Pennsylvania Medical School Faces Federal Civil Rights Complaint Over Scholarship Programs
Thomas Jefferson University and Sidney Kimmel Medical College in Philadelphia are facing a new federal civil rights complaint filed Thursday, June 18, 2026, over scholarship programs that allegedly use race, color, or national origin in ways that violate federal law.
The Equal Protection Project filed the federal complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights. The group alleges that five scholarship or fellowship programs connected to the university and its medical school discriminate in how they define, promote, or prioritize eligible students.
Complaint Names Five Jefferson Programs
The complaint targets the Jackson-Minton Scholarship, the Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells Scholarship, the Visiting Medical Student Diversity Scholarship, the Otolaryngology Research Fellowship Scholarship, and the Visiting Medical Student Scholarship for Inclusive Excellence.
The filing alleges that the programs either restrict benefits to certain racial or ethnic groups or use language that signals racial preference. The Equal Protection Project argues that even programs described as open to all qualified students may still create unequal access if they identify specific racial or ethnic groups as preferred beneficiaries.
Federal Funding Drives Legal Claim
The legal argument rests on whether the university receives federal financial assistance and whether the scholarship programs are subject to federal civil rights requirements. The complaint cites Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act.
The Justice Department says Title VI bars discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.
HHS says Section 1557 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in certain health programs and activities. The complaint alleges that those laws apply because Thomas Jefferson University receives federal support, including health-related grants.
Scholarship Wording Faces Review
Several programs named in the complaint use diversity-related language on public pages. One Thomas Jefferson University page says the Visiting Medical Student Diversity Scholarship is intended to support fourth-year students, including those who identify as underrepresented minorities, as they explore rehabilitation medicine.
The Jefferson scholarship page says the program aims to increase the number of diverse trainees in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Another Jefferson page for the Visiting Medical Student Scholarship for Inclusive Excellence states that highly motivated rising fourth-year medical students should apply, including, but not limited to, students who identify as African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Hispanic or Latino, Pacific Islander, LGBTQ, or from a disadvantaged background.
The complaint argues that this kind of wording may discourage students who do not identify with those listed groups. The Equal Protection Project calls that racial and ethnic signaling, even when application language includes broader eligibility language.
Jefferson Says It Has Not Been Notified
Thomas Jefferson University’s public response so far has been brief. The school said it had not received notice of a complaint or pending investigation. The university has not publicly announced changes to the named scholarship programs. Sidney Kimmel Medical College has also not publicly issued a separate statement on the allegations.
The complaint asks HHS to impose remedial relief if officials find violations. Requested remedies include policy changes, possible fines, termination of federal assistance, or referral to the Department of Justice.
Supreme Court Ruling Changed Campus Policies
The complaint arrives three years after the Supreme Court restricted race-conscious admissions practices in higher education. The 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and the University of North Carolina forced colleges to rethink how they use race in admissions and student programs.
The ruling focused on admissions. Still, it triggered wider reviews of scholarships, fellowships, internships, research programs, and campus pipeline initiatives.
Civil rights groups have since challenged university programs that mention race or ethnicity in eligibility requirements or recruitment language. The Equal Protection Project has filed similar complaints against other institutions over scholarships and academic programs.
Medical Training Raises Stakes
The Jefferson complaint carries added significance because it involves medical education. Medical school scholarships can affect far more than tuition. Visiting rotations, specialty fellowships, and research opportunities may help students build faculty relationships, gain clinical experience, and strengthen residency applications.
The complaint argues that access to those opportunities should be based on merit, qualifications, and the ability to serve patients. It alleges that race-based scholarship practices can undermine confidence in medical training and professional advancement.
Supporters of diversity programs often argue that medicine needs broader representation to address health disparities and improve trust with patients. They point to gaps in access, physician shortages, and long-running inequities in care.
HHS Review Remains Pending
HHS has not publicly confirmed an investigation into Thomas Jefferson University or Sidney Kimmel Medical College. The agency could decline to investigate, seek more information, open a formal review, or pursue a voluntary resolution.
If the agency finds compliance concerns, the university could be asked to revise scholarship language, change selection rules, expand eligibility, train staff, or submit to monitoring. Stronger enforcement measures would depend on the agency’s findings and the university’s response.
