Justice Department Finds Race-Based Admissions at UCSF Medical School

The Justice Department concluded that UCSF Medical School discriminated on the basis of race in admissions for 2023-2025, violating Title VI and the Supreme Court's SFFA decision. The investigation found that race influenced advancement through application stages, with Black and Hispanic applicants invited to interview at higher rates despite lower academic metrics. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon stated that MCAT scores and GPAs took a backseat to race.

The Justice Department’s investigation into UCSF Medical School’s admissions for the 2023–2025 cycles found that race played a decisive role at multiple stages, from initial screening to interview invitations. According to the findings, Black and Hispanic applicants were advanced at higher rates than their academic records alone would predict, while MCAT scores and GPAs were given secondary weight. The department determined this practice violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions, which barred race-conscious admissions in higher education.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon emphasized that the university’s process effectively prioritized racial identity over objective academic measures. The case marks a continued federal push to enforce the SFFA precedent beyond undergraduate settings, extending scrutiny to professional schools. UCSF has not yet publicly responded, but the finding could prompt similar reviews at other medical and graduate programs.