Duke-NUS Medical School admission requirements for MD programme

a) Effectively speak, write, hear, read and use a keyboard.

b) Perceive non-verbal communications, including facial expression, body language, and affect.

c) Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients and their families via speech as well as reading/writing.

d) Communicate in oral and written form with the healthcare team in an effective, accurate and efficient manner.

a) Elicit information from patients via palpation, auscultation, and percussion, as well as carry out diagnostic maneuvers.

b) Execute movements reasonably required to provide general medical care and emergency treatment to patients. These skills require coordination of gross and fine motor movements, equilibrium, and sensation.

c) Manipulate equipment and instruments to perform basic laboratory tests and procedures as required to attain curricular goals. (e.g. needles, stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, tongue blades, intravenous equipment, scalpel).

a) Perform calculations necessary to solve quantitative problems as required by the curriculum.

b) Collect, organize, prioritize, analyze and assimilate large amounts of technically detailed and complex information in a timely fashion. This information will be presented in a variety of educational settings, including lectures, small group discussions, and individual clinical settings. The applicant should be able to analyze, integrate, and apply this information appropriately for the problem solving and decision-making.

c) Apply knowledge and reasoning to solve problems as outlined by the curriculum.

d) Comprehend the three dimensional spatial relationships of structures.

e) Remain awake and alert.

a) Possess the emotional health to fully apply his/her intellectual skill, exercise good judgment, and to complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients.

b) Develop a mature, sensitive and effective relationship with patients and colleagues.

c) Tolerate the physical, mental and emotional stress experienced during training and patient care.

d) Possess qualities of adaptability, flexibility, and the ability to function in the face of uncertainty.

e) Form a compassionate relationship with his/her patients while maintaining appropriate boundaries for a professional relationship.

f) Behave in an ethical and moral manner consistent with professional values and standards.

g) Exhibit sufficient interpersonal skills, knowledge and attitudes to interact positively and sensitively with people from all parts of society, ethnic backgrounds, and belief systems.

h) Cooperate with others and work corroboratively as a team member.

Please be advised that in accordance with Singapore Ministry of Health regulations, MD and MD-PhD candidates matriculating into Duke-NUS Medical School must provide documentation for the following screening and immunization requirements:

• Screening for Hepatitis B and Immunity Status

• Screening for Hepatitis C Antibody and HIV Antibody

• MMR (Mumps, Measles and Rubella) Immunity Status

• Varicella (Chicken pox) Immunity Status

• Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) Immunity Status

Based on MOH Circular No. 190/2021, dated 28 December 2021, and MOH Advisory No. 07/2022, dated 8 August 2022 (for Covid-19 management), healthcare workers (including medical students) who are required to be in any healthcare institution will need to adhere to the Workforce Vaccination Measures, i.e. to be either fully vaccinated or be certified medically ineligible (MI), starting 1 January 2022. In compliance to the measures implemented, Duke-NUS Medical School strongly encourages all students to adhere to the requirement, so as not to cause any disruption to their clinical training, which are mostly held within healthcare institutions. Please be informed that the inability to complete any training as required by the school, will lead to a delay or even failure to graduate from the school.

Additional health requirements upon acceptance to Duke-NUS are currently under review, in keeping with local health mandates. Applicants who are offered admission will be apprised of health screening and immunization requirements.

As the cost of medical education at Duke-NUS is subsidized by the Singapore Government, all graduates of its MD programme or the MD-PhD track are required to fulfill a service commitment. If this service commitment is broken or unfulfilled, liquidated damages – pro-rated according to the bond period not served – must be paid off to the government. The amount of liquidated damages is based on the government subsidy granted and compounded annual interest. For more information, please refer to the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) website.

According to MOH guidelines, the service commitment period is as follows:

4 years for Singapore citizens

5 years for international graduates and Singapore Permanent Residents

The service commitment period excludes the first year of postgraduate (residency) training, commencing only after satisfactory completion of the first postgraduate training year. The service commitment is fulfilled in a public sector hospital/institution in Singapore as determined by the Ministry of Health (MOH). Assuming satisfactory completion of the first postgraduate training year, trainees can fulfill their service commitment during residency training in Singapore ; or alternatively, in an MOH-approved public sector research setting in lieu of further residency training. If there are additional questions please go to our FAQ page.

Male Singapore Citizen and Singapore Permanent Resident applicants are expected to have fulfilled their National Service (NS) obligations before matriculation. For international applicants required to serve in their home country’s military, a few points should be kept in mind. While “Leave of Absence” (LOA) is in place for a number of academic, research, and personal reasons, this is contingent on approval by the Student Promotions Committee. Generally, LOA is not granted for fulfillment of National/Military Service obligations. Additionally, to be eligible for medical registration, the Singapore Medical Council requires a doctor to begin year-one of residency training within 1 year of graduating from medical school. This makes the immediate post-graduation period an unsuitable time for serving the typical 2-year military commitment. Given these specifications, it is strongly recommended that full-time National/Military Service is completed, or is in the process of being completed, before applying to Duke-NUS.

We require all Duke-NUS applicants who have previously accepted scholarships with service commitments to confirm the following with their sponsoring organizations:

1. Approval to defer the start date of the service commitment until after completing the MD program.
2. Permission to concurrently fulfill their commitments along with the service obligation to the Singapore Ministry of Health.

If either of these conditions cannot be met, applicants are expected to complete their existing service commitments before applying to Duke-NUS.