Boston Medical Center (BMC) is under investigation by the HHS Office for Civil Rights after the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law lodged a formal complaint. The filing alleges that a Jewish Israeli intern in the hospital’s mental‑health counselling programme was subjected to isolation and retaliation after she reported antisemitic material displayed in a coworker’s area.
Alleged sequence of events
The intern began her placement in May 2025. On her first day she observed two posters in a colleague’s workspace that read “They killed our babies” and “They stole our lands”. She reported the material to her supervisors, who initially indicated that the displays might breach hospital policy.
After the intern returned from a trip to Israel, she was moved to a separate physical location from the clinical team she had been working with. A supervisor is reported to have said the relocation was intended to make “everyone feels safe”. Subsequent reports suggest that other staff formed a group opposed to the intern; one colleague allegedly ceased communicating with her and failed to provide patient handovers.
In July 2025 the intern met with supervisors who told her that the hospital had warned the team about her Israeli background and assured them she held no “unacceptable political views”. Human‑resources staff gave a non‑specific response to her concerns, and the intern remained separated from her team for the remainder of the placement.
Performance evaluation and aftermath
On 5 September 2025 the intern received a negative performance evaluation that questioned her “ability to function as part of a team” and suggested she “expand her trauma‑informed approach”. By April 2026 she omitted BMC supervisors from reference letters and reported hearing faculty rumours about a “cultural disagreement” at her site.
Boston Medical Center receives federal funding amounting to tens of millions of dollars, including HHS grants in both 2025 and 2026. The hospital did not respond to requests for comment.
Broader civil‑rights concerns
Kenneth Marcus, chief executive of the Brandeis Center, warned that “When a student reports offensive conduct and is penalized, serious civil rights concerns are raised for the future of healthcare.” The centre has also filed complaints against the American Psychological Association and the National Education Association.
The Office for Civil Rights has not yet disclosed the outcome of its review, but the investigation underscores the growing scrutiny of how health‑care institutions handle reports of hate‑based conduct and the protection of trainees from retaliation.