By Michelle Crouch
When Atrium Health and the Wake Forest University School of Medicine announced plans in 2021 to build Charlotte’s first four-year medical school, they said they wanted it to have “one of the most diverse learner bodies in the country.”
But now that the campus has opened its doors, it’s hard to determine whether they hit that goal. Despite repeated requests, including from a local elected official, the school has not released data on the ethnic and racial makeup of its first class.
The school’s reticence may reflect a broader shift taking place across the country in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision banning race-conscious admissions. That ruling, along with new federal initiatives targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs, has made many institutions cautious about discussing diversity, said Roger A. Mitchell, president-elect of the National Medical Association, which represents Black physicians.
Mitchell said he hasn’t heard of other medical schools withholding demographic information, but he wasn’t surprised to hear that it might be happening.
“This is a hard time right now for higher education — for medical schools in general — because you don’t know whether you will be targeted for being more inclusive,” he said.
Two Mecklenburg County commissioners told the Ledger/NC Health News they think Wake Forest should release the data about the Charlotte class if it legally can, especially given the public investment in the project. The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County jointly contributed $75 million in tax incentives to support The Pearl, the medical innovation district where the school is housed.
If Wake Forest declines, “that’s going to be a real problem for me,” said Mark Jerrell, who chairs the commissioners board and approves appointments to Atrium’s governing board. “I’m going to have to understand the why. It would send the wrong signal.”
Commissioner Arthur Griffin agreed: “I would certainly hope they’d be willing to talk about the makeup of their student body. I think it’s important.”
Both commissioners said they hope the new medical school class reflects the city’s diversity, emphasizing that a diverse physician workforce is linked to better health outcomes.
A photo of the class posted on the school’s Instagram account appears to include students from a range of backgrounds.
Diversity statistic disappeared from Wake’s site
Medical schools have traditionally announced the demographics of their incoming classes once students arrive on campus, including the percentage from underrepresented groups.
As recently as February 2025, Wake Forest’s MD class profile page listed the percentage of students from earlier classes who were “underrepresented in medicine or economically disadvantaged” — a category that included Black/African American, Hispanic, Native American, Native Alaskan or Pacific Islander and economically disadvantaged students, according to archived screenshots. The category has since been removed from the page.
East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine plans to release racial and ethnic data about its incoming first-year class next week, once the students arrive on campus, spokesman Bobby Ampezzan said.
The UNC School of Medicine will also share demographic data about its incoming class — including the percentages of students from underrepresented groups — after matriculation in August, spokesman Alan Wolf said.
A spokeswoman for the Duke University School of Medicine did not respond to a Ledger/NC Health News request for demographic information in time for publication. Duke medical students matriculate next week.
Data first requested in March
The Ledger/NC Health News first asked the Wake Forest School of Medicine about the incoming class’s demographics in March, including a specific question about the percentage of students from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups. At the time, Wake Forest University School of Medicine spokesman Joe McCloskey responded that the school would not have any information until July.
We followed up on July 1 and again on July 9, during a Charlotte campus media tour, when Vice Dean for Undergraduate Education Roy Strowd told us: “We don’t have the ethnic and racial breakdown at this point in time, because that is behind a closed door until we bring that first-year class in.”
He added, “Equity and diversity — and really thinking about bringing all groups of students together — is a priority for the school and has been for many years.”
Now, the first 49 students are here — classes started this week — but the numbers are still missing.
On Friday, July 11, the Ledger/NC Health News again requested the data. The Atrium Health/Advocate Health media relations team responded with an email that read:
Thank you for your inquiry:
Attributable to a spokesperson for Wake Forest University School of Medicine
With an average age of 24, nearly 200 students are entering their first year at Wake Forest University School of Medicine this month. The Charlotte campus’s inaugural four-year class comprises 49 students — roughly one-third of whom are from North Carolina. The students come from 18 states and 29 colleges. Meanwhile, the Winston-Salem campus is welcoming 145 first-year students — hailing from 31 states and 77 colleges. Across both campuses, 25% are from North Carolina.
The Ledger/NC Health News immediately responded and reiterated its request specifically for the number/percent of students who are Black/African American, of Latino/Hispanic origin and American Indian or Alaskan natives.
There was no response. On Wednesday, July 16, the Ledger/NC Health News again asked for an ethnic and racial breakdown of the class. In response, the Atrium media relations team sent an email that said, “Thank you for following up. Here’s what we have available:” and pasted the same statement as above.
Commissioner may “get nosy”
Jerrell, the commissioners’ chair, said he also requested ethnic and racial data this week and, like the Ledger/NC Health News, received only information on age and geographic diversity.
He said he planned to follow up. “Given the leadership at Atrium/Advocate/Wake Forest that I’m in contact with, this would not be consistent with the conversations that I’ve had privately and what I’ve heard publicly,” he said.
Even if DEI programs are banned, “the principle of opportunity should remain,” Jerrell said. And transparency is essential to understanding and addressing deeper issues related to opportunity in education, he said.
“We can’t address issues if we don’t have the information,” he said.
Griffin said if the data isn’t released publicly, he might have to “get nosy” and ask for the statistics himself.
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Fewer incoming Black medical students nationwide
At the national level, data indicates that medical school diversity has taken a hit since the 2023 Supreme Court ruling.
In 2024, the number of incoming first-year Black medical students dropped 11.6% across the country compared with 2023, and Latino enrollees fell 10.8%, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. That’s despite an increase in applications from both groups.
In addition, two national agencies that accredit medical schools recently announced they will no longer consider DEI programs during their evaluations.
Research shows that having diverse physician teams leads to better health outcomes, increased patient satisfaction and improved communication, especially for patients of color.
“We’ve long known the positive impact of having culturally diverse doctors,” Griffin said. “Just to give an example, I don’t think anyone disputes the notion that if there were more Black OB-GYNs, you’d probably have improved outcomes when it comes to maternal morbidity and mortality. The patient-doctor relationship, the trust, the understanding … it makes a difference.”
This article is part of a partnership between The Charlotte Ledger and North Carolina Health News to produce original health care reporting.
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I find it concerning that the new medical school in Charlotte isn’t providing transparency about its diversity efforts. In today’s climate, it’s crucial for educational institutions to be open about their DEI initiatives and how they impact student recruitment and retention. It’s not just about meeting quotas; it’s about fostering an inclusive environment that reflects our diverse society. I hope they reconsider and share this important information soon!
It’s disappointing to see that Atrium Health and Wake Forest haven’t shared any data on the diversity of their first class. Transparency is key in these times, especially when DEI programs are being scrutinized. I hope they reconsider and provide this information soon!