Suspension of enforcement of GME diversity and inclusion standards

On May 9, 2025, the Board of Directors of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) announced that it is suspending enforcement of ACGME Institutional Requirement III.B.8, Common Program Requirement I.C. and related specialty/subspeciality requirements. These requirements pertain to diversity and inclusiveness in the recruitment and retention of residents, faculty and staff connected to graduate medical education (GME) programs. More specifically, Institutional Requirement III.B.8 states:

The Sponsoring Institution, in partnership with each of its programs, must engage in practices that focus on ongoing, mission-driven, systematic recruitment and retention of a diverse and inclusive workforce of residents/fellows, faculty members, senior administrative staff members and other relevant members of its GME community. 

Common Program Requirement I.C. is essentially the same requirement as III.B.8, above, directed at GME programs. The ACGME’s brief statement announcing the pause on enforcement of these specific requirements, indicates that the ACGME “has heard significant concerns from multiple constituents in several states” as well as from federal Sponsoring Institutions, related to their ability to comply with the diversity related ACGME requirements in light of state of federal laws.  The ACGME indicates that it will consider the issue at its June 2025 Board meeting, next month.

The action follows an Executive Order issued by President Trump on April 23, 2025 related to accreditors in higher education, directing the Secretary of Education to, among other things, as appropriate: “hold accountable” including through “denial, monitoring, suspension or termination of accreditation recognition,” accreditation organizations failing to meet federal recognition criteria or otherwise violating Federal law.  The Executive Order indicates that this includes accrediting organizations requiring institutions seeking accreditation “to engage in unlawful discrimination in accreditation-related activity under the guise of ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ initiatives.” The Executive Order specifically mentions the ACGME and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, directing an investigation of the organizations as well as of the American Bar Association’s accrediting council, as related to accreditation of law schools. Read the full Executive Order, titled “Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education.” 

Academic medical centers and other Sponsoring Institutions and their GME programs remain responsible for complying with ACGME requirements related to professionalism and patient care, including those under Section IV.B of the Common Program Requirements requiring that residents demonstrate competence in respecting and responding to diverse patient populations and in delivering care that is “compassionate, equitable, appropriate and effective for the treatment of the health problems and the promotion of health.”