An HHS Office for Civil Rights investigation has found the Duke School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., violated federal law by intentionally discriminating based on race in admissions.
Five things to know:
1. Duke School of Medicine was notified Sept. 8 that its admission practices violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to a Sept. 8 HHS news release.
2. The office found the medical school intentionally discriminated against white and Asian applicants by using race and race-revealing proxies in its admission practices, the release said. For the 2024-2025 admissions cycle, 3.3% of white applicants and 3.4% of Asian applicants were admitted, compared with 10% of Black applicants and 6.7% of Hispanic applicants. White and Asian admits had higher mean MCAT scores, according to a Sept. 8 letter signed by Paula Stannard, director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights.
3. The findings followed a May 6, 2025, letter in which OCR told medical schools that race-based criteria, racial stereotypes and facially neutral criteria used as a pretext for racial quotas are prohibited under Title VI and Section 1557. The investigation was part of a government-wide effort following President Donald Trump’s Jan. 21, 2025, executive order “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”
4. A Duke University spokesperson shared the following statement with Becker’s Sept. 14:
“Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights issued a letter of findings related to admissions practices at Duke’s School of Medicine. We are reviewing the letter and its conclusions carefully. Duke is committed to complying with the law and will continue to do so in a manner that is consistent with our academic mission.”
The Duke School of Medicine enrolls 523 MD students in its MD program, according to its website.
5. The Justice Department has launched similar investigations into other medical schools. In July, it found two University of California medical schools discriminated based on race in admissions.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
