DOJ Announces Findings of Race-Based Discrimination at George Washington University Medical School

The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division found that The George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences intentionally discriminated based on race in admissions, alleging that the school used application essays and other information to identify applicants’ race or ethnicity and consider it in interview and admissions decisions. The DOJ concluded that the practices violated Title VI and the Supreme Court’s 2023 Students for Fair Admissions decision and said it will seek a negotiated resolution before pursuing litigation. This finding is part of a broader DOJ enforcement effort focused heavily on professional-school admissions. Higher Ed Dive is tracking similar findings against other institutions since the DOJ announced in June it had opened investigations into 15 medical schools.