October 17, 2008 - In partnership with the North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association (NASMDA), the Sikh Coalition this week succeeded in changing a policy that allowed searches and removal of religious headwear worn by Medical Colleges Admission Test (MCAT) examinees.

Angad Singh's Story: Remove Your Turban or You Can't Take the Test

Angad Singh, a pre-medical student from Ohio, contacted the Sikh Coalition earlier this year after taking the MCAT. The MCAT is a required admission test for U.S. medical schools. When Angad arrived at his testing center to take the exam, he was told that he must remove his turban or he would not be permitted to take the test.

After discussion with the proctor, Angad agreed to remove his turban for a search and then retie it for the remainder of the exam. No other item of clothing was searched prior to the exam.

Coalition Partners with NASMDA to Protect Sikh Students

The Sikh Coalition immediately protested Angad's treatment with the the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) - the organization that administers the MCAT.  The AAMC stated that Angad's treatment was in accordance with their policy.  In short, the AAMC said that anyone wearing a head covering into the MCAT exam room could be asked to remove it, even religious head coverings. The AAMC did not, however, explain why head coverings were the only form of clothing being searched at the testing site.

In the following months, together with Dr. Jasjit Ahluwalia, Associate Dean of Clinical  Research at University of Minnesota Medical School, the Sikh Coalition and NASMDA continued discussions with the AAMC. We explained the significance of the turban and compared its removal to a strip search. We urged the AAMC to make the rules for searching turbans the same as the rules for searching other mandatory articles of clothing that are not usually removed before taking a test, like trousers or a shirt.

The AAMC Changes Its Search Policy

After months of negotiations, this week the AAMC announced that it had changed its turban search policy. Under the new procedures, religious head coverings will be allowed in the exam room after a simple visual inspection similar to the policy for other forms of clothing.

In its letter to NASMDA's President, the AAMC stated "On further consideration, AAMC has been persuaded that, on balance, many of your concerns are well founded and that the integrity of the examination can be protected by less intrusive means."

"I am very happy to hear that the AAMC has changed its policy. This is a great step forward for all aspiring Sikh physicians. I'd like to thank the Sikh Coalition's team for its diligence and leadership on this issue," Angad said.

The Sikh Coalition commends the AAMC for maintaining an open dialogue with the community and working to understand our issues. We would also like to thank NASMDA and Dr. Ahluwalia for their leadership in discussions with the AAMC on this matter.

As always, the Coalition calls on all Sikhs to stand up for their civil rights and fearlessly maintain their articles of faith.