DISCRIMINATION

Kaminsky v. Saint Louis Univ. Sch. of Med., No. 4:05CV1112 CDP (E.D. Mo. Aug. 16, 2006)

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri granted summary judgment in favor of a medical school that had failed to accept a physician into its residency training program, finding that the physician had not presented any evidence that the reasons for the school's decision were pretextual. The physician had previously been in the school's residency training program and during that time the school had placed him on probation, not elevated him to fourth year resident status, and not renewed his contract. These actions were based on performance concerns as well as concerns about unprofessional conduct, which included obscene phone calls and intimidating letters sent to the school's staff.

A few years later, the physician reapplied to the program but did not reveal on his application that he had been discharged from another program and that his medical license in one state was suspended. The physician also falsely stated on his application that his license in another state had been suspended because of an illness, when it had been suspended as a result of criminal charges.

When the school made a decision not to hire the physician, he filed claims for discrimination based on disability and religion. The court granted summary judgment in favor of the school, finding no evidence that the school's reasons for not hiring the physician were pretextual.