Pennsylvania's Thomas Jefferson University and its Sidney Kimmel Medical College are facing allegations that several scholarship programs discriminate based on race, according to a newly filed federal civil rights complaint.On Thursday, the Equal Protection Project filed a complaint with the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, alleging that Thomas Jefferson University (TJU) and its Sidney Kimmel Medical College (SKMC) operate or promote five scholarship programs that unlawfully discriminate based on race, color and/or national origin in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.The complaint argues that because TJU receives federal funding, including grants from the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health, the university is subject to federal civil rights laws governing recipients of federal funds.The complaint lists the Jackson-Minton Scholarship, Dominique "Rem'mie" Fells Scholarship, Visiting Medical Student Diversity Scholarship, Otolaryngology Research Fellowship Scholarship and the Visiting Medical Student Scholarship for Inclusive Excellence as scholarships it alleges are unlawfully discriminatory and violate Title VI, the Affordable Care Act, Pennsylvania nondiscrimination statutes and TJU's own policies.WE ARE PULLING THE PLUG ON MED SCHOOL DEI AND MAKING US ALL HEALTHIER AS A RESULTCiting the Supreme Court's ruling in Students for Fair Admissions, the EPP argues that race-based programs in education should be put under the strictest scrutiny."Equal access to medical education and training should be based on individual merit, qualifications, and potential to serve patients — not racial or ethnic group membership," the complaint states.
"Discriminatory practices undermine public trust in medicine, fairness, and the integrity of the healthcare workforce undermining HHS’s nondiscrimination requirements and policy goals."A civil rights com...