DOJ Finds Racial Bias in Ohio State Medical School Admissions
U.S. Justice Department accuses Ohio State Medical School of discrimination against white and Asian applicants.
2 min read
The U.S. Department of Justice has accused Ohio State University’s medical school of discriminating against white and Asian applicants, violating federal civil rights laws. According to a recent news release, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division found that the school’s admissions practices for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 incoming classes violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race or color.
Admissions Practices Under Scrutiny
The DOJ highlighted that the school used a “Holistic Approach” to admissions, which it claims was a workaround to admit so-called “underrepresented minorities.” The department also noted that the school operated a “side door” admissions process, allowing certain applicants to bypass scoring and interviews, which it says is illegal.
The DOJ report revealed that black applicants were 2.8 times more likely to be admitted than Asian applicants with equal credentials. In 2024 and 2025 combined, black applicants were four times more likely to be admitted than white applicants, with no Asian applicants admitted through this pathway.
Supreme Court Ruling and Legal Implications
The DOJ cited the 2023 Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which effectively banned race-conscious admissions. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated, “Despite SFFA, OSU Med allows some applicants to bypass its own screening process and skip interviews solely because of the color of their skin.”
Dhillon emphasized that the admissions process should apply equally to all applicants, regardless of race. The DOJ will continue to investigate compliance with Title VI, as interpreted by the SFFA ruling, and may pursue litigation if settlements fail.
Broader Implications for Higher Education
This case comes after the DOJ previously accused UCLA Law School of similar discriminatory practices. The department is now signaling a broader crackdown on institutions that use race as a factor in admissions, even in high-stakes fields like law and medicine.
The DOJ’s actions highlight a growing concern over the impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies on the quality of education and professional outcomes. Critics argue that these policies may compromise the merit-based selection of future doctors and lawyers, who are expected to make life-and-death decisions.
While the DOJ seeks to enforce federal laws, the debate over race-conscious admissions continues to divide opinions on fairness, equality, and the role of government in education.
Source: The Gateway Pundit
