AACP

AACP Releases Joint Statement on "Students for Fair Admissions" SCOTUS Cases

AACP Article

AACP joins national health organizations to release statement on academic freedom.

 

On March 31, 2023 AACP released a brief regarding the Supreme Court cases Student for Fair Admissions v. President & Fellows of Harvard; and, Students for Fair Admissions v. the University of North Carolina. As previously mentioned these cases will likely have a monumental impact on admissions to higher education institutions.

As a follow-up to that brief, AACP partnered with several other health organizations to create a statement that reflects our concerns and ideals regarding the arguments given in either case. As health professionals, we strongly believe in our ability to create a safe, nurturing, fair, and equitable environment for our students to evolve into the best version of themselves.

The joint FASHP-GR statement can be found below.

As members of the health professions education community, we stand in full support of academic freedom as a critical element of successful higher education. Health professions education is the bedrock of American healthcare and supports millions of students from all backgrounds who go on to care for diverse patient populations and protect public health. Creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive academic health community is essential to patient care and a core competency of health professions education.

We are committed to the principles of academic freedom, as well as creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for students and patients. In order to achieve the best education across campuses nationwide, it is critical to allow colleges and universities the ability to develop all the required student competencies necessary to support healthy communities throughout the nation. Creating space for innovative curriculum on complex issues is fundamental to the mission of educational institutions of health professions. The study of our nation's diverse populations is vital for the advancement of medicine, public health, and economic prosperity.

PDF version of the statement.
PDF Version

Open dialogue in higher education reduces bias and promotes trust between students and healthcare professions educators, and healthcare providers and patients. Enabling health professions educators to provide necessary academic content, that covers the full diversity of the patients future healthcare providers will serve, strengthens breakthrough advancements in healthcare and allows our nation to continue its leadership in the field. Those trained in health professions are equipped to develop breakthroughs, which in turn generates economic growth to benefit our entire society.

The Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP) comprises 19 associations representing a health professions education community that includes 7,429 programs, institutions, hospitals, and health systems, and more than 1.3 million students, faculty, clinicians, administrators, residents, and researchers. 

Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions

  • American Association of Colleges of Nursing 
  • American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine 
  • American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy 
  • American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine
  • American Council of Academic Physical Therapy 
  • American Dental Education Association 
  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • American Physical Therapy Association 
  • American Psychological Association 
  • Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges
  • Association of American Medical Colleges
  • American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges 
  • Association of Chiropractic Colleges
  • Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry 
  • Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions 
  • Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health 
  • Association of University Programs in Health Administration 
  • Council on Social Work Education 
  • PA Education Association
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