Introduction to the Issue
The Trump administration’s crackdown on DEI programs could exacerbate an unexpectedly steep drop in diversity among medical school students, even in states like California, where public universities have been navigating bans on affirmative action for decades. Education and health experts warn that, ultimately, this could harm patient care.
By Annie Sciacca, KFF Health News
Background on the Crackdown
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has issued a handful of executive orders aimed at terminating all diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives in federally funded programs. And in his March 4 address to Congress, he described the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision banning the consideration of race in college and university admissions as “brave and very powerful.” Last month, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights — which lost about 50% of its staff in mid-March — directed schools, including postsecondary institutions, to end race-based programs or risk losing federal funding. The “Dear Colleague” letter cited the Supreme Court’s decision.
Impact on Diversity Initiatives
Paulette Granberry Russell, president and CEO of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, said that “every utterance of ‘diversity’ is now being viewed as a violation or considered unlawful or illegal.” Her organization filed a lawsuit challenging Trump’s anti-DEI executive orders. While California and eight other states — Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Washington — had already implemented bans of varying degrees on race-based admissions policies well before the Supreme Court decision, schools bolstered diversity in their ranks with equity initiatives such as targeted scholarships, trainings, and recruitment programs.
Effects on Medical School Enrollment
But the court’s decision and the subsequent state-level backlash — 29 states have since introduced bills to curb diversity initiatives, according to data published by the Chronicle of Higher Education — have tamped down these efforts and led to the recent declines in diversity numbers, education experts said. After the Supreme Court’s ruling, the numbers of Black and Hispanic medical school enrollees fell by double-digit percentages in the 2024-25 school year compared with the previous year, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Black enrollees declined 11.6%, while the number of new students of Hispanic origin fell 10.8%. The decline in enrollment of American Indian or Alaska Native students was even more dramatic, at 22.1%. New Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander enrollment declined 4.3%.
Concerns Among Educators
The fear among educators is the numbers will decline even more under the new administration. At the end of February, the Education Department launched an online portal encouraging people to “report illegal discriminatory practices at institutions of learning,” stating that students should have “learning free of divisive ideologies and indoctrination.” The agency later issued a “Frequently Asked Questions” document about its new policies, clarifying that it was acceptable to observe events like Black History Month but warning schools that they “must consider whether any school programming discourages members of all races from attending.” “It definitely has a chilling effect,” Poll-Hunter said. “There is a lot of fear that could cause institutions to limit their efforts.”
Impact on Patient Care
Numerous requests for comment from medical schools about the impact of the anti-DEI actions went unreturned. University presidents are staying mum on the issue to protect their institutions, according to reporting from The New York Times. Utibe Essien, a physician and UCLA assistant professor, said he has heard from some students who fear they won’t be considered for admission under the new policies. Essien, who co-authored a study on the effect of affirmative action bans on medical schools, also said students are worried medical schools will not be as supportive toward students of color as in the past. If the recent decline in diversity among newly enrolled students holds or gets worse, it could have long-term consequences for patient care, academic experts said, pointing toward the vast racial disparities in health outcomes in the U.S., particularly for Black people.
Legal Challenges
In early February, the Pacific Legal Foundation filed a lawsuit against the University of California-San Francisco’s Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland over an internship program designed to introduce “underrepresented minority high school students to health professions.” Attorney Andrew Quinio filed the suit, which argues that its plaintiff, a white teenager, was not accepted to the program after disclosing in an interview that she identified as white. Another lawsuit filed in February accuses the University of California of favoring Black and Latino students over Asian American and white applicants in its undergraduate admissions.
Conclusion
The potential chilling effect of the Trump administration’s crackdown on DEI programs in medical schools could have far-reaching consequences, not only for the diversity of the medical profession but also for patient care. As the nation grapples with significant health disparities, particularly among communities of color, the importance of a diverse healthcare workforce has never been more critical. It is essential for medical schools, policymakers, and the broader healthcare community to work together to address these challenges and ensure that the medical profession reflects the diversity of the population it serves.
FAQs
- Q: What is the impact of the Trump administration’s crackdown on DEI programs in medical schools?
A: The crackdown could exacerbate the decline in diversity among medical school students, potentially harming patient care due to the lack of diversity in the healthcare workforce. - Q: How have medical school enrollment numbers been affected by the Supreme Court’s decision on race-based admissions?
A: There has been a double-digit percentage decline in the enrollment of Black, Hispanic, American Indian, or Alaska Native students in medical schools following the Supreme Court’s ruling. - Q: What are the potential long-term consequences of the decline in diversity among medical school students?
A: The decline could lead to a less diverse healthcare workforce, exacerbating existing health disparities and potentially worsening patient care outcomes, especially in communities of color. - Q: Are there legal challenges to the Trump administration’s anti-DEI policies?
A: Yes, there are lawsuits challenging these policies, including one filed by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education and others targeting specific university programs aimed at promoting diversity. - Q: What can be done to address the challenges posed by the crackdown on DEI programs in medical schools?
A: It is crucial for medical schools, policymakers, and the healthcare community to collaborate on strategies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, despite the legal and political challenges, to ensure a diverse and effective healthcare workforce.
