The following article appeared in the August 13, 2025, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.
County commissioners chair says he has confidence Atrium Health will release med school diversity numbers
Classes started last month at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Charlotte campus in the Midtown/Dilworth area. (Photo by Kevin Young/The 5 and 2 Project)
Mecklenburg County commissioners chair Mark Jerrell said he is confident Atrium Health will share data with him on the racial and ethnic makeup of the first class on the Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Charlotte campus — but he doesn’t have the numbers yet and isn’t sure they will be made public.
The Charlotte Ledger/NC Health News previously reported that the city’s first four-year medical school had declined to release the data, despite a request from Jerrell and earlier statements from its leaders that they wanted the class to be “one of the most diverse learner bodies in the country.”
Jerrell, who was quoted saying he would have a problem if Atrium withheld the data, said he had a long conversation with a top Atrium Health executive shortly after the article was published.
“They wanted to make sure that I got their perspective,” Jerrell said about his conversation with the Atrium executive, whom he did not name. “And I’m not speaking for Atrium, but it is very reasonable in my mind that if you put out that data in this political climate, to be concerned that the administration will challenge that.”
Over the past year, institutions nationwide have faced public backlash over race-conscious admissions amid heightened national scrutiny of diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Jarrell said he didn’t know if Atrium would share the data publicly: “That’s a good question. That will be step two that I have to solve. I know we’ll have conversations about the public being able to have that information.”
Jerrell said he planned to circle back with Atrium about the data this week.
Three other county commissioners — Arthur Griffin, Laura Meier and George Dunlap — told the Ledger/NC Health News they expect Atrium to release the data. —Michelle Crouch
Related Ledger article:
“Charlotte’s new med school is mum on diversity,” (July 18)
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