Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) customarily declines comment on individual

personnel matters.

However, VUMC wishes to emphasize several points to address allegations in recent news
articles and on social media made by Dr. Eugene Gu, a third-year surgery resident at VUMC.

Dr. Gu’s repeated assertions that he was disciplined, or that his residency program contract was
not renewed, because of his political or social views are simply untrue. Dr. Gu’s public
opposition to President Trump, participation in litigation against President Trump and public
advocacy against racism were not the bases for decisions relating to his continued participation
in VUMC’s surgery residency program.

The VUMC Community includes persons holding many diverse personal, political and social
views, and we welcome all individuals who are interested in on-going career development in a
caring, professional and culturally sensitive atmosphere.

The professional progress of surgical residents at VUMC, including Dr. Gu, is evaluated through
on-going formal and informal processes. This includes frequent verbal feedback from attending
physicians and colleagues during clinical rotations, written performance evaluations, and review
of each resident’s performance on the annual American Board of Surgery In-Service Training
Exam, a multiple choice exam designed to measure the progress attained by residents in their
knowledge of applied science and management of clinical problems related to surgery.

VUMC believes the processes used to evaluate its surgery residents are fair and equitable and
that those processes have been fairly and appropriately administered in Dr. Gu’s case.

All matters affecting a resident’s continued participation in VUMC’s residency program are
communicated to the affected resident in writing. That includes Dr. Gu, who has been given
written notice of all actions relating to his continuation in VUMC’s residency program as well as
the bases for those actions.

It is not VUMC’s practice to discuss publicly the specifics of the performance of any resident.
However, there is nothing that precludes Dr. Gu from sharing those details, and we encourage
any media representative with interest in the underlying facts of his situation to ask that Dr. Gu
provide complete and unedited copies of all correspondence from VUMC relating to his status
and/or continuation in VUMC’s surgery residency, or alternatively that he specifically consent to
allow VUMC to do so.

VUMC is proud to have played a role in helping some of our nation’s best and brightest medical
students become some of the finest physicians in the world, and plans to continue doing so for
many years to come.

Our administration, faculty, and residency program leaders have shown a consistent
commitment to the principles of diversity, integrity and fairness, and will continue to adhere to
these principles even when unfairly and falsely accused of not doing so. VUMC is confident that
these important principles have been reflected in all of its interactions with Dr. Gu, and VUMC
will continue to treat Dr. Gu in accordance with these principles even if he declines to interact
with VUMC on the same basis.