MD Programme

At Duke-NUS Medical School, we are committed to developing graduates who beyond practicing medicine, are equipped with the capabilities to improve the practice of medicine. A hallmark of our curriculum is the Research and Scholarship period, offering our students the opportunity to engage in personalized, comprehensive, and sustained research projects. This component complements the essential clinical education and is pivotal in fostering our "Clinician Plus" vision. 

Our MD programme is a 4-year graduate entry model, culminating in a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree jointly awarded by Duke University and the National University of Singapore (NUS) and reflecting a strong partnership underlying our commitment to excellence in medical education. 


Key Features of the MD Curriculum

  • Integrated pre-clinical Basic Science curriculum facilitated by basic science and clinical experts framed within the context of patient care
  • Instructional strategies tailored for active learning including team-based learning and technology-enabled, blended approaches
  • Immersive Research and Scholarship period for in-depth scholarly exploration
  • Comprehensive longitudinal programme to enhance core competencies within a community of practice and learning
  • Emphasis on professional identity formation with faculty mentorship throughout medical school 

Educating individuals to be outstanding clinicians


Duke-NUS MD Curriculum Structure


Our curriculum is modelled after that at Duke University School of Medicine and adapted to suit the Singapore context. It comprises four Phases:

  • Phase I: Focuses on basic medical sciences applied to the clinical context
  • Phase II: Comprises core clinical clerkships that include Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Neurology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and Paediatrics
  • Phase III: Features an immersive Research and Scholarship period supplemented by elective and advanced clinical experiences
  • Phase IV: Involves advanced clinical education, including summative assessments to ensure work-readiness as a post-graduate year 1 (PGY1) medical trainee

Embedded throughout the curriculum are longitudinal threads, such as Ethics and Professionalism, Clinical Reasoning, Procedural Skills, Patient Safety, Public & Population Health, Data Analytics, Innovation & Design Thinking. These complement the core curriculum and reinforce our comprehensive educational approach.

    Education Mission Statement

    To educate high-quality individuals from diverse backgrounds to be outstanding clinicians, capable of becoming the future leaders, educators, scholars, and scientists in healthcare, who serve the needs of Singapore and beyond with compassion and excellence.

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