The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is currently embroiled in a legal battle over its medical school's admissions practices. On Thursday, a class-action lawsuit was filed against UCLA's Geffen School of Medicine, accusing it of continuing to employ a race-based admissions process despite a recent Supreme Court ruling. This ruling, made in 2023, declared race-based programs for college admissions unconstitutional. The lawsuit was filed by Do No Harm, a nonprofit organization opposing what it describes as "radical progressive ideology" in the healthcare industry, in collaboration with Students for Fair Admissions, a nonprofit legal advocacy group. According to the lawsuit, applicants to UCLA's medical school faced "intentional discrimination on the basis of race and ethnicity" during the admissions process. Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, chair of Do No Harm, emphasized the need for medical schools to comply with the law and prioritize merit over immutable characteristics in their admissions processes. He criticized UCLA for treating the Supreme Court's decision as a mere suggestion rather than a binding law. Data highlighted in the lawsuit suggests that UCLA's medical school engaged in racial balancing. Between 2020 and 2023, around 73% of applicants to the Geffen School were white and Asian. However, the percentage of admitted students from these groups decreased significantly over the years: from 65.7% in 2020 to 53.7% in 2023. This trend raises questions about whether the school has been using race as a factor in its admissions decisions, contrary to the Supreme Court's ruling. UCLA's medical school is known for its competitiveness, with an acceptance rate of about 3.3%, as reported by U.S. News and World Report. The lawsuit names several defendants, including the medical school, the governing board of the University of California's college system, and the associate dean of admissions at the medical school. However, when Fox News Digital reached out to UCLA and the Geffen School of Medicine for comments on the lawsuit, they did not receive immediate responses. The Supreme Court's decision in 2023, which is central to this case, came from the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard case. The court ruled that using race-based affirmative action programs in college admissions violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This decision has prompted educational institutions to reevaluate their admissions policies to ensure compliance with the law. In addition to the lawsuit, the Geffen School of Medicine is under investigation by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights. This investigation, prompted by whistleblower reports, is examining whether the school discriminates against applicants based on race, color, or national origin. Whistleblowers allege that the admissions office has implemented policies that favor certain racial groups, setting lower standards for Black and Latino applicants compared to their White and Asian peers. The investigation aligns with the Administration's commitment to uphold the principles of meritocracy and equal opportunity in medical education, as stated by Anthony Archeval, acting director of the Office for Civil Rights at HHS. The department aims to ensure that all students, regardless of their racial background, have equal access to opportunities in the medical field. This ongoing controversy reflects broader debates about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in educational institutions. While some argue that DEI initiatives are necessary to address historical inequalities and promote diversity, others contend that they can lead to reverse discrimination and undermine merit-based selection processes. As this legal battle unfolds, it highlights the complexities and challenges associated with balancing diversity and merit in college admissions. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for medical schools and other educational institutions across the country, as they navigate the evolving legal and social landscape surrounding affirmative action and race-conscious admissions policies.