Staying Anchored in Purpose: A Response to Shifting DEI Standards in Medical Education
Recently, a new executive order from the Trump campaign has stirred concern across academic medicine. The order targets accreditation bodies-specifically calling out those that require recruitment and retention policies promoting diversity in the medical workforce.
It threatens to revoke federal recognition for accreditors “engaging in unlawful discrimination” stating:
The standards for training tomorrow’s doctors should focus solely on providing the highest quality care.”
As someone who has worked in medical education for years, I understand how disorienting a shift like this can feel. Leaders are asking:
What does this mean for our DEI initiatives?
Could our recruitment or retention practices come under scrutiny?
Are we going to be forced to choose between compliance and mission?
And yet, amid the uncertainty-one truth holds steady:
Your program’s purpose doesn’t have to change just because the politics do.
Pause Before You Pivot
Before reacting to a new policy or headline, I invite you to step back and reflect:
Mission-Check: Reflect Before You React
Use the questions below to ground your program in purpose. Whether you’re a DIO, PD, coordinator, or faculty leader- these reflections can guide your next move:
Why did our institution commit to DEI practices in the first place?
What needs are we trying to meet, for our patients, learners and faculty?
Where do our current recruitment and retention practices reflect those needs?
What kind of physician leaders are we committed to training?
Who benefits when our workforce reflects the diversity of the communities we serve?
Where are we living our mission-and where are we drifting from it?
Use This Moment to Realign With Mission
This isn’t just a time to revise documents. It’s a moment to return to your “why”.
Staying true to your mission isn’t just a compliance strategy -it’s a leadership one.
Looking for Thought Partnership?
Next week, I’ll be opening a few strategy sessions for institutions looking to:
Align onboarding and DEI efforts with evolving expectations
Design inclusive programming in complex climates
Strengthen program culture from the inside out
Want to connect about your team’s unique needs?
📩 Reply to this email or send me a message on LinkedIn.
Together, we can keep building programs that are both mission-aligned and future-ready-no matter what policies come down the line.
With care and clarity,
Sophia