Profession
Doctor loses his appeal in lawsuit against Colorado medical school
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 5, 2005
A University of Colorado medical professor, who claims he was demoted for speaking out against the university's plans to move its medical school, lost an appeal in the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to be reinstated as a department chair while the lawsuit moves through the courts.
Tom Rice, the attorney for the University of Colorado, said the decision allows the school to move forward and focus on educational matters.
"It makes very clear that the dean makes the decision on who chairs the department," he said.
Robert W. Schrier, MD, sued the university and its academic medical center for violating his right to free speech and breaching his employment contract. Dr. Schrier, a nephrologist, was chair of the department of medicine, according to the lawsuit, when the university began discussing whether to move the university's Health Sciences Center from Denver to suburban Aurora, Colo.
In his complaint Dr. Schrier alleges removing "him as chair of the department of medicine [was] in retaliation for publicly speaking out about the ... move." Dr. Schrier expressed concerns about the fiscal implications of the move and his view that the move would disrupt integrated programs within the medical school, according to a magistrate judge's findings.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/12/05/prbf1205.htm.
