The U.S. Department of Justice accused the UC San Diego School of Medicine of unlawful race-based admissions practices through alleged “hardship,” “disadvantage,” and “distance traveled” proxies. DOJ says UC San Diego intended to alter racial representation in incoming classes, an allegation it framed as violating Title VI, which bars discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. The DOJ letter asserted the medical school favored underrepresented minorities by using criteria it characterized as proxies for race, and it warned it would sue if the school does not return to compliance after settlement negotiations. The allegations arrive amid wider federal pressure on higher education admissions practices, particularly following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision restricting race-conscious admissions and California’s ban on considering race in admissions since 1996. UC San Diego’s medical school said it does not consider race or ethnicity as criteria for selection and claimed compliance with state law. The dispute is poised to force costly admissions-process changes and legal risk management for medical schools operating in regulated environments.