Commentary

Do No Harm Sues University of Washington School of Medicine

  • By Do No Harm Staff
  • October 16, 2024
  • University of Washington School of Medicine

RICHMOND, VA; October 16, 2024 – Do No Harm filed a federal lawsuit against the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) for restricting access to a physician networking directory based on race.

UWSOM supports students interested in specialties and residency programs through its BIPOC Physicians Directory, a database of physicians that students can use for questions about their career. However, the school limits access to this helpful resource to “black, indigenous and people of color” or “BIPOC” students and physicians, excluding white students and physicians.

“Putting racial roadblocks on medical students making the critical career choice of a residency program and blocking white doctors from mentoring medical students is unethical and illegal,” said Do No Harm Chairman Dr. Stanley Goldfarb. “UWSOM should be ensuring that its students are well-trained and best able to serve patients.”

Do No Harm is asking the court for a permanent injunction to bar UWSOM from operating a directory that excludes students or physicians based on race, and to declare UWSOM in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.

Click here to read the lawsuit.

Do No Harm, established in April 2022, has rapidly gained recognition and made significant strides in its mission to safeguard healthcare from ideological threats. With more than 12,000 members, including doctors, nurses, physicians, and concerned citizens across all 50 states and in 14 countries, DNH has achieved more than 10,000 media hits in top-tier publications and garnered widespread attention through numerous broadcast news appearances.