CWRU blocks graduation from med school over "professionalism" issues; judge orders degree be awarded

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Members don't see this ad :)
asmallchild said:
I was curious myself, my brief search seems to show that hospital doesn't have a residency program. Plus no mention of a prelim year before his residency. My guess is that his intern year is at Riverside and there's a dermatology residency to come?
Click to expand...
That hospital they list is his internship.
 
Yeah...it's all over the other boards -- saw it there after a friend brought it to my attention and figured I'd post the actual news article here to see if people had any thoughts. Personally, I think they should just let him graduate; he'll have other issues later. It's not up to CWRU to be all namby pamby.
 
pupster said:
Yeah...it's all over the other boards -- saw it there after a friend brought it to my attention and figured I'd post the actual news article here to see if people had any thoughts. Personally, I think they should just let him graduate; he'll have other issues later. It's not up to CWRU to be all namby pamby.
Click to expand...
Well according to the court judgement the school was ordered to give him the MD. From the other thread: http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/ohio/ohndce/1:2014cv01046/209292/18. Quite the history.

The time for Case to address this was in his MSPE, which apparently they didn't according to the judgement. Sad that his medical school bent over backwards for him to be successful. Now his residency and medical licensing board should be the one to handle this, not CWRU.
 
I guess though CWRU was in a pickle...they probably would have been sued if they said something in the MSPE before he was actually convicted...ya know...the whole "innocent until proven guilty thing..."
 
pupster said:
I guess though CWRU was in a pickle...they probably would have been sued if they said something in the MSPE before he was actually convicted...ya know...the whole "innocent until proven guilty thing..."
Click to expand...

According to the judgement he had several other prior issues that weren't reported:
http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/ohio/ohndce/1:2014cv01046/209292/18/0.pdf
  • showing up late to group sessions
  • being drunk at a school dance and harassing several women with dance requests
  • touching the "bottom" of a female student with confrontation with the woman's date
  • after the dance, stiffing a cab for payment and jumping out of the vehicle while the car was moving.
Honestly, IMHO, those things shouldn't have been reported anyways in an MSPE as categorizing them as falling under medical professionalism is a stretch for me.

It wasn't until the latest incident in North Carolina where he crashed into a telephone pole and was convicted of a DWI after the Match (he apparently wasn't required to report arrests to the school per their handbook), when **** really hit the fan.
 
Last edited:
What a douchebag. Yes, I'm judgmental. I hate people like this. Cannot believe he will be part of the derm community....goodluck to SUNY Downstate.

Regardless, this will stick with him FOREVER and he will be 'that guy'...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I think the more shocking part of this story is that SUNY Downstate took a non-blonde non-female resident.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
GuyWhoDoesStuff said:
I think the more shocking part of this story is that SUNY Downstate took a non-blonde non-female resident.
Click to expand...
I was going to say I'm actually more concerned for his female derm resident colleagues.
 
Last edited:
Members don't see this ad :)
I am surprised he matched into derm with two passes "with reservations" on his medicine subI, including a retake.
 
Last edited:
  • showing up late to group sessions (who hasn't?)
  • being drunk at a school dance and harassing several women with dance requests (the man probably just has passion in his pants and he ain't afraid to show it. Who can fault him for that?)
  • touching the "bottom" of a female student with confrontation with the woman's date (he was probably just psyched from passing anatomy and wanted to show her what he put for the question on the location of the gluteus maximus)
  • after the dance, stiffing a cab for payment and jumping out of the vehicle while the car was moving. (this is pretty heroic. It's like that scene from Anchorman when Burgandy can't be mad at baxter for eating an entire wheel of cheese. this man is willing to go the extra mile for trivial things like dodging a $10 cab fare. Just imagine the lengths he'll go to for his patients.)
I'd say he's chairman material.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Taurus said:
CWRU filed an appeal.

https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/3745074/Amir_AlDabagh_v_Case_Western_Reserve_Univ

The saga continues. How can you function as an effective resident knowing that your medical career could be wiped away at any time?
Click to expand...
Wow, federal court? I'm surprised this close to July 1. I really thought Case would drop the case, but it looks like they were caught off guard not winning. So did he get his degree or not?

Edit: nvm, it looks like he got the degree as ordered by the injunction, it's just being appealed by CWRU.
 
Taurus said:
Case Western Reserve University continues effort to revoke a doctor's degree in federal appeals court

This is an interesting case. I think there's a better than 50/50 chance that CWRU will prevail.
Click to expand...
I'd say 75/25 that CWRU (won't) prevail, as the federal court is also in Ohio.

I thought this part was interesting:
CWRU filed a motion on June 13 asking the appeals court to schedule the case as soon as possible because it believes "that this student, who is about to commence his residency, is not medically qualified to treat future patients."

If it wins on appeal it will revoke Al-Dabagh's degree, CWRU wrote.

The university said in its motion that "despite the importance of this issue to the public and to it," it did not ask Gwin to stay, or suspend, his order while it was appealed.

The university wrote it was concerned that if it obtained a stay it would have to post a "substantial" bond to cover monetary damages it would likely have to pay to Al-Dabagh if it lost on appeal because Al-Dabagh would have lost his residency and future job prospects.

You can bet if CWRU wins, they will be smacked with a huge lawsuit by him for education costs and possibly lost monetary income.
 
would paying for a degree automatically cause you to earn it? there is more to it than just academics.

Regardless, his image is tarnished. He's 'that guy'.
 
doc MD said:
would paying for a degree automatically cause you to earn it? there is more to it than just academics.

Regardless, his image is tarnished. He's 'that guy'.
Click to expand...

I think that's what the court was arguing against in their opinion, that medical schools don't have the right to evaluate professionalism with respect to earning a degree.
But here, the Court considers what discretion courts should give educational institutions when the educational institution judges character, not academic competence. So, this opinion first looks at how much discretion Case should receive when it’s professionalism judgment really examines ______’s character. The Court then considers whether Case abused that discretion when it refused ______ the diploma he had otherwise earned.
Click to expand...

While Case should receive great discretion in judging academic standards, the determination of “professionalism” goes well beyond academic or patient related matters. The University’s definition of “professionalism” expresses a moral judgment, rather than an evaluation against a set of specialized criteria. Case describes professionalism in moral judgment terms: “ethical, honest, responsible and reliable behavior”; “respectful dialogue”; “personal limitations and biases”; and “professional and interpersonal behavior, sensitivity, sense of responsibility, and ethics, and the ability to conduct oneself suitably.”
Click to expand...

But yes, every derm resident, program director, faculty members, people who go to AAD (and to a lesser extent those who go to SID), will know who he is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

E
Peds planning to apply to Dermatology after graduation in 2026
Replies
0
Views
293
efe777
E
M
Best gift for a recent derm graduate
Replies
1
Views
896
Dral
Dral
Y
Dermpath Salary as new graduate
Replies
6
Views
2K
sloh
S
K
  • Locked
From a rad onc resident: Derm specialty's experience with over-training?
Replies
13
Views
5K
asmallchild
asmallchild
2
Is mean derm USMLE score now over 250?
Replies
7
Views
3K
Cantaloupe5
C
Top