Medical Schools Are More Woke Than You Think

Just how woke is the average American medical school? Extremely woke – and apparently not woke enough.

So says the Association of American Medical Colleges, which recently surveyed 101 medical schools, representing almost two-thirds of the medical schools in the U.S. It looked at 89 specific “diversity, equity, and inclusion” policies that it wants to see at these institutions. DEI is usually code for divisive identity politics and even racially discriminatory practices.

The topline findings are frightening. More than six out of 10 medical schools have implemented at least 80% of these policies. No medical school has implemented less than 50%. In other words, the average American medical school is doing at least half of the things that woke activists demand.

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Our chairman, Dr. Stan Goldfarb, lays out facts in a New York Post op-ed. Here are some of the most concerning findings:

• Discriminatory Recruiting: 100% of the schools “have admissions policies and practices for encouraging a diverse class of students.” In other words, they’re practicing affirmative action, which requires discriminating on the basis of race.

• Political Advocacy: 75% of medical schools “advocate for policies and/or legislation at a local, state, or federal level related to its diversity, inclusion, and equity mission.” In other words, they’re wading into divisive public policy debates instead of focusing fully on their mission of teaching medicine.

• Politicized Leadership: 99% of medical schools have “institutional leaders [who are] active within local, regional, and national forums to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion.” In other words, their leadership is setting a tone that medical education should be politicized.

• Woke Bureaucracies: 97% ofmedical schoolshave “a dedicated office, staff, and resources” for DEI. In other words, there’s a permanent bureaucracy at most medical schools pushing woke ideology on faculty and students alike. 

• Faculty Litmus Tests: 43% of medical schools “have promotion and tenure policies that specifically reward faculty scholarship and service on DEI topics.” In other words, they are only hiring professors who hold specific and divisive political views.

• Wasting Money: 85% of schools have “taken action to modify communications, branding, icons, or displays” to better reflect DEI goals, etc. In other words, they’re spending money on proving their woke bona fides instead of educating future physicians.

Most concerning: the AAMC is pushing 100% of medical schools to score 100% in each category. That goal is closer than anyone realized.

While the supposed justification for all of this is improving health, there’s no evidence that any of these measures will make a difference for patients. In fact, the opposite is likely to happen: The woke capture of medical education will lead to worse health outcomes for patients.

This doesn’t bode well for the future of health care. Medical schools are broadly lowering standards for admissions, faculty and research while devoting a higher share of resources to political lobbying, politicized bureaucracy and public virtue signaling.

Stanley Goldfarb, MD

Dr. Goldfarb makes clear the stakes: “This doesn’t bode well for the future of health care. Medical schools are broadly lowering standards for admissions, faculty and research while devoting a higher share of resources to political lobbying, politicized bureaucracy and public virtue signaling.”

America needs to wake up to the fact that medical schools are woke. Students, professors, taxpayers, and policymakers should be looking for steps to stop this trend – and save medical schools from being fully and irreversibly politicized. The health and well-being of every American depends on it.

How woke is your medical school? Please let us know – securely and anonymously.