A Tailor-Made Global Learning Experience
Duke-NUS Medical School offers an excellent opportunity to intellectually curious and driven individuals to pursue a broad and unique overseas learning experience. The Duke and Duke-NUS Special Pathway will enable students to pursue their undergraduate studies in any discipline at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, before returning to Singapore to embark on their medical training.
With a culture of openness and diversity, Duke UniversityOpen in new tab provides a myriad of leadership and growth opportunities. Duke’s undergraduate programmesOpen in new tab, coupled with the rigorous Doctor of Medicine (MD) training Duke-NUS is known for, will train future clinicians who are adept in managing complex problems and global issues in healthcare.
Successful students will graduate with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at Duke University, followed by a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from Duke-NUS Medical School.
Programme Highlights
The strong focus on undergraduate research at Duke will foster critical and creative thinking. Students in this pathway, like all undergraduates at Duke, may explore their interests through an extensive range of interdisciplinary majors, minors and concentrations, or even a tailored curriculum of their choice. An appointed advisor/mentor will be on hand to guide students to make insightful choices for a fulfilling career in medicine.
Programmes such as the Hart Leadership ProgrammeOpen in new tab and the Service Learning ProgrammeOpen in new tab are examples of undergraduate offerings at Duke that create opportunities for civic and global engagement for students to serve the community and develop leadership skills.
Students can expect to stay engaged with Duke-NUS through periodic meetings with Duke-NUS faculty on campus and invitations to activities designed to provide insights into the medical school experience and a career in medicine. A general overview of the mentorship and enrichment activities is below.
Mentorship and Enrichment Activities
- Advising Sessions with assigned mentor from Duke University
- Duke-NUS Medical Specialties Workshops
- Duke-NUS Alumni Clinical Observership
- Community Projects
Students who have successfully gained admission to Duke University, and who are Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents (PR) will be invited to apply. The following will be considered in the selection process:
- Academic excellence and motivation to study in the field of medicine
- Records of leadership experience and community service
- Performance at interviews
Note: Admissions process for Duke University undergraduate programme and Duke and Duke-NUS Special Pathway are independent of each other. Duke University will be responsible for the entire period that students are in their course of study at Duke University, while Duke-NUS will engage with students prior to their graduation from Duke University, and for subsequent admissions into the MD programme.
Singaporeans and Singapore PRs who have been offered a place at Duke University will receive an email invitation to apply for the Duke and Duke-NUS Special Pathway. A complete application will consist of information from the Duke application, including letters of recommendation and a personal statement about why they are interested in medicine.
- Singaporeans and Singapore PRs who have been offered a place at Duke University will receive an email invitation to apply for the Duke and Duke-NUS Special Pathway. A complete application will consist of information from the Duke application, including letters of recommendation and a personal statement about why they are interested in medicine.
- Completed applications will be reviewed and selected applicants will be invited for interviews.
- Finally, the Admissions Committee will review all interviewees and make a final decision. Successful applicants will receive a conditional admissions offer for the Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme at Duke-NUS.
Students are expected to maintain a stipulated academic performance and fulfil conditions stated in the conditional offer for successful admission into the Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme upon their graduation. A general overview of the final acceptance criteria is illustrated below.
Final Acceptance Criteria:
- Strong Grade Point Average (GPA) – as an indication of academic performance
- Complete the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) by September of the year prior to entry to Duke-NUS
- Evidence of meaningful clinical/medical experiences
- Successfully graduate from Duke University