University Requires Photos Of Applicants For ‘Diversity In Surgery’ Internship
Alexa Schwerha on January 23, 2023
The United States Department of Education (DOE) will investigate a race-based internship program at a Chicago medical school which requires applicants to submit a photo of themselves, according to medical watchdog group Do No Harm.
The Loyola University Chicago (LUC) Stritch School of Medicine Department of Surgery offers a sub-internship program for students who are “African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander,” according to its website. Do No Harm program manager Laura Morgan filed a complaint with the DOE in August 2022 alleging the program violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits race-based discrimination.
“In violation of Title VI, medical students who are not members of one of the designated racial/ethnic groups above in bold are illegally excluded from the University’s ‘Diversity in Surgery Visiting Sub-Internship Program’ and illegally discriminated against on the basis of their race, color, and national origin,” the complaint reads.
The DOE responded to Morgan on Jan. 19 and confirmed it would investigate the school for potential civil rights violations.
The sub-internship program “is intended to encourage medical students from racial and ethnic groups that are underrepresented in medicine to consider pursuing a career in academic surgery,” according to its website. Applicants must send in a photo in their application materials.
Sub-interns can be placed in various services including the burn unit, colon and rectal surgery, plastic and reconstructive surgery and trauma surgery where they will assist the surgical team and gain operating room experience. The program lasts for four weeks and sub-interns receive up to $2,500 in stipends to help with cost of living.
The DOE, Morgan and LUC did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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