Lawsuits filed against scholarship programs for alleged discrimination against White men.

Two scholarship programs for minorities are facing lawsuits over allegations of discrimination against White individuals.

The Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons' (SOMOS) E. Anthony Rankin Scholarship Program is being challenged by the nonprofit organization Do No Harm (DNH) on behalf of one of its members who is a White male and cannot continue with the application process.

The program, designed for underrepresented medical students, assigns students to a U.S. Military host at one of two medical centers. The program lasts four weeks, and students can receive up to $12,000 to cover travel, housing, and daily expenses during their stay with the military.

The complaint states that Member A was upset and disappointed that SOMOS would use his race, which he cannot control, to prevent him from participating in the program and learning from some of the country's top orthopaedic surgeons in order to serve the military and veteran communities.

The lawsuit against the Director of the Defense Health Agency, Secretary of Defense, and others in their official capacities alleges that they are violating the Fifth Amendment by collaborating with SOMOS, a race-based service-learning program for students interested in orthopedic surgery.

The program excludes white, male applicants, according to the complaint.

DNH seeks a permanent injunction to prevent the enforcement of the program's requirements and, if required, a preliminary injunction to prevent the defendants from enforcing the program's racial requirement.

The University of Colorado's "Underrepresented Minority Visiting Elective Scholarship" is being challenged by DNH on behalf of one individual who is qualified to apply but is unable to do so due to their race. The scholarship is provided by the Radiation Oncology Department within the university's visiting elective rotation.

The scholarship offers a reimbursement of up to $2,000 for lodging, travel, and related expenses for a four-week elective, but to be eligible, the visiting medical student must meet certain criteria, such as being enrolled at an accredited medical school and being in good standing. Additionally, the applicant must submit a statement of interest.

The scholarship is awarded based on the applicant's passion for serving underserved populations, demonstrating leadership, and achieving academic excellence, as stated in the scholarship description on the school's website.

The scholarship is not open to everyone, as it specifies eligibility is limited to certain groups, including African American/Black, Native American, Hispanic/Latino, Pacific Islander, LGBTQ+, and those from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background. The website states that the scholarship includes but is not limited to those races.

The plaintiff, who is a member of DNH, satisfies all nonracial qualifications for the scholarship.

Despite fulfilling all nonracial qualifications and being a strong contender for the scholarship, Member A cannot apply because he is a white, straight male who does not identify as any other ethnicity, according to the complaint.

DNH is requesting a court order declaring that the scholarship violates the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI, and permanently prohibiting the defendants from considering applicants' race when selecting scholarship recipients.

"Dr. Jared Ross, Senior Fellow with Do No Harm, stated on Planet Chronicle Digital that when everyone is injured and requires surgery, the best surgeon is what we need, regardless of their skin color. However, in the pursuit of diversity, which is commendable, we have inadvertently introduced discrimination and racial quotas, leading to what some call "equity.""

In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against considering race as a factor in college admissions, with a 6-3 decision.

Two legal challenges were decided by the justices regarding how Harvard University, a private institution, and the University of North Carolina, a public one, select their students for their classrooms.

In 2014, the student activist group Students for Fair Admissions filed a lawsuit against Harvard for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal funds or other Federal financial assistance.

The Defense Department, SOMOS, and the University of Colorado were contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for comment.