The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) recently voted to oppose Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Enact Advance Ohio Higher Education Act. Senator Jerry Cirino (R-Cleveland, OH) introduced SB 1 in January targeting “diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), intellectual diversity, and other concepts”.
The bill prohibits DEI-related training but lacks a clear definition of DEI, creating uncertainty about whether such essential coursework will continue or face legal risks. National accrediting bodies require DEI integration in medical education, and limiting it could harm future physicians’ ability to serve diverse populations effectively.
In its opposition letter to the Ohio House Workforce and Higher Education Committee, the OAFP emphasized that DEI education, including training on implicit bias and social determinants of health, is critical for preparing physicians to provide culturally competent care. The OAFP urges lawmakers to define DEI explicitly within SB 1 to ensure medical students and physicians can continue receiving vital education that enhances patient care.
I am so grateful to the OAFP for speaking up on such an important topic. I am proud to be a member of this organization.
Thank you so very much OAFP for taking this position. The data around health disparities in this country is ROBUST and wide-reaching, and DEI-related training and efforts to combat connected disparities is CRUCIAL. It is absolutely breaking my heart to see these efforts targeted.
Opposing SB1 is a no brainer from a primary care and population health perspective and I am so thankful that organizations like OAFP are taking a stand to resist narrow-minded legislature. It saddens me that we even need to take this kind of stand, but grateful to have allies with political voices.
This is a terrible bill and it will make it harder to recruit students and faculty to come to Ohio. It also impacts the ability of professors to collectively bargain and seek tenure. Thank you to OAFP for speaking out against it. It’s disappointing that more groups didn’t speak up.