UConn medical school faces federal complaint over race-based externship program
UConn’s School of Medicine faces a federal civil rights complaint over its Visiting Externship for Students Underrepresented in Medicine, which critics say prioritizes race over merit.
Do No Harm argues the program discriminates against white and Asian applicants and violates federal law.
The University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Medicine faces a federal civil rights complaint from Do No Harm over a program that critics say discriminates against white and Asian applicants.
The nonprofit medical watchdog filed the complaint with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, pointing to UConn’s Visiting Externship for Students Underrepresented in Medicine (VESUM). On its website, UConn describes the program as a four-week, $1,500 externship that offers mentorship, clinical rotations, and meetings with diversity officials for students from groups “underrepresented in medicine.”
“The immediate objective of this program is to increase the number of students from groups underrepresented in medicine (URiM) participating in fourth-year electives at our institution,” the website says. “The ultimate goal is to increase the number of URiM students applying to and participating in UConn Health graduate medical education programs.”
In a statement to The Federalist, Do No Harm chairman Dr. Stanley Goldfarb criticized UConn’s medical school for prioritizing race over merit in its student externship program.
“By marketing the externship as a ‘pipeline for students of color,’ UConn’s School of Medicine isn’t even trying to hide its racially discriminatory behavior. The school has put identity politics above merit, excellence, and skill,” Goldfarb contended.
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“The program is a clear violation of federal law and strips qualified candidates of opportunities to progress in the medical field,” the Do No Harm chairman continued. “Knowing the Department of Education takes these sorts of violations very seriously, we hope our complaint leads to an investigation of UConn’s discriminatory practices.”
UConn’s program conflicts with recent announcements from the Department of Education, which emphasized in February that “discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin is illegal and morally reprehensible.”
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The Department of Education condemned efforts to justify race-based programs under the banner of “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” stating that “under any banner, discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin is, has been, and will continue to be illegal.”
The department further explained that schools may not “treat a person of one race differently than it treats another” in admissions, scholarships, or any other aspect of campus life.
This is not the first time UConn has faced a complaint for race-based policies. Earlier this year, the Equal Protection Project filed a complaint against the school, highlighting four scholarships it alleges are allocated based on racial preferences.
Campus Reform has contacted the University of Connecticut for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
