The U.S. Department of Justice found that UC Davis School of Medicine violated federal anti-discrimination law by considering racial proxies in its admissions process. DOJ announced the result after a six-month investigation, citing the school’s ranking approach that used class-based socioeconomic variables and disadvantages tied to applicants’ backgrounds. DOJ said UC Davis created proxies for race that conflict with the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision banning affirmative action and race-conscious admissions. The complaint points to the school’s use of a “Davis Scale” that incorporates factors such as family income and receipt of need-based scholarships, and DOJ argues that this approach functionally circumvents the court’s ruling. UC Davis previously promoted the scale as a class-based alternative intended to expand diversity without race-conscious admissions, and it has described the admissions approach as compliant. The DOJ’s announcement escalates a broader pattern of similar investigations involving medical schools, with UC Davis positioned as a key next test case. Higher education leaders in health professions education should expect downstream policy and compliance pressure: admissions offices will likely re-audit metrics, documentation, and legal interpretation, especially as federal enforcement actions move toward potential litigation or settlements.