The U.S. Justice Department has accused the UC Davis School of Medicine of admitting students based on race rather than academic qualifications, allegedly violating federal law and the Supreme Court's ban on affirmative action.
The department's Civil Rights Division announced its findings Wednesday, following a six-month investigation, stating that the medical school favored Black and Latino applicants over white and Asian applicants who were demonstrably more qualified. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon asserted that UC Davis's actions showed "contempt for the rule of law and plain disregard for the potential public health consequences of putting race over merit, skill, and competence."
UC Davis School of Medicine has strongly contested the Justice Department's conclusions. A university spokesperson stated, "The report’s findings do not accurately reflect the school’s rigorous, individualized, and merit-based admissions process and our firm commitment to complying with applicable federal and state antidiscrimination laws."
The Justice Department outlined its case in a letter to UC Davis attorneys, alleging violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, as interpreted by the Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. The department claims UC Davis implemented an admissions policy known as the "Davis Scale," a measure of socioeconomic disadvantage, specifically to circumvent the Supreme Court ruling and significantly increase the enrollment of Black and Latino students.
According to the department's review of admissions data from 2023 to 2025, 93% of white and certain Asian applicants had MCAT scores at or above the average for Black students. The Justice Department also reported that Black and Hispanic applicants were admitted at rates up to six times higher than white and Asian applicants, despite possessing lower average academic qualifications. The department is pursuing a voluntary agreement with UC Davis to ensure compliance and indicated it would pursue legal action if an agreement is not reached.
These allegations follow similar investigations by the Justice Department into medical schools at UCLA and UC San Diego. Last month, the department similarly accused UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine of discriminating against white and Asian applicants through race-based admissions practices.
