Community Partnership
In alignment with Duke Health and Duke University, the Duke University School of Medicine is committed to serving others in our local community and beyond. Our faculty, staff and students make science-based decisions and seek to transform discoveries to improve human health through a variety of community initiatives, some of which are listed below.
Featured Partnership: Duke Early College of Health Sciences
A partnership between Duke Health, Durham Technical Community College, and Durham Public Schools has been awarded a transformative $29.5 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies to establish an early college for high school students interested in pursuing health care careers upon graduation.
The Durham partnership will provide the preparation needed for careers in nursing, allied health, surgical tech, and clinical research. The key elements of the partnership are:
- Interested Durham Public Schools (DPS) students in grades 9-12 will attend the early college high school and simultaneously earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree or workforce credential for aligned health care occupations.
- The Middle College at Durham Tech will expand to an early college high school and will be housed at Durham Tech (DTCC) in a newly renovated space, with the school opening in the fall of 2025.
- Upon graduation, students will have an immediate pathway to jobs or research roles at Duke Health.
Duke Medical Students Lead Cancer Awareness Training with El Centro Hispano
Two Duke medical students partnered with the largest Latino-led organization in North Carolina to lead a two-hour workshop in Spanish focused on head and neck cancer awareness and early detection techniques.
Duke Health Completes Acquisition of Lake Norman Regional Medical Center
Duke's acquisition of the 123-bed, acute-care facility in Mooresville, North Carolina, represents a significant expansion of clinical services outside the greater Triangle area. The hospital has been renamed Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital.
Community Partnership Helps Students Learn About Health Careers
A program managed by Duke medical students helps high school and elementary school students learn about careers in science, technology, and medicine.
Educating the Next Generation of Durham's Health Care Providers
The 100 students in the inaugural class of the new Durham Early College of Health Sciences gathered with their families for a signing ceremony at the Trent Semans Center. The new school is the result of a partnership between Duke Health, Durham Tech, and Durham Public Schools to create an early college program for high school students.
Food as Medicine
A pilot trial finds that delivery of heart-healthy groceries and nutrition education improves blood pressure and reduces food insecurity for people living in underserved communities.
Duke Orthopaedics Partners with City of Durham on Gun Violence Prevention
The Duke Orthopaedic Trauma Section is partnering with the City of Durham for the launch of the Durham Impact Project, a gun violence prevention program. The program plans to engage the community through events focused on addressing preventive health topics and community needs such as food insecurity.
Celebrating a 20-Year Legacy of Boosting Student Interest in STEM
Duke University School of Medicine’s BOOST Program recently celebrated 20 years of inspiring young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM).
Root Causes Food Program Seeks Room to Grow
On Saturday mornings, a group of Duke University School of Medicine students who are in training to one day treat cancer or perform surgery gather to ensure that those in the Durham County community have enough nutritious food to eat. The Fresh Produce Program, part of Root Causes , a medical student organization striving to address social drivers of health, delivers food twice a month to families living in a county where 1 in 10 people face food insecurity.
Silberberg Named Faculty Director of New Center for Community Engagement
In this new role, Mina Silberberg, PhD, a professor in the Duke Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, will facilitate greater coordination of community-engaged education and research across the university.
Community Partnership Creates Inclusive Experience for Autistic Moviegoers
The Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development has partnered with the Carolina Theater to provide a safe and welcoming cinema experience for autistic individuals and others in need of sensory accommodations.