Medical school drops race, ethnicity requirements from internship following investigation

Loyola University Chicago’s medical school recently removed requirements from an internship application that would have barred students from applying because of their race or ethnicity. 

Following a discrimination complaint filed by Do No Harm’s Laura L. Morgan, the Department of Education (DOEd) notified Morgan that it dropped its investigation into the Stritch School of Medicine on Feb. 17, according to Morgan’s interview with Campus Reform. 

In what appears to be a response to Morgan’s complaint, the medical school removed identity-based requirements for its Diversity in Surgery Visiting Sub-Internship Program. 

The complaint and updated website show that applicants no longer have to submit photos or belong to the following racial/ethnic groups: “African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian/Alaska Native, [and] Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.”

[RELATED: Loyola asks ‘each academic unit’ to teach ‘identity and privilege’]

Morgan filed the complaint in Aug. 2022 with DOEd’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) on behalf of Do No Harm, a medical group that opposes “medicine based on discriminatory, divisive ideologies.”

Her complaint included photos of the internship requirements listed on the medical school’s website, which she alleged constituted “discrimination on the basis of race … in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” 

Marcela Sanchez-Aguila, a supervisory attorney for OCR, confirmed her office’s investigation into the Stritch School of Medicine on Jan. 19. Approximately one week later, Morgan said, the website was updated to remove the identity-based requirements depicted in the complaint’s photos. 

An Education Department spokesperson told Campus Reform that “OCR does not have any open investigations into Loyola University Strich [sic] School of Medicine.” 

Morgan said that a university will often change eligibility criteria for opportunities such as internships after becoming the subject of a civil rights investigation. 

Do No Harm sets its sights on civil rights violations, gender-affirming care, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in medicine. A November 2022 report on the University of Florida’s College of Medicine showed the extent of its commitments to DEI in marketing, hiring, and curricula, according to Campus Reform. 

[RELATED: Medical school hosts ‘Anti-Racism Task Force’]

That same year, Do No Harm similarly found that the University of California San Diego School of Medicine promoted DEI and critical race theory (CRT) principles in curricula, training, and programming. 

Do No Harm asserts that these ideologies are bad for patients. 

“Radical activists are using shoddy studies and research to undermine healthcare,” its website reads. “It’s time to stop this divisive, destructive agenda in its tracks.”

Campus Reform contacted all relevant parties listed for comment and will update this article accordingly.