From WWW.FOXNEWS.COM
A recent study from the Association of American Medical Colleges shows that diversity, equity and inclusion policies have gained a significant foothold in American medical colleges, and a medical expert tells Fox News Digital that poses a serious risk to the both quality of care and freedom of expression.
“Med schools are devoting more and more time to these social and political issues, leaving less time for the study of medicine,” Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, board chair of Do No Harm, told Fox News Digital in response to analysis released by the AAMC, which essentially serves as a report card for how its medical colleges are faring at implementing DEI policies that critics have described as a “woke” agenda.
The AAMC report states that “assess ing policies, practices, and programs at the institution and school levels is a first step toward ensuring that academic medicine is well-positioned to cultivate a diverse and culturally prepared workforce, advance inclusion excellence, promote equity advancement, and enhance engagement with local communities.”
The report, which examined 101 medical schools, showed that 43% of schools “have promotion and tenure policies that specifically reward faculty scholarship and service on DEI topics” and the number is highlighted in red suggesting that figure is inadequate. The report also shows that 100% of the schools “have admissions policies and practices for encouraging a diverse class of students.”
Goldfarb, a board-certified kidney specialist who formerly served as associate dean for curriculum at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, told Fox News Digital that these DEI policies place less emphasis on merit and more on diversity benchmarks, which ultimately means quality of care suffers.
“Patients will be viewed as members of a group based on skin color rather than as individuals,” Goldfarb said. “Diversity has been elevated above merit and achievement as the basis for choosing med students and promoting faculty. This must lead to a decline in the quality of the physician workforce and undermines a foundational idea of America that you can achieve your goals through hard work and talent.”
Additionally, the report shows that political advocacy has been ingrained in the DEI process at medical schools, as evidenced by the statistic showing 75% of medical schools say they “advocate for policies and or legislation at a local, state, or federal level related to its diversity, inclusion, and equity mission.”… (Read more)
