University of Minnesota med school students pledge to fight 'White supremacy' at ceremony
Dr. Marc Siegel, a Fox News contributor, reacted to the unusual pledge by medical students on 'Fox & Friends Weekend'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A medical school pledge ceremony as spoken by students at the University of Minnesota Medical School is raising eyebrows for the wording students reportedly recited.
Among other promises made publicly in August, the med students pledged "to honor all Indigenous ways of healing that have been marginalized by Western medicine" — and to fight "White supremacy, colonialism [and] the gender binary."
Dr. Marc Siegel, a Fox News medical contributor, reacted to the events, saying, "That's a mess," during an appearance on "Fox & Friends Weekend."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TO AVOID TODAY'S WOKENESS, PARENTS ARE ENROLLING THEIR KIDS IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
The students also noted in their public statements, "We commit to uprooting the legacy and perpetuation of structural violence deeply embedded within the health care system."
Their spoken pledge included this line: "As we enter this profession with opportunity for growth, we commit to promoting a culture of anti-racism, listening and amplifying voices for positive change."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}There are concerns in some corners about an unusual pledge that medical school students made recently during a public ceremony. (iStock)
Said Dr. Siegel about the turn of events, "If we start having to give out herbs rather than [use] the latest technology, that might actually have an influence [on] patient care."
"They're also committed to healing our planet — well, how about healing ourselves and healing our patients?" Dr. Siegel also said.
"We vow to embrace our role as community members and strive to embody cultural humility," medical school students at the University of Minnesota recited recently. (iStock )
Minnesota med school students also stated, "We vow to embrace our role as community members and strive to embody cultural humility."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dr. Siegel noted the importance of the traditional Hippocratic oath for doctors — to "do no harm" and "the whole idea of being humble and being kind" as medical professionals.
"We're supposed to be studying medical textbooks."
He said that "when you start programming people on what they're supposed to say" — that becomes a problem.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He spoke as well about the traditional white coat worn by doctors — and wondered if today's woke educators and administrators are going to request a change in the color or look of the professional garment at some point.
Dr. Marc Siegel said doctors need to focus on figuring out, "What's wrong with this patient? Am I giving the right treatment? Am I ordering the right tests?" (iStock)
"We're supposed to be studying medical textbooks," Dr. Siegel also said.
"What's wrong with this patient?' It's called the differential diagnosis. ‘Am I giving the right treatment? Am I ordering the right tests?'"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Yet those who are most concerned with being "politically correct," he suggested, may not have the same emphasis and focus on the health-based responsibilities they've studied and committed to uphold in their professional practices.
Fox News Digital reached out to the University of Minnesota Medical School for comment.
The school shared this comment with Fox News Digital on Oct. 26, 2022: "It is a common practice at medical schools in the United States to build upon the intent of the Hippocratic Oath to promote humility, integrity and beneficence. Each year at the University of Minnesota Medical School, the incoming students work with faculty to write an oath that reflects these core elements, values and ethics the class aspires to uphold."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The school's mission "is to train future leaders … while addressing education, equitable and inclusive health care delivery, and innovation in medicine and science."
The school added, "The mission of the U of M Medical School is to train future leaders who will care for the health of all Minnesotans while addressing education, equitable and inclusive health care delivery, and innovation in medicine and science."
The University of Minnesota's med school displays a "diversity" statement on its website that references the promotion of "health equity."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The University of Minnesota Medical School is dedicated to providing excellence across our mission — high-quality education for students of all backgrounds; innovative and cutting-edge research and exceptional clinical outcomes that promote health equity," the site says.
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"Through a variety of services and programs, we aim to engage everyone in our collective work toward inclusive excellence, promote equity in access to learning, scientific inquiry, care delivery, and celebrate our diversity through cultural experiences and opportunities on and off campus."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This article has been updated with comments from the University of Minnesota Medical School.