The U.S. Department of Justice ruled that the University of California, Davis School of Medicine (UC Davis) used admissions practices that unlawfully discriminated based on race. This concludes a federal investigation that examined the school’s applicant selection process, AFROTECH reports.
The finding marks the latest action by the Justice Department as it scrutinizes medical school admissions policies following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which barred colleges and universities from considering race in admissions decisions.
According to the department’s Civil Rights Division, a six-month investigation found that UC Davis relied on socioeconomic criteria
that federal officials alleged served as proxies for race. Investigators said the school’s admissions framework, known as the Davis Scale, evaluated applicants based on factors such as family income, parental education levels, and whether they came from medically underserved communities.Federal officials alleged the system adjusted the weight given to academic credentials, including grade-point averages and Medical College Admission Test scores, in ways that advanced racial diversity goals.
According to the Justice Department, admissions data from 2023 through 2025 showed significant disparities in acceptance rates
among racial groups. Investigators said Black and Hispanic applicants were admitted at rates as much as six times higher than white and Asian applicants. The department also said some rejected white and Asian applicants had academic metrics comparable to or exceeding those of admitted applicants from other racial groups.“Davis Med’s actions reflect both unabashed contempt for the rule of law and plain disregard for the potential public health consequences of putting race over merit, skill, and competence,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a statement announcing the findings.
UC Davis disputed the allegations and said its admissions process complies with federal and state law.
“The report’s findings do not accurately reflect the school’s rigorous, individualized, and merit-based admissions process and our firm commitment to complying with applicable federal and state antidiscrimination laws. UC Davis is fully committed to meeting the critical healthcare needs of California, particularly those in underserved and under-resourced areas,” the university said according to CBS.
The university said it evaluates applicants through a holistic review process designed to identify candidates who can meet California’s healthcare needs and serve diverse communities throughout the state.
The investigation is one of several involving medical schools nationwide. The Justice Department recently announced similar findings involving UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine and Yale School of Medicine, and it recently opened investigations into 15 additional medical schools over potential race-based admissions practices.
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