Accrediting organizations for U.S. medical schools have eliminated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mandates from their new standards, a change that took effect July 1. These new standards apply to the nation's 162 MD-granting and 46 DO-granting medical schools.
The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), which oversees MD-granting schools, had previously required students to recognize and address biases and be trained in health care disparities. In the 2020-21 academic year, 70% of medical schools had instituted a formal anti-racist curriculum, and by 2022, 96% of U.S. and Canadian medical schools incorporated DEI as a key learning outcome.
The Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA), responsible for DO-granting schools, had mandated in its 2023 standards a commitment to advancing DEI and required institutions to establish DEI offices.
Sources suggest these mandates shifted focus from health education to political ideology. Concerns were raised that DEI initiatives could erode academic standards by prioritizing diversity over merit and potentially lead to race-based care, a practice described as discriminatory and unsupported by evidence. Some argue that matching physicians and patients by race to improve health outcomes is tantamount to segregation.
In conjunction with the rise of DEI education in medical schools, there has been a reported decline in student achievement. The percentage of medical students passing the first part of their licensure exam has fallen since 2020. For MD students, this rate dropped from 97% to 89% by 2024, and for DO students, from 95% to 86% over the same period.
The LCME has replaced its DEI language with a new section focusing on cultivating "self-directed learning" and identifying knowledge gaps. COCA has removed all references to DEI from its standards.
While medical schools may continue DEI programs voluntarily, the removal of mandates means they are no longer required to embed this ideology in their curriculum or maintain DEI offices. Critics argue that time spent on DEI detracts from the study of medicine, evidence, and patient care.