U.S. Department of Justice finds medical schools used unlawful admissions practices

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has found that several prestigious medical schools engaged in unlawful admissions practices by prioritizing racial diversity over merit, violating the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against race-conscious admissions.

Specifically, the DOJ determined that George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services used essay questions designed to elicit information about an applicant’s race or ethnicity to circumvent bans on race-based advantages. The investigation found that Black applicants had a significantly higher probability of being selected for interviews and received disproportionately higher interview scores than comparable Asian applicants. Additionally, the DOJ noted that White and Asian students with higher MCAT scores were rejected to admit Black and Hispanic applicants with weaker credentials.

Beyond George Washington University, the DOJ has made determinations regarding UCLA, Yale, and the University of California, San Diego for similar practices. Federal investigations are currently underway at 15 additional medical schools, with five further probes launched by the Department of Education.