What the DOJ Is Demanding
The Justice Department has sent formal requests for admissions-related data to all three medical schools, according to reporting by the New York Times. The demands include detailed breakdowns of applicant demographics, acceptance rates by category, and documentation of how admissions decisions are made.
The investigations come after the Supreme Court's 2023 ruling that effectively ended race-conscious admissions in higher education. The DOJ appears to be verifying that institutions have fully complied with the ruling — and looking for evidence that schools may be using alternative methods to achieve similar demographic outcomes.
Stanford, Ohio State, and UC San Diego are among the top-ranked medical schools in the country. Stanford's medical school admitted just 2.3% of applicants last year. The average GPA of admitted students at top medical schools is 3.73, with an average MCAT score of 517.
The Expanding Pressure Campaign
These three investigations are the latest in a broader pattern. The Trump administration has also targeted Columbia University, threatening to cut federal funding. Harvard has faced similar scrutiny. The message to universities is clear: the DOJ is actively monitoring admissions practices post-affirmative action.
For medical schools specifically, the stakes are enormous. Medical education is heavily dependent on federal funding — Medicare and Medicaid fund the majority of residency training. Federal research grants power lab work and clinical trials. A funding cut would be devastating.
The American Association of Medical Colleges has pushed back, arguing that diverse physician workforces are essential for addressing health disparities. Studies consistently show that patients have better outcomes when treated by physicians who share their background — a particularly relevant finding as the US faces physician shortages in underserved communities.
What This Means for Applicants
For pre-med students, the investigations add uncertainty to an already stressful process. Medical school admissions were always opaque; the current scrutiny may make schools even more cautious — and potentially more reliant on quantifiable metrics like GPA and MCAT scores.
The practical implication: your numbers matter more than ever. The average GPA for accepted medical students is 3.73 (on a 4.0 scale). For top-10 schools, it's closer to 3.85. MCAT averages for admitted students are 517 out of 528. These numbers were always important; in a post-affirmative-action, DOJ-monitored environment, they may become even more deterministic.
Students currently in their pre-med track should focus on what they can control: maintaining a competitive GPA, preparing thoroughly for the MCAT, building genuine clinical experience, and developing strong research credentials. Use a GPA calculator to track where you stand against medical school averages — and to plan what grades you need in remaining courses to hit your target.