Editor’s note: This commentary was originally submitted in response to “Antiracism Pedagogy in Medical Education, published in The New England Journal of Medicine. The journal rejected the submission.
The New England Journal of Medicine’s Perspective “Antiracism Pedagogy in Medical Education” (published April 4, 2026) illustrates how parts of academic medicine have wandered away from anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology toward an antiracism framework that remains nebulous at best and divisive at worst. Even proponents such as Chioma Onuoha and colleagues concede that antiracism teachings are not “standardized within health professions education,” with current practices frequently leading to “poor learner engagement.”[1]
The evidence base is no stronger: outcomes from antiracist interventions remain “unclear,” while implicit bias training has yet to show improvements in clinical care, all while suffering from substantial methodological limitations.[2], [3] That fewer than 8% of NYCAMES registrants completed commitment statements in 2024—a decline of roughly 50% from the year prior—should not be surprising. The disengagement reflects teaching that is ill-defined, weakly evidenced, and lacking in demonstrable outcomes.
Yet, its promotion continues forcefully through academic channels. Wouldn’t medicine—and patients themselves—be better served by refocusing on clinical excellence and evidence-based training rather than an activist pedagogy seemingly devoid of substance?
[1] Onuoha C, Tsai J, Khazanchi R. Using Critical Pedagogy to Advance Antiracism in Health Professions Education. AMA J Ethics. 2024;26(1):E36-47. doi: 10.1001/amajethics.2024.36.
[2] Blanchet Garneau A, Lavoie P, Bélisle M, et al. Outcomes of antiracist pedagogy in health professions education: a scoping review. Adv in Health Sci Educ 2026;31:341–360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-025-10448-1.
[3] Vela MB, Erondu AI, Smith NA, Peek ME, Woodruff JN, Chin MH. Eliminating Explicit and Implicit Biases in Health Care: Evidence and Research Needs. Annu Rev Public Health. 2022;43:477-501. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-052620-103528.
