University of California San Francisco Health is facing a new lawsuit over its high school internship program at Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland, accusing the hospital system of discriminating against white applicants in pursuit of their goal of expanding minority representation in the medical field.
The Pacific Legal Foundation represents Rebecca Hooley, who is suing on behalf of her daughter identified only as Berkeley High School student G.H., a “bright, ambitious young woman who dreams of a future in medicine.”
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, targets the Community Health and Adolescent Mentoring Program for Success, a three-year long program that lets students shadow doctors and take classes for seven hours each week during the school year for high school credit. The program also includes preparation for standardized tests and college application assistance.
“CHAMPS is highly competitive, and eligibility requirements are as stringent as they are extensive,” the PLF said in a press release. “Students must meet academic standards and complete a rigorous application process. Another requirement, however, has nothing to do with either academics or expertise: Without exception, only minority students are eligible for the program. Non-minority students need not apply.”
The complaint alleges a state-funded program closed to white students such as G.H. violates the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.
“The discriminatory CHAMPS program also violates California’s Proposition 209 banning racial preferences in public education — a measure Californians have consistently voted to uphold,” the Foundation continued. “UCSF officials can certainly create internships to help prepare students for health care careers. They just can’t use race to favor some applicants at the expense of others.”
Defendants in the matter include the University of California Board of Regents and its president, Janet Reilly; UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals and hospital president Dr. Nicholas Holmes; and CHAMPS Manager Michelle Ednacot.
“G.H. did everything right,” the complaint alleged. “She worked tirelessly in school, dedicated countless hours to extracurricular activities and poured her heart into her application. But instead of evaluating G.H. on her merit, UCSF Benioff judged G.H. by the color of her skin. When G.H. revealed she was white, UCSF Benioff slammed the door to this opportunity shut in her face.”
According to the complaint, G.H. applied for CHAMPS on Oct. 27, 2024, including a high school transcript and photograph, among other materials. On the race/ethnicity section, G.H. checked “not listed” rather than the other options: Asian, Black/African-America, Chicanx/Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/Alaskan and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. She advanced to the interview stage in December.
“The interviewer immediately started the interview noting that G.H. did not list her race or ethnicity in her application,” according to the complaint. “She pressed G.H. to identify her race, and G.H. answered that she is white.”
Five days later, G.H. learned she was not selected. The complaint said “the crushing disappointment and heartbreak G.H. experienced cannot be overstated. UCSF Benioff disregarded G.H.’s qualifications, achievements and aspirations in favor of an unconstitutional race-based exclusion.”
The family seeks damages of only $1 and a court order declaring the racial preferences of the CHAMPS application process to be unconstitutional. The complaint also seeks an award of legal fees.
PLF is not charging the Hooley family for its work.
Representatives for the hospital system said they could not comment on pending litigation.