Do No Harm Notches Key Victories in Fight Against Medical Schools’ Racial Discrimination

Two medical schools, the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine, have each ceased racially discriminatory practices following Do No Harm civil rights complaints.

The University of Maryland School of Medicine is no longer offering a scholarship program that discriminated against applicants based on their race. The medical school ditched the scholarship after the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) opened a federal civil rights investigation into the scholarship due to a Do No Harm complaint.

In 2022, Do No Harm discovered that the school’s Department of Psychiatry was previously offered a $1,500 scholarship for “visiting students underrepresented in medicine”; however, the scholarship’s eligibility criteria limited the opportunity to students of certain races.

“‘Underrepresented in medicine means those racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population,’” the criteria read. “This lens currently includes students who identify as African Americans and/or Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native American (American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians), Pacific Islander, and mainland Puerto Rican.”

In other words, the scholarship specifically excluded students who were white, Asian, Middle Eastern, and other unfavored racial groups.

Do No Harm Senior Fellow Mark J. Perry filed a federal civil rights complaint against the University of Maryland in 2022, alleging the program discriminates “on the basis of race, color, or national origin,” which is prohibited under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. OCR opened an investigation into the school later that year.

OCR then notified Do No Harm on September 11, 2024, that the University of Maryland was no longer offering the scholarship.

“On August 26, 2024, the University notified OCR that the Scholarship is no longer offered by the University and it is no longer listed on its website,” the notice read. “Based on this information, OCR has determined that the allegation is resolved, and we are dismissing it […].”

“This is another solid victory for Do No Harm’s efforts to expose and successfully challenge race-based discrimination in US medical schools,” Perry said. “OCR’s ruling demonstrates that Do No Harm has the law on our side as it agreed with our claim that Maryland’s discrimination was an unlawful violation of Title VI and it closed its investigation only after the school agreed to terminate its discriminatory scholarship.”

Distributing financial awards to students based on their race is not only immoral but illegal. Denying white and Asian students access to funding simply because they happened to be born in the wrong ethnic group is not in line with any medical school’s pedagogical mission and will only harm the medical field. Do No Harm applauds this result and urges all U.S. medical schools to abandon their racially discriminatory programs that violate their legal obligation to actively enforce Title VI.

But that’s not our only victory this month. 

Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine recently promoted its annual “Black Men in Medicine” event scheduled for October 24, which it restricted only to black males.

“This event aims to provide a supportive environment that prioritizes the experiences, voices, needs, and safety of those who identify as Black males working in or studying in the health professions,” the event description read. “If you do not self-identify as part of this demographic, we ask that you contact us at OHEDI@temple.edu for other opportunities for engagement and support.”

Perry filed a civil rights complaint against the school on September 5 alleging the event violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and shared a courtesy copy of the complaint with Temple University’s leadership including its University Counsel and president

Just a few days later, the medical school changed its event description, saying now that “all are welcome.” Furthermore, the University removed the sentence about those who “do not self-identify as part of this demographic.” 

Medical schools should be on notice: Do No Harm is watching, and we will make sure you are held accountable for any attempts to racially discriminate in violation of your legal obligation to actively enforce all federal civil rights laws including Title VI. There are no “unless you have good intentions” exceptions to Title VI, and all discrimination based on race is unlawful even if it advantages medical students of the “right” races for the “right” reasons.

Have you been unfairly affected by discriminatory scholarships or programs at your institution, or are you aware of any discrimination at a U.S. medical school? If you or others did not apply because you thought you were ineligible, please let us know – anonymously and securely.