The University of Southern California said on Friday it was moving to fire the former dean of its medical school, Dr. Carmen Puliafito, after revelations that he had engaged in drug use during his tenure.

The doctor was immediately suspended from the school’s faculty as it started the process to fire him, the university’s provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, Michael W. Quick, said in a statement.

The university said it received information on Friday of “egregious behavior” involving drug abuse by Dr. Puliafito. The university did not elaborate about where it got the information.

“This was the first time we saw such information firsthand,” Mr. Quick wrote. “It is extremely troubling and we need to take serious action.”