Critical race theory programs are mandatory in 58 of top 100 medical schools: Report
by Jeremiah Poff, Washington Examiner, November 28, 2022
Fifty-eight of the nation's top 100 medical schools require some form of critical race theory -based program, according to new information from a database that monitors the prevalence of such programs in higher education .
The latest update to the database said that 58 of U.S. News and World Report's top 100 medical schools require mandatory education in anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, or some other form of critical race theory-linked program, either through mandatory training or in the curriculum.
The database, criticalrace.org , is a project of the nonprofit organization Legal Insurrection, which monitors critical race theory programs in higher education. Shortly after its launch earlier this year, the project found that 23 of the top 25 medical schools had incorporated critical race theory into their programs in some form. The latest update expanded the database to include information on the top 100 medical schools.
Critical race theory is an academic theory that says U.S. institutions and culture are systemically racist and oppressive to racial minorities, especially black people. Proponents of the theory advocate anti-racism and diversity, equity, and inclusion as means to combat the effects of systemic racism. Critics say the theory and its proposed solutions create and exacerbate racial division.
With just over 150 accredited medical schools nationwide, the 58 schools with mandatory critical race theory programs represent about a third of all U.S. medical schools and span public and private institutions in dozens of states.
At the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Heersink School of Medicine, the faculty recruitment and hiring process must be "INtentional and INclusive," and at least half of the candidates on a hiring short list should be "diverse." Members of the search or interview committee are also required to undergo "unconscious bias" training prior to partaking in the hiring process.
At the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, all student orientation programs include "anti-racism content," and the school mandates "health equity" and "anti-racism" as part of the student curriculum.
Similarly, the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California modified its curriculum so that "the Health Justice and Systems of Core Curriculum will include the topics of systemic racism and bias in healthcare." The school also says it monitors "all lecture and small group content ... to ensure that any discussion of race is framed in contemporary anti-racist thought."
Other schools that have adopted similar programs include Stanford University, the University of California, Los Angeles, Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, the University of Florida, Harvard University, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Virginia, and Baylor University.
The pervasiveness of critical race theory in medical schools has broad implications for students who wish to pursue a career in medicine but do not wish to be subjected to racialized content, William Jacobson, a Cornell University professor and the president and founder of Legal Insurrection, told Fox News in an interview.
"Because there are only just over 150 accredited medical schools in the U.S., and they are so hard to get into, students really have no options," Jacobson said. "Unlike universities and colleges, where students may be able to avoid a race-obsessed campus climate, with medical schools, students have to submit to race-focused medical education or give up their career hopes."
Related: 'SOCIAL JUSTICE' SCHOOLS: MEDICAL ASSOCIATION PRAISES DIVERSITY EFFORTS IN DOCTOR EDUCATION
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From CriticalRace.org
John A. Burns School of Medicine – University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Medical School
Mailing Address 651 Ilalo Street
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone (808) 692-0899
Email address medadmin@hawaii.edu.
Website https://jabsom.hawaii.edu/
School Information
"The John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa is one of the leading medical education institutions in the United States... The school’s basic mission is not only to train high-quality physicians, but also to train biomedical scientists and allied health workers. Degrees and programs offered at JABSOM include... Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program... Master of Science (MS) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees..." The school enrolls 305 MD students and employs 131 full-time faculty. (Source: https://jabsom.hawaii.edu/about-us/) (Source: https://jabsom.hawaii.edu/about-us/facts-and-figures/)
General Information
The school is committed to "preparing a culturally competent health and science workforce that meets the needs of Hawaiʻi." Its "Introduction to Social Justice" elective includes material from "Harvard’s Project Implicit [Race IAT]" and "Systemic Racism in Psychiatry is Real." Also, the Health Sciences library released "Anti-Racism Sources" to "make yourself a more aware medical student and physician." These resources include "Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America" by Ibram X. Kendi and "White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo.
Actions Taken
Resources
In June 2020, the school "held an open forum with our ‘ohana to discuss racism in America as a health issue. Many voices implored us to speak openly about racism in our society and asked what we can do as an institution...All were passionate about the need to end racist practices, behaviors, and attitudes that drive health inequities. This dialogue highlighted JABSOM’s ability to create thoughtful leaders who advocate for their community and fellow health care providers, as well as providing excellent care for each individual patient. Such community advocacy also has been evident through our ‘ohana’s participation in #WhiteCoats4Blacklives and other peaceful protests against racism – our nation’s other continuing public health crisis."
Link-Archive
As part of its Global Health and International Medicine program, the school has a "Partnership for Social Justice," which is "an interest group made up of members from a variety of disciplines, including medicine, law, nursing, and public health. PSJ aims to make a lasting difference in our community through projects designed to address health and educational inequities, and to understand public policy in both local and global domains."
Link-Archive
The school hosted a "Diversity Matters 2022" series, which provided "new knowledge and thought provoking discussions on meeting the healthcare needs of underserved populations, advocacy and action to promote racial and cultural equity and inclusion, diverse approaches to wellness, and women in medicine."
Link-Archive
The school also has a "Cultural Competency Resource Guide."
Link-Archive
The school offers students the "Dean’s Certificate of Distinction in Social Justice" and an "Introduction to Social Justice Elective."
Link-Archive
The school's "Introduction to Social Justice" elective includes material from "Harvard’s Project Implicit [Race IAT]" and "Systemic Racism in Psychiatry is Real."
Link-Archive
The Health Sciences library has "Books on Race and Anti-Racism," including "How to Be an Antiracist" by Ibram X. Kendi and "White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo.
Link-Archive
The Health Sciences library released "Anti-Racism Sources" to "make yourself a more aware medical student and physician." These resources include "Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America" by Ibram X. Kendi and "White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo.
Link-Archive
The Health Sciences Library has a collection on "Race and Medicine." The library said, "Despite the best of intentions, medicine is not race blind. Regardless of education level, income level, and geographic location, patients of color and especially black patients receive less care and worse care. The problem is systemic, it is pervasive, and it is real."
Link-Archive
The Health Sciences library has a tab within its "Race and Medicine" collection on "Resources for Teaching." The library said, "If you're ignoring race, you're failing your students and their patients."
Link-Archive
Symbolic Actions
In response to an executive order on diversity training, school officials said, "Recent position statements by the LCME and ACGME promote an educational and training environment for students, residents and fellows that opposes systemic racism and leads to the development of a diverse physician workforce; a workforce that treats all patients with dignity and respect and seeks equitable health outcomes for all. The White House Executive Order related to diversity training includes elements which themselves may be divisive and undermine the medical community’s efforts to address issues of diversity, equity, inclusion and health care disparities. In conjunction with our accrediting bodies, JABSOM will continue its efforts to provide a clinical learning environment that is inclusive and supportive of our ohana and the patients we treat."
Link-Archive
The school's "Diversity, Equity, and Opportunities" site features a "Medical Student’s Commitment to Health Equity."
Link-Archive
The school is committed to "preparing a culturally competent health and science workforce that meets the needs of Hawaiʻi."
Link-Archive