Civil Rights Complaint Targets Residency Selection Processes

The medical watchdog group Do No Harm has filed a formal complaint with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The organization alleges that three internal medicine residency programs are systematically discriminating against American-trained physicians in favor of those from overseas.

The complaint targets Corewell Health, Texas Tech University, and HCA Healthcare. It asserts that these institutions are violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Affordable Care Act by creating residency cohorts where over 90% of participants are foreign-trained.

Specific Allegations Against Residency Programs

Data cited in the complaint highlights significant disparities in the demographics of recent residency cohorts:

  • Corewell Health (Dearborn, Michigan): Only one out of 33 residents attended an American medical school, with 84% of the cohort originating from a small group of foreign nations.
  • Texas Tech University: 95% of the 39 internal medicine residents were trained at foreign medical schools.
  • HCA Healthcare (Brandon Hospital, Tampa): The most recent cohort contains no graduates from American medical schools, with 70% of the 58 residents trained abroad.

The complaint notes that the directors of these specific programs often share the same national or educational backgrounds as the residents they select. Do No Harm argues this indicates a pattern of exclusion that prevents qualified Americans from accessing competitive medical training.

Legal and Expert Perspectives

Dr. Kurt Miceli, Chief Medical Officer at Do No Harm, stated that national origin discrimination is both unlawful and harmful to the American commitment to equal opportunity. The group is urging HHS to refer the matter to the Department of Justice for further investigation.

Legal experts offer varying interpretations of these findings. Ilya Shapiro of the Manhattan Institute suggested that such disproportionate hiring patterns could potentially violate both civil rights and immigration laws. Conversely, Dan Greenberg of the Cato Institute noted that while the statistics appear unusual, there could be non-discriminatory explanations, such as varying applicant qualifications or differing levels of interest in internal medicine among specific applicant pools.

The institutions named in the complaint—Corewell Health, Texas Tech University, and HCA Healthcare—have been contacted for comment regarding these allegations.