A resident’s mission to serve beyond the clinic fuels community connections
Victor Ayeni, MD, a resident in Duke’s Internal Medicine Residency Program, is bringing fellow residents closer to Durham — one connection at a time. Since arriving in 2024, he has helped residents engage with the community through hands-on service, creative programming, and meaningful partnerships.
Closing the gap: Duke builds a first-of-its-kind vision rehabilitation training pipeline
Vision loss can have a profound impact on independence, but professionals best positioned to help— like occupational therapists — have historically received little formal training in vision disorders. The gap has created a critically small workforce at a time when an aging population is driving an urgent need for greater vision rehabilitation services.
Sullivan to lead basic and preclinical science at Duke School of Medicine
Beth A. Sullivan, PhD, has been appointed vice dean for basic and preclinical science at Duke University School of Medicine, effective July 1, 2026.
Leadership Transition at the Duke Microbiome Center
After more than a decade of exceptional service, John F. Rawls, PhD, will step down as director of the Duke Microbiome Center effective June 30, 2026, and Julia Oh, PhD, will assume the role beginning July 1, 2026.
Second Year Student Blog: Brian Nguyen
Before my month-long orthopedic surgery rotation at the VA, admittedly, I carried certain preconceived notions of the VA, shaped by things I’d heard, veterans I’d briefly met, or stories of the military told by my family from Vietnam. From these pieces, I’d gather that veterans were hardened, calloused by their experiences, reluctant to seek outside help, and a distrust was built from their injuries, sacrifices, or years of service. I knew my observations were incomplete, but I didn’t fully grasp to what degree until I had the opportunity to care for them directly. &nbs
Red Flags in a PA Application (and How to Avoid Them)
With CASPA open, our admissions team (A-team) here at DPAP review a large number of applications each day. While each applicant is unique, we still come across a couple of common mistakes and patterns that could negatively impact an application.
Dean-Phifer accepted into Scholar Mentoring and Development Program’s 2026 biotech cohort
Computational biology and bioinformatics graduate student Cymfenee Dean-Phifer has been selected to be a part of the 2026 Biotech cohort of the Scholar Mentoring & Development Program (SMDP).
Duke doctor of physical therapy class of 2027 celebrates white coat ceremony
On June 5, 2026, 102 students from the Duke Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Class of 2027 gathered at Duke Chapel for their White Coat Ceremony — a milestone that marks the transition from classroom learning to hands-on clinical training.