A Unique Curriculum

From beginning to end, Duke's curriculum is surprisingly different than that of most other medical schools. Our students study basic science for one year instead of two. They care for patients a full year earlier than their peers across the nation. They devote an entire year to independent scholarship--something most medical students have to carve out of their summers or add a year to their studies to do. Why the difference?

Duke believes that medical school will be just the beginning of your career as a student of medicine. Physicians in the future will need to grow as medicine grows, to be able to grapple with new ethical issues, evaluate incredibly complex treatments, and shape health care policy for a new millennium. Because it's impossible to teach everything you'll ever need to know, our curriculum isn't designed to be the final word. Instead, it's a springboard into a lifetime of learning. Yes, we teach students the fundamentals of medicine and patient care, but we also teach them how to teach themselves. And it's this education that makes Duke graduates leaders--creative thinkers who will push medicine into new territories.

Year One - The Basic Sciences

"The first year sounds intimidating but it's manageable ..."

Year Two: Clinical Rotations

"I love second year especailly the one-on-one interaction with the faculty..."

Year Three: Research & Scholarship

"Everyone here does what they do very well..."

Year Four: Advanced Clinical Rotations

"...Duke just makes taking the next step that much easier ."