Duquesne University quietly rebrands DEI medical school initiative
Duquesne University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine appears to be rebranding its DEI initiatives under softer language, while many policies and programs remain largely unchanged.
Do No Harm argues the school continues prioritizing ideology over merit despite the semantic shift.
Duquesne University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine in Pittsburgh appears to be rebranding its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives rather than abandoning them, a new report from Do No Harm has found.
Its web page now emphasizes “Building a Better Community within Medicine” instead of explicit DEI language, but many action items mirror previous DEI commitments.
Last year, the school pledged to recruit students and staff aligned with diversity principles, launch racial health disparities programs, and incorporate community engagement into training, reported Do No Harm, an anti-DEI nonprofit organization.
Dr. Kurt Miceli, Medical Director at Do No Harm, told Campus Reform that the Duquesne College of Osteopathic Medicine has only superficially adjusted its DEI policies, continuing to prioritize ideology over merit.
“It seems Duquesne College of Osteopathic Medicine has taken only small steps away from its previous all-in approach on DEI. Instead of eliminating its woke policies, it simply looks to have undertaken a rebranding,” Miceli wrote in a statement to Campus Reform.
“Ever since its inception last year, the school has made it clear that it will recruit students who share its ideological alignment - founded on divisive identity politics and racial concordance theories,” Miceli added.
“DU shouldn’t just rebrand DEI with gentler terms; it should explicitly reject this dangerous ideology,” Miceli concluded. “That is how to regain trust and show prospective medical students and the public that it no longer prioritizes politics over excellence and merit.”
Last month, Do No Harm launched the Center for Accountability in Medicine to track DEI policies at U.S. medical schools. Its first report, the Medical School Excellence Index, ranked schools on academic rigor, transparency, and avoidance of identity politics.
The center’s director, Ian Kingsbury, called the initiative “urgently needed” to ensure patients, not politics, guide medical education.
There is reason to believe that some organizations in the medical education industry are taking steps away from DEI during the Trump administration.
For example, this summer, several major medical education accrediting bodies rolled back or suspended DEI mandates. Seven of ten accreditation agencies reduced DEI requirements, signaling a shift toward merit-based standards in medical education.
The shift follows President Trump’s executive order issued earlier this year, which directed federal agencies to end illegal DEI practices, eliminate race- and sex-based preferences, and ensure merit-based opportunities.
The order also revoked prior DEI-focused directives, mandated civil-rights compliance for federal contractors, and called for private-sector enforcement against unlawful DEI programs.
Campus Reform has contacted Duquesne University and Do No Harm for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
