Quincy West v. Samuel Atkins Rae McNamara James B. Hunt

CHAPMAN, Circuit Judge:

In Calvert v. Sharp, 748 F.2d 861, 863 (4th Cir.1984), cert. denied, 471 U.S. 1132, 105 S.Ct. 2667, 86 L.Ed.2d 283 (1985), we held that “[t]he professional obligations and functions of a private physician establish that such a physician does not act under color of state law when providing medical services to an inmate.” Prisoner West brought this § 1983 action against a private physician who was under contract for part-time employment with the state to provide two orthopedic clinics per week at North Carolina Central Prison Hospital. Because we perceive no valid reason…