The Duke University School of Medicine offers a variety of health professions and graduate degree programs. These include the Doctor of Medicine program, recognized nationally for its unique patient-centered curriculum; the nation’s first Physician Assistant program; Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy doctorates; 16 biomedical PhD programs; an innovative Master of Biomedical Sciences, and numerous other master’s degree programs. The School of Medicine also is home to the Medical Scientist Training program which allows students to combine an MD degree with a PhD in the biomedical sciences in partnership with The Graduate School. Duke's Graduate Medical Education includes more than 160 residency and fellowship programs and more than 1,000 trainees. Explore the diversity of the school's student and trainee populations. 

About Education & Training

Biomedical PhD Students

Academic Year 2023-24

47     Biochemistry
32     Biostatistics
48     Cell and Molecular Biology
7       Cognitive Neuroscience
30     Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
10     Developmental and Stem Cell Biology
71     University Program in Genetics and Genomics
41     Integrative Immunobiology
26     Medical Physics
36     Molecular Cancer Biology
77     Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
62     Neurobiology
30     Pathology
38     Pharmacology
18     Population Health Sciences
4       Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program

Total Biomedical PhD Students: 623

Source: School of Medicine Finance Office, August 2023

Graduate Certificate Program Students

Academic Year 2023-24

Students in these certificate programs may be Biomedical PhD students, or graduate students in School of Medicine or other Duke professional schools.

53     Cell and Molecular Biology
63      Certificate in College Teaching
1        Cognitive Neuroscience
1       Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
34      Developmental and Stem Cell Biology
2        Integrated Toxicology & Environmental Health Program
5        Global Health
32      Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Source: Duke School of Medicine Finance Office, August 2023

Duke University School of Medicine is the vibrant home for the next generation of discovery. Our capacity for innovation stems from knitting together our existing strengths in fundamental basic science and deepening our growing translational capabilities, our integration with Duke’s nationally recognized clinical enterprise, Duke University Health System, and our unique scale and depth in clinical research. The combined efforts of the school’s basic and clinical faculty members in departments, centers, and institutes make Duke one of the largest biomedical research enterprises in the country with $1 billion in sponsored research expenditures annually.

About Research

Patient care is an integral part of what makes Duke University School of Medicine a hub for pioneering research and innovation. Every day, our investigators, clinicians, and staff work together to translate research findings from the bench to the bedside, and to learn from patients as we improve their care. This collaborative spirit fuels the translation of scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System, comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic health care and research center. The Health System advances Duke Health's clinical mission by delivering care across three hospitals — Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, and Duke Raleigh Hospital — and outpatient services including Duke Primary Care and Duke Health Integrated Practices, Duke HomeCare & Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations. 

About Patient Care

Faculty 

2,686     Regular Rank Faculty
245        Basic Science Faculty
2,420     Clinical Science Faculty
21          Other Faculty (in Centers, Institutes, Administration)

Source: School of Medicine Finance Office, July 1, 2023

Faculty Engaged in Education and Research 

1,331     Faculty

Source: School of Medicine Finance Office, FY22

School of Medicine Staff and Postdocs

6,226       Staff
354          Postdocs

Source: School of Medicine Finance Office, July 1, 2023

Duke University Health System Employees

26,278     Staff

Source: Duke University Health System, July 1, 2023

Duke University School of Medicine works to attract and retain a diverse cadre of talent who positively impact how we teach, learn, and serve in an increasingly diverse world. The school is committed to enhancing racial diversity and equity, inclusion, and respect for our faculty, staff, trainees, and students.   

While there is still significant work to be done, the school wants to acknowledge where progress has been made. Furthermore, the School of Medicine knows that representation alone is not the full story and will continue to promote and ensure an equitable and inclusive environment across the Duke community.

Duke University is internationally recognized as a leader in global health research, education, and capacity building. The Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI), brings together knowledge and resources from across the university to address today’s most important global health issues. Faculty, staff, and students are engaged in collaborative research with partners in 60 countries, as well as Durham and other communities in the United States, to improve access to health care and address disparities in health outcomes. DGHI researchers are at the forefront of work to identify emerging infectious diseases and new pandemic threats, as well as cutting-edge research addressing the global rise in non-communicable diseases, access to mental health, and the health impacts of climate and environmental change. 

 Duke Global Health Institute 

Philanthropic support is critical to the Duke University School of Medicine’s success in carrying out its core missions of research, education, patient care, and community partnership. Outright gifts, endowments, and investment income constitute nearly 20 percent of the school’s annual revenue, helping to meet key needs across the institution: scholarships and financial aid that help students afford the cost of attendance, endowed professorships that help Duke recruit and retain outstanding faculty; innovative research; and new buildings, facilities, and infrastructure. 

In FY23, a record of nine new professorships were launched across several disciplines. Philanthropic support for endowed professorships is among the most lasting and meaningful investments that can be made in the School of Medicine. We aim to be the destination of choice for the nation’s most talented leaders and promising young faculty in biomedical sciences, and named professorships are perhaps the most valuable tool for the recruitment and retention of these high caliber individuals. They provide the brightest minds with the dedicated support needed to achieve boundary-pushing science, care for our patients and the community, and educate and train the next generation of leaders.