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Trent Semans Center for Health Education

Discover Your Passion: Health Professions Education at Duke University School of Medicine

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation’s top medical schools. Ranked among the best in the nation, the school takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff dedicated to educating the next generation of biomedical scientists and health care providers and accelerating the translation of scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,500 regular rank faculty physicians and researchers, the Duke University School of Medicine — along with the Duke University School of Nursing, Duke University Health System, and the physicians’ practice (PDC) — create Duke Health. The Duke University School of Medicine sits squarely between Duke University and Duke Health as both an academic institution and a major component of the health care system.

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"It’s easy to say I chose Duke because of its reputation, but in reality I decided to come to Duke because, from the moment I stepped onto campus, it just felt right. The atmosphere was uplifting and supportive, and that has remained true throughout my time here."

Derrick Bass, PA-S2

Find Your Place: Live, Learn, and Serve in the Triangle Area of North Carolina

Duke University is located in the Research Triangle area of central North Carolina—composed of the cities of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill. The Triangle is commonly recognized for its availability of jobs, diversity, relatively low cost of living, affordable housing, safe streets, culture, and nationally ranked food scene. Each city in the Triangle is anchored by major universities: Duke and N.C. Central University in Durham; N.C. State University in Raleigh; and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill. In 2019, U.S. World & News Report ranked Raleigh and Durham one as of its Top 10 Best Places to Live nationwide.

In addition to living in these communities, Duke University School of Medicine and Duke Health strive to improve the health of people and neighborhoods and promote good will as ambassadors of the communities we serve. Faculty, staff, trainees, and students are engaged in programs and services with our community partners to achieve shared goals.

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Living in Durham and The Triangle

“The weather is great (though sometimes hot and humid), it’s really affordable compared to other places you might be considering moving for medical school, but there is still a lot to do (in normal circumstances) as far as restaurants, the arts, hiking/nature, breweries, etc. RDU is easy to fly in and out of. You can get to the beach in a couple of hours, as well as Asheville/mountains in a few hours, too.”

Christine Wu, MS4

Join the Movement: School of Medicine's Commitment to Social Justice and Dismantling Racism

The Duke University School of Medicine recognizes that systemic racism persists within our walls, in academic medicine, and nationwide, and that this racism continues to inflict grievous harm. In June 2020, the School of Medicine, in alignment with Duke University and Duke Health, announced its Turning a Moment into a Movement: Dismantling Racism initiative to acknowledge and dismantle systemic racism, and institute an inclusive, anti-racist environment and policies. Current efforts center on four key stakeholder constituent groups: faculty, health professions students, graduate students and postdocs, and staff.

Additionally, initiatives across the school and with partners are aimed at combating racism and decreasing health disparities for historically marginalized populations, including work within the Duke Clinical & Translational Science Institute, the Duke Center for Research to Advance Health Equity, and LATIN-19 (Latinx Advocacy Team & Interdisciplinary Network for COVID-19), recently founded by two School faculty members.

Resources for Diversity & Inclusion

Anti-Racism at Duke
Moments to Movement: Duke Health's collective stand against systemic racism and injustice
Statement from Chancellor Washington, July 31, 2020
Duke University Office for Institutional Equity
The IDEALS Office, School of Medicine
Office of Diversity & Inclusion, School of Medicine
Multicultural Resource Center, School of Medicine

"I often praise Duke and its response to COVID-19 because I come from a part of the country that doesn’t take the pandemic seriously. I appreciate the steps Duke takes every day to ensure student and faculty safety, such as a mask mandate, access to hand sanitizer everywhere on campus, and daily symptom monitoring."

Norma Davis, MBS Candidate, 2021

You are Essential: Duke Health’s Response to COVID-19

As the coronavirus pandemic began to spread throughout our communities and nation in Spring 2020, the Duke University School of Medicine—in partnership with the Duke University Health System, School of Nursing, and Physician Practice (PDC)—pivoted to focus on the problem at hand. Care for patients with COVID-19 is ongoing, as are clinical research efforts to test potential therapies and laboratory research to develop testing, countermeasures, and a vaccine.

To support the school’s educational mission, health professions education programs are using a hybrid model, with many classroom experiences conducted virtually while small group and lab experiences are held on campus. Health professions students are deemed essential personnel and continue clinical rotations, working closely with faculty, residents, fellows, and nursing staff to care for patients at Duke Health facilities.

Read School of Medicine COVID-19 News