University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia

It was announced within the “Response to Recent Episodes of Racism and Inequity” that, “For the coming year, the School of Medicine Strategic Planning Steering Committee will focus primarily on enhancing our strategies to build a more robust culture of diversity and inclusion. These efforts will examine ways to facilitate meaningful dialogue and deeper understanding, while seeking opportunities to improve our student pipeline programs, hiring practices, and faculty and staff development efforts.”

The School of Medicine will focus on “recruitment, retention and inclusiveness” as part of its goal to “increase student recruitment” and to “ensure student retention.”

The University of South Carolina published the School of Medicine's "Diversity Recruitment Initiative" which commits to "improving our pipeline programs that expose more students to the possibility of a career in medicine during their middle and high school years," and increasing our curricular content on social determinants of health, health disparities, cultural awareness, and the impact of racism on health."

On June 29, 2023, USC's President issued a statement in response to the Supreme Court's ruling on race-based admissions which states the following: "The University of South Carolina remains steadfast in its continuing commitment to compliance with the law and to a campus environment that supports and respects individuals with a variety of life experiences, including first-generation students, active-duty military and veterans, students with disabilities, and those from underrepresented backgrounds. We will continue to welcome qualified students who contribute to our diverse university learning environment and embrace a student body that reflects the people and communities that make up our state and our nation."

In 2020, the School of Medicine Columbia has released its “Response to Recent Episodes of Racism and Inequity” which stated, “New student orientation for incoming medical students and graduate students is immediately being revised to include additional material related to racial bias, cultural competency, equity, and inclusion. Using assigned readings related to recent events, students will be challenged to reflect and share how their learning can enhance their ability to make a difference as health professionals.”

The “Response to Recent Episodes of Racism and Inequity” also announced, “New elements are being added to the medical student curriculum focusing on better understanding of health disparities and interventions available to address those disparities. We will continue to seek additional enhancements to our medical school and graduate program curricula that effectively explore the impact of racism on health and health outcomes.”

The “Response to Recent Episodes of Racism and Inequity” explains, “For the coming year, the top fundraising priority for the School of Medicine will be the raising of funds for minority student support. The Dargan Scholarship fund was established to honor Dr. Everett L. Dargan, a renowned surgeon who served as an early African-American faculty member in the UofSC School of Medicine. In establishing this endowment, Dr. Dargan’s dream was that more minority students would have the opportunity to pursue a medical career in South Carolina.”

Furthermore, the School of Medicine Columbia is committed to “foster community relations” and to “identify funding sources for activities and programs” within the context of diversity and inclusion.

On January 13, 2021, the school's Department of Family & Preventive Medicine published a forty eight-page document titled "Healthcare Reimagined: An Introduction to Antiracism in Medicine," which discusses the "history and current practices of racial injustice in American healthcare."

The “Response to Recent Episodes of Racism and Inequity” further stated, “Prior to students returning to campus for the fall semester, faculty will be reaching out to some groups of students seeking their input on how to improve equity and inclusion within the School of Medicine. These discussions will continue during the fall semester.”

As part of the “Response to Recent Episodes of Racism and Inequity,” the school announced, “We will reinvigorate the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, through which faculty, staff, and students will be able to provide ongoing input about proactive steps we can take to improve the climate of diversity and inclusion within our school.”

The “Response to Recent Episodes of Racism and Inequity” stated, “The School of Medicine’s Ad Hoc Committee on Diversity in the Arts, which was formed this spring, will be asked to facilitate the development of a display highlighting exemplary minority faculty, staff, alumni, and benefactors of the School of Medicine, whose contributions have advanced our school’s mission and values. This display will become the cornerstone of ongoing efforts to highlight the enduring contributions of dozens of individuals of all genders, races, and backgrounds whose efforts have established the foundation on which the current success of the School of Medicine has been built.”

The “Response to Recent Episodes of Racism and Inequity” illustrated, “The Dean’s Executive Advisory Council, a diverse group of community leaders, alumni, and friends of the School of Medicine, regularly advises the SOM. We will be reaching out to them to solicit their input on further steps we can take to strengthen our culture of diversity and inclusion.”