Colleagues close to Dr. Joseph Oesterling, the University's chief urologist, confirmed yesterday that he has been suspended indefinitely.
"He has been suspended for academic reasons," said a receptionist in Oesterling's department, who wished to remain anonymous. "But we don't have details on it."
But University officials refused to confirm or deny reports yesterday that Oesterling, who teaches at the University's School of Medicine, was suspended.
"We don't comment on personnel," said Associate Vice President for University Relations Lisa Baker.
An article in yesterday's Detroit Free Press reported that Oesterling was suddenly suspended Wednesday, a decision that was made so abruptly that his scheduled surgery appointments were canceled.
University Hospitals spokesperson Mike Harrison also refused to comment on the alleged suspension.
"When it's a personnel matter, the hospital and University can't confirm or get involved at all," Harrison said.
The receptionist said Dr. James Montie, another urologist, has filled Oesterling's post as acting chief of urology.
A second source confirmed that Oesterling was suspended for academic reasons, adding that the department requested all staffers to refrain from public comments on the issue.
Oesterling, who was unavailable for comment last night, told the Detroit Free Press he was "completely surprised" by the suspension. He also told the newspaper that the School of Medicine wishes to conduct an investigation.
Efforts to reach Lorris Betz, interim dean of the School of Medicine, and Lloyd Jacobs, associate dean, for comment were unsuccessful. Staff members in both offices referred calls regarding the alleged suspension to Baker.
Oesterling joined the University School of Medicine as a professor of surgery and its chief urologist in 1994.
He received his M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1982, and has received international acclaim as one of the world's leading authorities on prostate cancer.
In 1991 and 1992, he won the American Urological Association Prostate Health Council Award. Immediately before joining the University in 1994, Oesterling was a faculty member at the renowned Mayo Medical School in Rochester, Minn.
Oesterling, the director of the Michigan Prostate Institute, spearheaded research for a new test to help detect prostate cancer. Under Oesterling's leadership, the prostate-specific antigen blood test, known as PSA, was made more sensitive to early signs of the disease.