WASHINGTON - Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Chairman Burgess Owens (R-UT), Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI), and Dr. Greg Murphy (R-NC) sent a letter to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)-the accrediting body for medical schools-expressing concerns about its accreditation standard, and whether the standard pushes diversity outcomes at the expense of skills-based programs that prepare the next generation of health care professionals.
In the letter, the Members write: “Americans are entitled to a healthcare system that is free from racial discrimination. … Medical schools should instill this fundamental precept in our country’s future health care professionals. … [W]e write to [seek confirmation of]... your commitment to ensuring that medical schools are preparing future health care professionals to provide health care free from racial discrimination."
The letter continues: “In particular, we write regarding Standard 3 and Element 3.3 of your accreditation standards. Standard 3 requires a ‘medical school [to] ensure[]that its medical education program occurs in professional, respectful, and intellectually stimulating academic and clinical environments, recognizes the benefits of diversity, and promotes students’ attainment of competencies required of future physicians.’"
The members conclude by asking several questions about LCME’s accreditation standards:
• Does LCME require and/or encourage medical schools to treat applicants differently based on the applicants’ race?
• Does LCME require or encourage medical schools to teach that the American health care system is systemically racist?
• What percentage of LCME’s budget is spent on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives?