Doctor of Medicine (MD)

At Duke-NUS we are driven by our core values. Our passion is delivering a medical education program that is based on two goals: providing active learning opportunities and supporting personalized deeper dives in areas of interest.

We achieve these through our world renowned TeamLEAD educational strategy which promotes collaboration and teamwork, and through our students’ participation in a mentored research experience where they use their innovation and creativity to answer significant, cutting-edge research questions.

We believe that this teamwork oriented approach, in this multi-ethnic environment, allows our students to gain a richer appreciation and respect for diversity, and promotes the development of their professionalism.

The Duke-NUS MD program is a 4-year graduate program. Students are awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine (MD) jointly by Duke University and the National University of Singapore (NUS). To find out more about our MD curriculum, please see the course description links below.

How to Apply

Applications to our programmes open by June each year. For applications to the MD programme, 31st January is the final deadline. While particularly strong candidates are encouraged to apply by 1st September to be considered for early acceptance, admission requirements are the same for both the early and regular acceptance period. 

Step 1: Pre-Application

Those applying to the MD will need to register and sit for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) or Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT).

1) MCAT

The MCAT is a standardized test administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) for prospective students seeking to study medicine in medical schools in the United States and Canada.

Duke-NUS accepts test scores taken within the last four years. You may nominate which results you want us to consider if more than one set of test results is valid. Individual section scores from different tests cannot be mixed.

Details about MCAT, including registration dates, location and dates of tests and preparation guidelines are available on the official MCAT website.

2) GAMSAT

The GAMSAT is a requirement for Graduate Medical programmes in the UK, Ireland and Australia. It is developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in conjunction with the Consortium of Graduate Medical Schools.

Please note that the GAMSAT results are valid for two years. You may nominate which year's results you want considered if more than one set of test results are valid. Individual section scores from tests in different years cannot be mixed. Applications, information and sample questions for GAMSAT are available on the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) website.
 

You do not need to have your MCAT/GAMSAT results before registering for an application account. Be sure to provide us with your AAMC ID or GAMSAT ID on your application, and notify us via email with your results as soon as they are available.

• For MCAT results, please release the scores to Duke-NUS via the MCAT Thx online system

Step 2: Fill in Online Application and Referees’ Details

Register for a username and password on our application site to proceed. Log into the application portal and complete the online application form, which includes various sections on personal data, academic records, past activities and achievements, research experience and essays.

You are also required to provide at least 3 references, of which at least one should be an academic reference.  Your references should be carefully chosen from faculty or individuals who would be able to comment on your:

1. competencies of which they have knowledge of

2. academic abilities

3. personal qualities and characteristics

Please fill in your referees’ details in your online application. Upon doing so, an email request with a link to the referee report will be sent to your referee. 

Applicants may save their application at any point and return to complete the application at a later time.

Step 3: Submit Official Transcripts and Other Supporting Documents

Applicants should reach out to their respective institutions to request for their electronic official transcripts to be sent directly 

World Education Service (WES) Report for undergraduate transcripts

Students who are from undergraduate institutions outside of Singapore or the US must also request for their institutions to submit their transcripts to World Education Services (WES) for a credential evaluation. Please opt for the US Equivalent WES International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP) with a course-by-course report. A detailed report by WES will be sent directly to Duke-NUS. 

Results of TOEFL or IELTS

Applicants who previously studied in a non-English speaking curriculum will be required to present documented evidence of their competence in written and spoken English by submitting their results of TOEFL or IELTS exams.

To meet the English requirement for our programme, the following are the minimum scores that should be achieved:

• 600 (for TOEFL paper-based test) or

• 85 (for TOEFL internet-based test) or

• an overall band score of 7.0 (for IELTS)

The TOEFL score or IELTS result is only valid for 2 years after the test and should be valid by the end of the application deadline for the programme.

For verification purposes, candidates are also requested to nominate our Institution to access your results online/electronically as follow:

• TOEFL iBT: Designated Institution (DI) code of C974 through ETS Data manager

• IELTS: Select IELTS Indicator ‘Duke-NUS Medical School’ through IELTS Test Report Form (TRF) Verification Service

There is no need to post the hardcopies of the results to us.

Step 4: Applicant Day

Our Applicant Day is designed to give you as much of a chance to learn about us as we learn more about you through a variety of activities.

Typical Applicant Day

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend an Applicant Day through an email invitation containing information about the day’s programme 1-2 weeks in advance. The majority of our Applicant Days are held on the Duke-NUS campus in Singapore, and a small number will be held in the US – mainly at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.

Applicant Day is an excellent opportunity for applicants to meet faculty and students, to learn more about Duke-NUS and determine if the school is a good fit. Interviews will be conducted on the same day for the school to evaluate the suitability of an applicant for admission into Duke-NUS.