Medical school accreditor halts DEI program evaluations

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education—which accredits medical schools around the country—has announced that it will no longer consider Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs during its evaluations. 

On May 19, the committee, which is sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) decided to eliminate DEI considerations as part of its criteria for assessing medical schools’ performances, as noted by USA Today. 

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The vote was taken following “thoughtful and careful consideration and discussion,” a spokesperson for the committee reportedly said. 

New state and federal measures targeting DEI initiatives spurred the committee’s response, USA Today reports. The committee also confirmed that the motion would establish “a single set of accreditation expectations with which all schools, regardless of their location and current legislative environment, must comply.”

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education is not the first to cut back emphasis on DEI in recent times. 

Earlier this month, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) paused enforcement of DEI policies in response to an executive order from President Trump targeting such mandates. 

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“The ACGME has heard significant concerns from multiple constituents in several states and from federal Sponsoring Institutions about their ability to comply with some of the ACGME requirements addressing diversity in light of state or federal laws,” said ACGME CEO Debra Weinstein and Board of Directors Chair George Thibault at the time.  

Campus Reform contacted the Liaison Committee on Medical Education for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.