On Tuesday April 9, 2019, Texas Tech University Health Center Sciences Center came to an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to cease using race or national origin as one of the many factors involved in their admission process. As organizations who support, encourage, and uplift students who are underrepresented minorities, we are concerned with the outcome of future admissions cycles for underrepresented minority applicants going forward and fear this decision could have damaging effects on the health of communities of color. Previous literature has estimated that programs that banned race-conscious admissions led to a 17% decline of underrepresented students of color enrolling in medical school at public institutions in those states, underlining the consequences that the Texas Tech decision and similar policies will have on the diversity of future in-coming medical school classes and the health of their surrounding communities.

View the full Joint Statement on SNMA’s website!