Commentary

Following Do No Harm Lawsuit, Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons Eliminates Discriminatory Scholarship Program

  • By Do No Harm Staff
  • May 1, 2025
  • Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons

RICHMOND, VA; May 1, 2025 – The Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (SOMOS) ended a discriminatory scholarship following a lawsuit filed by Do No Harm in December 2024.

“We are pleased that the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons has ended its discriminatory scholarship program,” said Stanley Goldfarb, MD, Chairman of Do No Harm. “Offering opportunities only to applicants who meet certain gender or racial requirements is against the law and harmful to the necessary objective of recruiting and training the most qualified healthcare providers. This should serve as a message to all medical institutions: If you are engaging in unlawful discrimination, we at Do No Harm will make sure you are held accountable.”

The E. Anthony Rankin Scholarship Program – administered by SOMOS in partnership with the U.S. Navy – was available only to applicants of an “underrepresented gender or racial background in orthopaedics.”

The now-ended SOMOS scholarship excluded and disfavored white medical students in violation of the U.S. Constitution and the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

The stipulation of dismissal states that the program was canceled for current and future cohorts, and if SOMOS revives the program it will be available to all students.

Click here to read the joint stipulation of dismissal.

Click here to read the original complaint.

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 17,000 members, including doctors, nurses, physicians, and concerned citizens across all 50 states and 14 countries, DNH has achieved over 10,000 media hits in top-tier publications and garnered widespread attention through numerous broadcast news appearances.