Med School Mission Statements Defy the End of DEI and Grow Even More Woke

The election of President Donald Trump has brought the end of many ridiculous and often dangerous Biden-era practices. One thing Americans have been delighted to see is the demise of the practice of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). From classrooms to workplaces to even things like airlines and the medical field, Americans don't care what you look like; they care whether or not you are qualified for the position you hold. Many of the nation's colleges and universities are ending this divisive system; others, however, are digging in. Who are the schools that just can't quit DEI? Medical schools.

In mid-February, the Department of Education issued a memo — an extension of President Trump's executive order eliminating DEI from the federal government. It stated that schools and universities had two weeks to eliminate all DEI initiatives. But many of the nation's medical schools are resisting that call and, in fact, are crafting mission statements that are increasingly packed with DEI language. Do No Harm is a medical advocacy organization made up of doctors and other medical professionals. One of their goals is to keep DEI and wokeness out of the medical field.

The group recently reviewed the 2024 mission statements of 158 medical schools. Of those, a disturbing 77 percent could be classified as woke. That is a significant increase from the 68 percent in 2021. What is even more alarming is that the higher ranked the school, the more woke their mission statement. One example: Columbia Medical School. A previous statement read in part that the mission of the school is to “prepare graduates to be leaders and role models who define excellence in patient care, medical research, education, and health care policy." Sounds great, that's what they are supposed to do. But things have changed at Columbia. The statement now includes:

“In 2021, we formally launched the [Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons] Anti-Racism Coalition (ARC), an interdisciplinary effort by students and staff to promote a sustainable culture of inclusion and diversity. Its ongoing goal is to create, adopt, and strengthen anti-racist educational systems and practices and to support equity and justice throughout the VP&S learning environment.”

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At one time, having a science-focused mission, the same idea is now found in the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School mission statement. It reads:

"Engaging thoughtfully and collaborating meaningfully with a diverse network of local and global partners to promote health equity and improve health outcomes."

Even in a conservative state like Arkansas, the 2024 University of Arkansas mission statement includes a section on "Diversity and Health Equity." Statement after statement from the nation's medical schools charged with educating and preparing the next generation of physicians, besides DEI, mention woke buzzwords like "systemic racism," "anti-racism," and "social justice." Georgetown University School of Medicine's statement mentions "justice" five times but nothing about "research," "excellence," or "truth."

ALSO READ: DEI Could Make Surgery Dangerous - A Veteran Surgeon Speaks Out

The job of America's medical schools is to graduate competent, knowledgeable physicians who are up on the latest scientific theories and treatments for the best possible outcome for their patients, not social justice warriors. If the focus is now on woke ideology, how do we know these future doctors are in any way competent? The answer is we don't. If these doctors are found to be incompetent, who is held accountable?

Unfortunately, it usually takes a catastrophic event to reveal mistakes or incompetence. If America's med schools continue to insist on training social justice warriors instead of physicians, those mistakes and incompetence will come in the form of human lives.