since 2023. His license was temporarily suspended specifically because he tested positive for cocaine.

Besides the actions of the medical board, Dr. Starke has had personal issues over the years. They include two DUI arrests and a 2023 case where he was accused of assaulting a woman he was dating. Court records show Starke is currently in deferred adjudication in that case.



Still, Starke has his supporters.

"I've never seen him on drugs or doing anything of that nature," Kenya Lattin, one of the medical assistants, said.

What does this mean for other patients?

Randy Sorrels, a Houston attorney and former President of the State Bar of Texas who has handled several medical malpractice cases, says it's extremely unusual to see the Texas Medical Board take such action against any doctor.

"It's rare that the Texas medical board comes out and suspends a doctor's license," Sorrels said. "When they do, it's usually because there's so much evidence, and it's the only right thing to do."



Sorrels reminds consumers that there are a number of ways patients can research their doctors before undergoing surgery. You can check in the county where the doctor practices to see if the doctor has been in any lawsuits, you can check the Texas Medical Board to see if they have been disciplined at all, and you can and should ask for their credentials, where they went to school, proper training, and background.

Eyewitness News reached out to Dr. Starkes' criminal defense attorney, who would not comment on the record of the Medical Boards decision. We have also reached out to the attorney working with the doctor on his licensing issues and are still waiting for a response.

For news updates, follow Miya Shay on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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