On February 25, 2026, North Carolinians took a shot at making history. Duke School of Medicine led a statewide effort to break the world record for the most people trained in hands-only CPR in a single day. While falling short of the 30,000 person goal, almost 20 thousand participants learned CPR – a benchmark day for trainings in the United States.

On February 25, 2026, North Carolinians have a shot at making history. Duke School of Medicine is leading a statewide effort to break the world record for the most people trained in hands-only CPR in a single day. The event is taking place in 30 counties in NC as part of the Randomized Cluster Evaluation of Cardiac Arrest Systems (RACE CARS) trial, led by Duke cardiologist and researcher Chris Granger, MD. Participants will learn how to provide CPR from volunteer trainers from Duke and volunteers across the state at select locations. Community volunteers are aiming to train 30,000 people in participating counties that day, and if they achieve it, that’ll be a new world record.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation across western North Carolina, families of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities face heightened challenges accessing essential health care and support services. To address these needs, Duke Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences is partnering with local organizations to provide resources and coordinated care for these vulnerable communities.

Monique Starks, MD, associate professor at medicine, is leading the nation's first clinical trial of an innovative approach to saving more people who suffer cardiac arrest by delivering automated external defibrillators (AEDs) by drone. Drones carrying AEDs are being dispatched during real 911 calls in Forsyth County, North Carolina, to see if drones can deliver AEDs to patients faster than traditional emergency services.

Lynette Staplefoote-Boynton, MD, MPH, a fifth-year internal medicine-psychiatry resident, has developed a training curriculum to better equip primary care and psychiatry trainees at Duke and beyond to counsel their patients on issues of diet and access to healthy food.

The Duke Global Health Institute's annual's annual research showcase highlighted 47 student research projects spanning span 21 countries and a range of global health challenges.

Durham Public Schools, Durham Tech, and Bloomberg Philanthropies joined Duke leaders on Wednesday in celebrating the ribbon-cutting of the new Durham Early College for Health Sciences. The school is a collaborative effort to position Durham and the Triangle as a model for preparing the next generation of health care providers.

The Durham community came together to celebrate “Pride: Durham, NC,” a three-day festival hosted by the LGBTQ Center of Durham. The event brought together several groups from Duke, local residents, and others for a celebration of identity and community.

Duke Health emergency medicine physicians turn opioid overdose response into path to recovery.

Lloyd Williams, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology and director of Duke Global Ophthalmology, has been awarded the 2025 Outstanding Humanitarian Service Award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, recognizing his commitment to curing blindness and expanding access to eye care around the world.