Commentary

The ACGME Hasn’t Abandoned DEI Just Yet

  • By Do No Harm Staff
  • July 2, 2025
  • Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

In May, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the accrediting body for medical residency programs, announced that it would be suspending enforcement of two key “diversity” requirements in its accreditation standards.

The decision followed an executive order by President Trump targeting accreditors for injecting DEI into medical education; the order singled out the ACGME by name for its DEI requirements.

But this decision to walk back DEI in its accreditation standards may not be reflective of the ACGME’s position on DEI as a whole.

According to a June 27 email obtained by Do No Harm, the ACGME’s Review Committee for Family Medicine is selecting a nominee to serve a six-year term.

The Review Committee for Family Medicine is the accrediting authority for family medicine residency programs, and reviews programs to ensure they comply with the ACGME’s accreditation standards.

The American Academy of Family Physicians and Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors will consider the nominees in accordance with the committee’s selection criteria.

Figure 1. A screenshot from an email advertising the ACGME’s selection of nominees for its Review Committee for Family Medicine.

However, the committee’s selection criteria are based on “geographic distribution and diversity in gender and race.”

Figure 2. A screenshot from an email advertising the ACGME’s selection of nominees for its Review Committee for Family Medicine.

In other words, the committee’s selections will be race-conscious.

The email appears to reference the ACGME’s official DEI policy for the composition of boards and committees.

“The ACGME is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and advocacy in all its activities,” the policy reads. 

“In soliciting and selecting from among professionally qualified nominees or applicants for ACGME committees, task forces, groups, appeals panels, and the Board of Directors, consideration shall be given to diversity, including without limitation, geography, specialty, gender identity, race, ethnicity, and sexual and gender minorities,” the policy continues.

Although Do No Harm appreciates the ACGME’s decision to walk back its DEI impositions on medical residency programs, it’s disturbing that this position is not applied across the ACGME. 

Racial discrimination is unethical no matter where it takes place.

The ACGME should practice what it now preaches, and end its discriminatory diversity policies.