More DEI-Driven Discrimination from the American Urological Association

A chapter of the American Urological Association (AUA) is operating discriminatory programs and scholarships.

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the AUA operates a “Pre-Medicine Enrichment Program” which offers students an eight-week mentorship experience focused on developing key skills and advancing research in the urology field. 

Students who are selected to participate in the program will receive a stipend of $5,000. However, the program is limited to “historically underrepresented minorities” who are “first generation students.” 

This is blatant discrimination, and disqualifies candidates who aren’t first generation “underrepresented minorities” (a term which the application page fails to precisely define).

Not surprisingly, the MA-AUA also offers a “Visiting Student DEI Scholarship” worth $1,500 in an effort to further the organization’s goal that “increasing diversity in the field of urological medicine is a top priority that will strengthen our profession, workplaces, and communities.” 

The scholarship is also only available to “underrepresented minorities.”

This is hardly the first instance in which the AUA has demonstrated an adherence to DEI philosophy. In 2023, Do No Harm highlighted the AUA’s intent to publish their third annual “Celebrating Diversity with the AUA” publication. 

The AUA has an entire section of its website dedicated to DEI, complete with a DEI committee, a DEI video podcast series, a diversity statement, and much more.

Do No Harm has also cataloged racial discrimination throughout the urology field.

For example, Emory University previously administered a DEI scholarship within its urology program solely available to individuals that met certain racial and ethnic criteria – a program which earned the school a federal civil rights complaint from Do No Harm.

The sooner professional organizations like the AUA ditch DEI, the more swiftly various medical organizations and universities can return to imparting knowledge in the subject areas that truly matter, instead of engaging in discriminatory programs.

As one AUA physician member said regarding the AUA’s drift towards DEI, “Put a sock in it, please. I would rather read about urology.”