Does the cosigning physician become the author of the note?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only if the physician wrote the note
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (B)

Authorship in clinical notes is defined by who wrote the note and is responsible for its content, not by who later reviews it. A cosigning physician’s role is to review and approve the record, confirm its accuracy, and take accountability for it, but this does not transfer or assign authorship to them. The original writer remains the author, while the cosigner serves as the attestant and validator of the documentation. This distinction matters for who drafted the narrative and who signs off to indicate oversight. So the cosigning physician does not become the author by cosigning.