back-alley doctor; unlicensed doctor; quack
Refers to a doctor practicing without a proper license, often in an illegal or underground setting. Carries a negative, shady connotation.
He had a terrible experience after undergoing surgery by a back-alley doctor.
It seems unlicensed doctors are still operating in that area.
ヤブ医者 means a quack or incompetent doctor, but not necessarily unlicensed. 闇医者 specifically implies illegal, underground practice.
Standard kanji spelling. 闇 means 'darkness' or 'illegal', and 医者 means 'doctor'.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling sometimes seen in less formal writing.
Compound of 闇 (yami, 'darkness; illegal') and 医者 (isha, 'doctor'). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but the term likely arose to describe doctors operating outside the law, hidden from authorities.