Commentary

The Indiana University School of Medicine is Under Investigation for Racial Discrimination

  • By Do No Harm Staff
  • December 12, 2022
  • Indiana University

The Indiana University School of Medicine is having to account for its violations of students’ civil rights.

Earlier this year, an official complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) regarding IUSM’s Underrepresented in Medicine Visiting Elective – a program that illegally discriminates on the bases of race and sex. As a result of the complaint, filed by Do No Harm senior fellow Mark Perry, a federal civil rights investigation vs. IUSM has been opened by the Chicago OCR.

Eligibility criteria require applicants to “identify as one or more of the following diversity categories: Black/African American, Hispanic Latinx, LGBTQ+.” This is a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibit such discrimination.

Figure 1. Indiana University SOM Underrepresented in Medicine Visiting Elective Program eligibility criteria.

The program, sponsored by IUSM’s Faculty Affairs, Professional Development, and Diversity initiative, offers a $2,000 stipend to out-of-state visiting students, plus “compensation upon successful completion of the rotation.”

Have you been excluded from a scholarship or fellowship at your medical or nursing school because of discriminatory inclusion criteria? Do No Harm wants to hear from you, and you may remain anonymous if you wish.

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