Newark, NJ – A former pathology resident who accused Rutgers New Jersey Medical School of derailing her medical career with damaging references has lost her lawsuit after a federal judge granted the university’s motion to dismiss.
Weiying Yue, who completed one year of residency at Rutgers NJMS between July 2018 and June 2019, claimed the school issued her a certificate of satisfactory service but later sabotaged her efforts to secure another residency. She alleged that program leaders provided negative references to prospective employers and disclosed that she had been involved in legal disputes.
Yue argued this amounted to retaliation, defamation, and breaches of confidentiality, saying the actions left her unable to obtain a new residency between 2019 and 2024. She also accused Rutgers of pressuring her into signing a liability release before agreeing to provide references.
The conflict began in November 2018, when Yue received a notice that her residency contract would not be renewed. She pursued an internal appeal under Rutgers’ grievance policy, which she said was approved by the dean in June 2019 but never acted upon. That same year, she also filed a discrimination complaint alleging bias based on national origin and age, which Rutgers’ Office of Employment Equity denied in 2020.
U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi dismissed the case after Rutgers and faculty defendant Ada Baisre DeLeon moved to throw out the complaint under federal procedural rules. The judge ruled that Yue’s claims, including defamation and retaliation, were insufficiently supported and that supplemental evidence she attempted to add outside her original complaint could not be considered.
The decision leaves Yue without relief, though she may pursue an appeal.
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Key Points
- Former Rutgers pathology resident alleged retaliation and defamation over negative job references.
- Plaintiff claimed references conflicted with her certificate of satisfactory service and included disclosure of a lawsuit.
- Federal judge dismissed the case, rejecting additional evidence Yue submitted.
Rutgers’ dismissal closes another chapter in a years-long dispute.