Medical School Quietly Scrubs Website After Federal Probe Into Race-Based Scholars Program

Medical School Quietly Scrubs Website After Federal Probe Into Race-Based Scholars Program

By Alexa Schwerha

University of Texas (UT) San Antonio’s Long School of Medicine quietly deleted information about its Diversity in Medicine Visiting Elective Scholars Program after a federal rights investigation was dismissed earlier this month by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

The OCR launched an investigation into the program in November 2022 after Do No Harm, a medical watchdog group, filed a complaint that it violated students’ civil rights because applicants had to identify as a specific race. The case was dismissed on Feb. 7 and information about the program has been scrubbed from the university’s website. (RELATED: California Medical School Under Federal Investigation For Operating Race-Based Clerkship)

The website’s link currently reads that the page is “not found” and that it “might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.” The website was last archived in November 2021 and a search on the school’s website for the program does not generate any information.

Applicants originally had to identify as “Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander” to qualify for the program, the watchdog reported. Do No Harm alleged the program was a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects against race-based discrimination.

“The University provided OCR documentary evidence reflecting that the scholarship at issue in this case has been changed so that it is now available for visiting students, regardless of gender or race,” the OCR said, according to Do No Harm. “Specifically, the webpage for the scholarship indicates that it is an opportunity for ‘individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are committed to working with underserved populations, or are interested in working with issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.’”

The program was “open to interested, qualified fourth year medical students who come from a racial group that is Underrepresented in Medicine,” according to the website’s archive.

The program’s purpose was to “encourage students from diverse backgrounds to apply to the outstanding training programs,” increase opportunity awareness and to “provide students an opportunity to experience the diverse community of San Antonio and the surrounding areas,” according to the archived website.

Do No Harm, UT San Antonio’s Long School of Medicine and the DOE did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

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