Dr. Sam Lentz

Dr. Sam Lentz may be retired, but he’s not resting. 

After more than 35 years of practicing gynecologic oncology at a prestigious academic medical center, his next chapter in life is just getting started. “I wouldn’t be able to lounge around in my retirement if I tried,” he says. 

So instead, Dr. Lentz is working with other health care providers and local  legislators to raise awareness of the dangers of “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI) creeping into academic medicine. 

“It’s hard to put a specific date on when things began to change. The shifts happened gradually over the years. It’s a radically different environment now than it was when I entered medicine,” he explains. 

“The three-legged stool of academic medicine – Patient Care, Education, and Research – has been replaced by the three-legged stool of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. And these are diametrically opposed. You cannot maintain excellence when you are prioritizing politics over patients.”

Dr. Lentz was drawn to Do No Harm because we shared his concerns. “I said to myself, I can’t be the only individual out there who thinks this is nuts. So, I started searching online, and came across Do No Harm and Dr. Goldfarb’s book.”

After asking U.S. Congressman Dr. Greg Murphy (NC-03) about Do No Harm and hearing positive things, he decided to reach out and get involved. “I want to be part of the solution,” he says. “There are a lot of folks with concerns who just aren’t comfortable being vocal, or are not in a position where they can be vocal about it. But I can.”

Dr. Lentz is focusing his efforts on educating other health care providers and legislation in his home state. He’s in the process of meeting with several North Carolina legislators to see how he can help move these issues forward, despite some tension between the General Assembly and the Governor’s office.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein vetoed several bills in 2025 that would prevent public schools, institutions of higher education, and state entities from engaging in discriminatory DEI practices, including hiring and admissions policies. But Dr. Lentz is undeterred. 

“I still care about patients, and I’ve spent too much blood, sweat, and tears for this to be the way it’s gonna go. Some people believe the ‘toothpaste is out of the tube,’ and I just don’t think that’s the case – and the people at Do No Harm don’t think so either,” he says.

“Medicine was never just a job for me, it was a calling. It’s worth fighting for.”

Welcome to the fight, Dr. Lentz.