Medical school admissions investigation as Justice Department reviews race policies at Stanford, Ohio State, UC San Diego

The US Justice Department has opened civil rights investigations into whether race is considered in admissions at the medical schools of Stanford University, Ohio State University and the University of California, San Diego. Officials are seeking documents, applicant-level admissions data and any reviews of outcomes by race, amid wider scrutiny of university admissions practices.

The Trump administration launched fresh federal investigations into race in medical school admissions. The Justice Department said it was examining practices at Stanford University, Ohio State, and the University of California, San Diego. The move added pressure on universities that President Donald Trump has criticised as influenced by liberal politics. The New York Times first reported the new inquiries.

The Justice Department opened the investigations on Wednesday. Harmeet Dhillon, the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, announced the steps on X. It was not immediately clear why these three medical schools were selected. The department said the reviews focus on possible discrimination tied to admissions decisions.

Trump administration medical school admissions investigations

President Donald Trump has increased oversight of universities through investigations and executive actions. The administration earlier focused on undergraduate admissions at selective colleges. It also demanded schools gather data showing compliance with a 2023 Supreme Court decision. That ruling barred affirmative action in college admissions.

The Supreme Court decision still allowed some discussion of race in applications. Colleges could consider how race shaped an applicant’s life. This could apply when applicants describe experiences in admissions essays. Trump has argued that schools may be using essays and other proxies. Trump views that practice as illegal discrimination.

Justice Department medical school admissions records request

In a letter to Ohio State, Dhillon said the department wanted documents. The request covered any use, or non-use, of race in evaluations. Dhillon also asked for applicant-level admissions data. The letter also sought any internal reviews of admissions trends or outcomes by race.

A separate five-page document listed the records the government sought. It requested standardised test score data for each applicant. It also sought information collected or inferred on race and ethnicity. The request included admissions decisions for each applicant. It went back to the incoming class that started in 2019.

Medical school admissions responses from Stanford Ohio State UC San Diego

Ohio State spokesperson Benjamin Johnson said the school followed legal requirements. Ohio State said it complied with state and federal regulations and legal rulings. "Weve received the attached letter and will respond appropriately,\" Johnson said. The Justice Department’s inquiry asked for extensive admissions records and related analyses.

UC San Diego said it was reviewing the federal notice. \"UC San Diego is committed to fair processes in all of our programmes and activities, including admissions, consistent with federal and state anti-discrimination laws,\" the university said in a written statement. The school did not give a timeline for its reply.

Stanford School of Medicine spokesperson Cecilia Arradaza also confirmed a review. \"Stanford School of Medicine prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, colour, national or ethnic origin, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law,\" Arradaza said in a written statement. The statement did not address why Stanford was included.

Supreme Court affirmative action ruling and medical school admissions scrutiny

The new investigations came amid wider legal disputes over admissions data. Earlier this month, a coalition of 17 Democratic state attorneys general sued. The lawsuit challenged a Trump administration policy on admissions reporting. That policy required institutions to collect data showing race was not considered in admissions.

A federal judge in Massachusetts was weighing a request to block that demand. The Justice Department’s medical school investigations added to that broader conflict. The administration said schools must align with the 2023 Supreme Court decision. The three universities said they were reviewing the notices and would respond.

With inputs from PTI