Key facts
- The U.S. Department of Education is investigating five medical schools for their admissions practices.
- The schools under investigation are Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine, East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine, St. Louis University School of Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, and William Carey University
- The probes are linked to alleged racial discrimination in admissions.
- The investigations are part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to curb diversity initiatives.
- The U.S. Department of Justice had previously opened investigations into 15 medical schools over similar admissions practices.
The U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday it has initiated new investigations into the admissions practices of five medical schools. These probes are seen as the latest move by President Donald Trump's administration to target diversity initiatives. The schools facing scrutiny are Dartmouth College's Geisel School of Medicine, East Carolina University's Brody School of Medicine, St. Louis University School of Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, and William Carey University College of Osteopathic Medicine. The department stated the investigations are related to alleged racial discrimination in admissions, though specific evidence was not provided. This action aligns with Trump's broader efforts to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, which he has characterized as anti-merit and discriminatory. Civil rights advocates, however, argue that such practices are crucial for addressing historical inequities faced by marginalized groups. The Supreme Court's 2023 decision against race-conscious admissions programs at Harvard and the University of North Carolina is also a relevant backdrop. The U.S. Department of Justice has also been active, having opened civil rights investigations into 15 medical schools in June, alleging bias favoring Black and Hispanic applicants at institutions like Yale, UCLA, and UC San Diego. The targeted medical schools have generally defended their admissions processes as rigorous, fair, and merit-based.