Perfectionism in medicine is White supremacy, says prestigious medical school

A recently unearthed plan from Duke University School of Medicine claims that traits like perfectionism and timeliness in the medical profession are hallmarks of White supremacy.

The school originally published its “anti-racism strategic plan” in June 2021. The agenda, called “Dismantling Racism and Advancing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the School of Medicine,” outlined a five-year plan to infuse the school’s culture and curricula with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ideology.

Perfectionism, sense of urgency are racist

In its Glossary of Terms, the document defined “White supremacy culture” as having certain characteristics, such as perfectionism, timeliness, and a sense of urgency.

"In the workplace, white supremacy culture explicitly and implicitly privileges whiteness and discriminates against non-Western and non-white professionalism standards related to dress code, speech, work style, and timeliness," the document read. "Some identifiable characteristics of this culture includes perfectionism, belief that there’s only one right way, power hoarding, individualism, sense of urgency and defensiveness." 

Medical research reform

As part of its five-year plan, the school set five goals designed to “address systemic racism” in the school. One of those goals targeted medical research, which the document said must not only contain less White researchers but must also focus on “health equity,” which means the research itself must focus on skin color.

“Health equity research is a signature feature in our School’s research portfolio,” the document stated, which could be accomplished through “grant applications and awards for research funding or career training in studies of race, ethnicity, or racial inequity/inequality.”

The school also planned to make sure that “standards, definitions, and best practices in the use of race/ethnicity are embedded in research policies, practices, and education and are widely accepted across the research enterprise.”

A racial focus in education

The plan also called for the school’s educational programs to focus more on racism and “cultural humility.”

“For all health professions programs, conduct a review of and recommend changes to curricula to effectively address bias, racism, and cultural humility,” said the document.

Progress update

The agenda, which the school said was inspired by the death of George Floyd in 2020, received an update in January 2023 that showed the school’s progress in carrying out the plan. Vice Dean of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Kevin Thomas, MD outlined how the school has created an official DEI apparatus complete with DEI leaders, more faculty appointments and scholarships for non-Whites, and a more racially focused education program. 

An epidemic in medical education

Duke’s strategic plan, reported by Fox News on Tuesday, is the latest indicator that the medical profession is embracing woke ideologies.

The Gold Report previously reported, for example, that students at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are required to study racism without any emphasis on health.

Also, the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) published an academic paper last year suggesting that medical education at its core is racist. The journal added that medical schools must make racism a focus for medical students, which includes segregating them by race.

Medical schools should also address the “general antiracism curricula that is integrated into medical training” and how “anti-Black racism is endemic to the culture of medicine,” says the article.

Nearly 30 medical schools across the US no longer require applicants to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), according to a list published last year by Inspira Advantage. The exams have been dropped as a requirement due to a “diversity” approach that is based on the premise that non-White applicants are unable to perform as well as their White counterparts on the exams.

In August 2022, medical students at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Medical School recited a DEI oath at their white coat ceremony:

With gratitude, we, the students of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities Medical School Class of 2026, stand here today among our friends, families, peers, mentors and communities, who have supported us in reaching this milestone. Our institution is located on Dakota Land. Today, many indigenous people throughout the state including Dakota and Ojibwe, call the Twin Cities home; we also recognize this acknowledgement is not enough.

We commit to uprooting the legacy and perpetuation of structural violence deeply embedded within the health care system.

We recognize inequities built by past and present traumas rooted in white supremacy, colonialism, the gender binary, ableism, and all forms of oppression.

As we enter this profession with an opportunity for growth, we commit to promoting a culture of anti-racism, listening, and amplifying voices for positive change.

We pledge to honor all indigenous ways of healing that have been historically marginalized by Western medicine. Knowing that health is intimately connected to our environment, we commit to healing our planet and communities.

We vow to embrace our role as community members and strive to embody cultural humility. We promise to continue restoring trust in the medical system and fulfilling our responsibilities as educators and advocates. We commit to collaborating with social, political, and additional systems to advance health equity.

Some parts of the pledge mentioned issues like health care "violence.”

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