DOJ alleges UCSF medical school favored Black and Hispanic applicants over whites and Asians

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has charged UCSF Medical School with illegal race-based admissions, asserting that Black applicants in 2025 had almost 13 times better chances of acceptance than white applicants with comparable grades and test scores. In a detailed findings letter, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon warned Chancellor Sam Hawgood that the school must negotiate a settlement by Oct. 2 or face a lawsuit.

Federal data show that while white and Asian candidates averaged MCAT scores in the 95th-96th percentile, admitted Black and Hispanic students had lower scores and GPAs. The DOJ also highlighted two pipeline programs that enrolled 89% underrepresented students, describing them as proxies for racial preference. UCSF officials rejected the conclusions, insisting that academic excellence remains central to their admissions process and that they will engage constructively with the department.