Admit.org is supposed to be a space where we support each other through one of the most stressful and vulnerable processes of our lives. Jokes and comments mocking URM applicants don’t just “miss the mark” they actively undermine the purpose of this community and reveal a lack of respect for the very people this field claims to want to serve.

What’s especially troubling is that many of you have written in your applications that you want to serve underserved communities. If that’s truly the case, it’s worth reflecting on how these jokes reflect your attitudes toward Black and Hispanic patients. Bias doesn’t disappear when you put on a white coat.

This isn’t Reddit. This isn’t a place where people should be able to make racist posts, label them as “shitposts,” and laugh while moderators look the other way on reddit. Words matter, especially in a profession built on trust, empathy, and advocacy.

If we can’t show basic respect to our peers during the application process, that’s something we should seriously sit with, because medicine demands better than that.