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A $1.3 million settlement was reached July 16 in a case between UCLA and former student David Dixon. Dixon was terminated from his internship at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine’s family medicine residency program in 1994.

Two months away from obtaining his medical license, Dixon was dismissed due to poor performance, according to court records.

Dixon, who is black, felt differently.

He felt that he had been subject to “intentional discrimination” said Melanie Lomax, Dixon’s attorney.

Dixon filed a lawsuit against UCLA and the department of family medicine for alleged employment discrimination, according to a press release from the University of California Board of Regents.

As evidence of racism taking place Lomax pointed out that only three blacks have been admitted into the UCLA residency program in over 25 years.

“The treatment of Dixon, the double standards applied to him and the racial hostility were a throwback to the Old South. There is no explanation … except racial discrimination,” Lomax said in a press release from her office.

Dixon currently is a practicing medical researcher, but he does not believe he ever will become a doctor because of what he has gone through in the past decade.

He is hopeful things will improve for future black intern applicants, he said.

“Not everyone at UCLA is racist – it is a wonderful institution that must learn to be more transparent and to hold its management accountable,” Dixon said.

Dixon added he appreciated the support of certain individuals at UCLA who stood by him during this time.

Through the past decade, Lomax and Dixon have stood firm by their case as the university has continued to uphold that no racial discrimination took place.

The Los Angeles County Superior Court dismissed the lawsuit twice, and, according to the UC press release, university attorneys argued there was not enough evidence for a discrimination case.

The state appellate court disagreed, and the California Supreme Court affirmed its decision.

Though the university settled on July 16 “in recognition of the uncertainties that any trial can bring … the university vigorously denies that discrimination played any role in Dr. Dixon’s time at UCLA,” said university attorney Christopher Patti in a UC press release.

Ten years is far longer than either side expected the case to take. Ultimately the university settled “to put this 10-year-old matter where it belongs – in the past,” Patti said in the same press release.

Dixon and Lomax also welcomed the end of the trial.

“I am thankful it is finally over. Ten years is a long time to try and prove a point,” Dixon said.

As of now the university has no plans to change its admissions policy for interns, according to the UC press release.

“We take pride in the diversity of this medical school and believe a diverse environment fosters the best opportunity for learning,” said Dr. Gerald Levey, vice chancellor of UCLA Medical Sciences and dean of the medical school, in a UC press release.