American Academy of Family Physicians Recruits ‘Experts’ to Teach Its Members DEI

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) seems intent on doubling down on its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda, this time injecting identity politics into its educational materials.

The AAFP this week issued a call for subject matter experts to propose continuing medical education content as it develops its 2025 curriculum. But along with suggestions that the proposals be innovative and contribute to the advancement of the medical field, the AAFP had an additional stipulation – that they be “DEI-focused.”

The request mirrors one of the AAFP’s strategic educational priorities, which is to “develop and diversify family physician leadership.” The AAFP further specified that it is “especially interested” in proposals that discuss topics including “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)” and “Health equity.”

It should go without saying that medical education should not be “focused” on DEI, which involves racial discrimination to achieve its desired ideological objectives. Moreover, there is no evidence that initiatives aimed at promoting diversity among healthcare professionals or encouraging adherence to DEI have improved healthcare outcomes. In fact, research has shown that these initiatives have not reduced healthcare disparities. The goal of the AAFP and institutions like it should be to improve Americans’ health, not promote ineffective and divisive trainings.

But unfortunately, the infiltration of DEI into family medicine is nothing new, and the AAFP has long prioritized DEI in its educational materials.

In this instance, the AAFP makes clear that these educational proposals will help the organization further its DEI agenda.

“We will use the insights gained from this data to ensure our selection of faculty and our recruitment strategies are diverse, inclusive, and representative of our overall membership,” the AAFP says.

Do No Harm has previously exposed the AAFP’s obsession with DEI. In 2022, at several of the organization’s events, the AAFP held numerous DEI-focused sessions and panels, such as presentations on anti-racism. Anti-racism explicitly calls for racial discrimination to right past historical wrongs. In 2023, the AAFP’s vice president of medical education bemoaned the Supreme Court’s decision that found race-based university admissions unconstitutional, instead calling for alternative means of racial discrimination.

The AAFP’s pursuit of health equity and DEI can also present more serious dangers; for instance, the organization called to reexamine whether race should be used in diagnostic algorithms, arguing that considering race could worsen health disparities between racial groups. 

This notion has drawn considerable criticism. Researchers recently warned that the American Heart Association’s decision to remove race from its cardiovascular disease risk calculator could contribute to making millions of people ineligible for necessary medication.

The AAFP is responsible for providing valuable resources to family medicine practitioners. It should take this responsibility seriously.

Rather than further indulge its DEI agenda, it should rid itself of this noxious and harmful ideology.