Rose v. Univ TX SW Med Sch
Rose v. Univ TX SW Med Sch
Opinion
IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 01-10544 Summary Calendar
J. KEITH ROSE, M.D.,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL SCHOOL AT DALLAS; ROD J. ROHRICH, M.D.; FRITZ E. BARTON, M.D.; A. JAY BURNS, M.D.; H. STEVE BYRD, M.D.; DONNELL F. JOHNS, PhD.; PHILIP L. KELTON, JR., M.D.; JEFFREY M. KENKEL, M.D.; WILLIAM ADAMS, M.D.; SCOTT N. OISHI, M.D.; HARRY H. ORRENSTEIN, M.D.; SAM BERAN, M.D.; ILDIKO GYIMESI, M.D.,
Defendants-Appellees.
-------------------- Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas USDC No. 3:99-CV-1754-G -------------------- February 22, 2002
Before DAVIS, BENAVIDES, and CLEMENT, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Keith Rose appeals the district court’s summary judgment order
dismissing his suit filed after his termination from a plastic
surgery residency program at the University of Texas Southwestern
Medical School. Rose alleges that: 1) the district court abused
its discretion when it ruled on the summary judgment motion before
* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.
1 Rose obtained and submitted certain medical records; 2) he was
denied procedural due process because the school and its faculty
did not follow its internal policies regarding student evaluations;
3) the school was not entitled to Eleventh Amendment immunity with
respect to his claims seeking reinstatement and attorney’s fees; 4)
the individual faculty members were not entitled to qualified
immunity or statutory immunity under the Health Care Quality
Improvement Act; and 5) there was evidence demonstrating a genuine
issue of material fact with respect to the nature of his
termination. Rose asserts the decision was not based upon his
deficient performance during his plastic surgery residency but upon
animosity between the chairman of the plastic surgery department
and himself.
Our de novo review of the record reveals that the district
court’s determination as to all of Rose’s claims should be
affirmed. The district court did not abuse its discretion in
ruling on the summary judgment motion without the requested medical
records. See FED. R. CIV. P. 56(f); Washington v. Allstate Ins.
Co.,
901 F.2d 1281, 1285(5th Cir. 1990)(holding that a plaintiff's
entitlement to discovery prior to a ruling on a motion for summary
judgment is not unlimited, and may be cut off when the record shows
that the requested discovery is not likely to produce the facts
needed by the plaintiff to withstand a motion for summary
judgment.)
Additionally, neither Rose’s procedural nor his substantive
due process rights were violated. Rose was informed of his
probationary status for deficient performance, and, upon
2 termination, he was afforded a hearing during which he was allowed
to question and present witnesses. Rose was given more process
than was owed under the circumstances. See Board of Curators of
University of Missouri v. Horowitz,
435 U.S. 78, 86(1978)(holding
that “[t]he need for flexibility is well illustrated by the
significant difference between the failure of a student to meet
academic standards and the violation by a student of valid rules of
conduct. This difference calls for far less stringent procedural
requirements in the case of an academic dismissal); Wheeler v.
Miller,
168 F.3d 241, 247-51(5th Cir. 1999). Rose was therefore
not entitled to any prospective relief.
Finally, Rose’s challenges to the district court’s
determination that the medical school and its individual faculty
members were entitled to Eleventh Amendment and qualified immunity
are without merit. Shaboon v. Duncan,
252 F.3d 722, 728-32(5th
Cir. 2001).
AFFIRMED.
3
Reference
- Status
- Unpublished