RALEIGH, N.C. (August 27, 2025) — The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal has released a timely new report, An End to Excellence: How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Undermine Our Medical Schools, authored by senior fellow Jay Schalin. The report documents how DEI policies have eroded merit-based admissions and hiring practices at America’s top medical schools, prioritizing ideology over academic rigor and patient safety.
Drawing on publicly available data from leading institutions, the report shows that DEI initiatives have led to the systematic admission and hiring of less qualified candidates based on race and identity. In some cases, students with perfect GPAs and MCAT scores were rejected in favor of applicants with significantly lower academic credentials.
“Medical education must prioritize competence, not ideology,” said Jenna A. Robinson, president of the Martin Center. “This report reveals the extent to which DEI policies are weakening the physician pipeline at a time when Americans need highly skilled, well-trained doctors.”
The report also outlines specific policy recommendations for lawmakers and university trustees, including banning DEI in public medical schools, enforcing race-blind admissions, and establishing oversight mechanisms to ensure compliance with new federal and state mandates.
An End to Excellence is available for download HERE.