Update on the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical Programme

27 Apr 2010

Question No:  368   

Question

Name of the Person: Dr Lam Pin Min

To ask the Minister for Health (a) if he will provide an update on the Duke-NUS graduate medical programme and the demographic profile of the students; and (b) how it will augment the medical manpower requirements in our healthcare system.

Reply

Reply From MOH

The Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School enrolled its first cohort of 26 students in August 2007 who are now in their third year. Enrolment grew to 48 students in the second cohort and 56 students in the third cohort. It is now in the process of recruiting its fourth cohort.

The Duke-NUS programme is a 4-year graduate medical programme, modeled after the US Duke Medical School, with particular emphasis on promoting clinical research and nurturing clinician-scientists. The graduates from the programme will be awarded joint degrees from both the Duke University and the NUS. We are pleased with the progress of the programme. Much has been achieved within a few years.

Among the students, 53% are Singapore Citizens, 11% are Permanent Residents and 36% are International Students. The average entry age of the students is 24 years old. 41% of Duke-NUS students are male and 59% are female.

The graduates from this Duke-NUS programme will add to our medical community, contributing especially as clinician-scientists to our growing biomedical science research and industrial development.