Justice Department Accuses Yale Medical School of Racial Discrimination in Admissions

The Justice Department sent a letter to Yale School of Medicine on Thursday alleging it was illegally discriminating against applicants who are not Black or Hispanic. The letter follows a similar missive sent last week to the University of California, Los Angeles medical school.

Officials cited differences in average MCAT scores and GPAs between admitted students of different racial groups over the past three admissions cycles as statistical evidence of intentional discrimination. In 2023, white and Asian applicants admitted to Yale had a median MCAT score of 523 while Black and Hispanic admitted students had median scores of 517 and 518 respectively.

The letter to UCLA cited a similar gap with white and Asian admits at 514 and Black and Hispanic admits at 507. The actions follow a 2023 Supreme Court ruling that prohibited the use of affirmative action in university admissions. Officials accused both medical schools of continuing discriminatory practices despite that decision.

School of Medicine said it will carefully review the letter. A university spokesperson stated the school is confident in the rigorous admissions process it follows and that admitted students demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and personal commitment.

Medical schools have broadened admissions criteria over the past two decades to include interviews, work experiences and community engagement in addition to test scores. Some schools use a holistic review process that considers factors beyond MCAT and GPA.

The Association of American Medical Colleges developed the PREview Exam to assess situational judgment, empathy and professionalism. The Justice Department criticized the test as serving as a proxy for race, but an AAMC official said it is not intended to serve as such a proxy.

Medical educators have noted that MCAT scores are an imperfect measure of potential as a physician. Data from 2019 showed students scoring between 498 and 501 still had a 94 percent chance of completing their first year of medical school while those scoring 510 to 513 had a 98 percent chance.

He noted that students who enter with lower scores often improve as they progress through training. Critics of heavy reliance on standardized tests argue they favor applicants with access to expensive preparation resources and overlook other skills important for physicians such as empathy and cultural competence.

The letters form part of a wider effort targeting medical schools and research universities seeking to diversify the scientific workforce. Officials have terminated federal research grants mentioning health disparities and issued executive orders targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

The administration joined a lawsuit against UCLA's medical school in January and has requested admissions data including test scores, race, ZIP codes and alumni ties from medical schools. Public universities in California have operated under a state ban on considering race in admissions for decades and adopted race-neutral holistic approaches.

One study found the share of admitted medical school applicants from underrepresented backgrounds fell from 24 percent before the 2023 ruling to 20 percent in the year after. Medical schools argue they have a distinct mission to produce physicians capable of addressing health needs across all segments of the American public.

" — Carson Byrd, University of Michigan sociologist, May 15, 2026 (STAT) Some legal scholars have questioned whether medical schools might be held to different standards than undergraduate institutions because of their role in training the nation's physician workforce.

Research has suggested patients sometimes experience better health outcomes when treated by physicians of the same race. The Justice Department is seeking a voluntary agreement with Yale to change its admissions practices. It remains unclear whether the investigation will lead to further legal action testing arguments about diversity in medical education.