PREPARING DOCTORS TO BE FUTURE HEALTHCARE LEADERS
The SMU-Duke-NUS Medicine Pathway will develop future clinicians who will bring with them a solid understanding and appreciation of the operations of a hospital or healthcare eco-system. This will enable them to operate as doctors who can navigate the system effectively and provide the best analyses and decision-making behind complex operations and patient-centric processes that will result in more efficient and ideal health outcomes for patients. This pathway will also prepare future clinicians who aspire towards key leadership or management roles within a hospital or healthcare system.
At SMU, students in the pathway will take the SMU Core Curriculum, which has been designed to develop the social intelligence, ethical compass, disciplinary knowledge and technical skills of all SMU students.
They will expand their intellectual knowledge by taking a guaranteed 2nd major from any of SMU’s six schools. This 2nd major could be SMU’s new Health Economics and Management major, where students learn about health systems and policies as well as healthcare management, critical for their preparation as a future clinician or healthcare leader.
While at SMU, students also have the chance to experience global exposure at least once, to broaden their worldview and encounter different perspectives. Students will be assigned a careers advisor, complete a required 10-week internship, and participate in community service. These experiences are part of SMU’s commitment to nurturing graduates who can think deeply and broadly, create value, and have an independent mind yet are dependable in deeds.
Applicants who are admitted into this pathway and accept the offer are expected to participate in Duke-NUS’ mentorship and enrichment activities throughout their SMU undergraduate years in preparation for the MD. A general overview of the coursework requirements and mentorship and enrichment activities can be found below.
Curriculum
Students accepted on this pathway will take the required courses for their SMU undergraduate programmes. Other than the required University Core courses and their specific Major courses, they are encouraged to take the second major in Health Economics and Management (HEM). Alternatively, they are strongly encouraged to take the following two courses within the HEM major:
- Health Systems and Policy (co-taught by SingHealth faculty)
- Healthcare Management (co-taught by SingHealth faculty)
They will also have opportunities for internships with SingHealth, or a healthcare organisation, and be assigned a career coach for career-related matters, and an academic advisor who will help in academic advising.
Duke-NUS Mentorship and Enrichment Activities
To prepare these students for the MD programme while they are still pursuing their undergraduate studies at SMU, Duke-NUS will organise and manage the following mentorship and enrichment activities.
- Duke-NUS pre-medical course (GMS1000)
Taught using a team-based learning approach, this course covers topics in medical research and provide students with the foundational knowledge, skills and attitudes to help them excel in their clinician and/or scientist training - Duke-NUS pre-health experiential programme
This is a summer programme designed to provide insights into graduate entry medicine, roles of medical professionals and medical practice in Singapore - Duke-NUS clinical observership
This is a shadowing programme that pairs participants with a practising doctor who is affiliated with Duke-NUS to provide insights into the medical profession - Duke-NUS medical specialities workshops
- Advising sessions with Duke-NUS faculty
- Community projects
Admission Requirements
- Must be Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents
- Have outstanding academic results in either Singapore-Cambridge GCE A-Levels, local Polytechnic Diploma, IB Diploma or NUS High School Diploma
- Have good records of leadership experience and community service
- Demonstrate strong communication skills
- Have a strong interest to pursue postgraduate studies in medicine
How to Apply
To indicate your intention to apply for this pathway, you must apply to both SMU and Duke-NUS Medical School to be considered:
Part 1: SMU Application
- Complete SMU undergraduate online application form by 19 March 2025
- Eligible candidates will attend an interview with SMU (March/April).
- Successful candidates will receive an admission offer for SMU undergraduate programme by end April.
- Only candidates who have accepted SMU’s admissions offer and expressed interest in the pathway during application will be considered for the pathway,
- Duke NUS will invite eligible candidates to submit an online application for the pathway.
- Shortlisted candidates will be notified by Duke NUS to attend an interview in July.
- Successful candidates will receive a conditional admission offer for Duke-NUS MD programme by end July.
Your applications for SMU undergraduate programme and Duke-NUS MD conditional pathway programme will be separately considered by SMU and Duke-NUS respectively.
For shortlisted applicants, Duke-NUS will conduct interviews to evaluate an applicant’s academic preparation, related experience, personal qualities and communication skills. Duke-NUS will make the final decision on who will be offered conditional admission to Medicine pathway. If you are not shortlisted for the Medicine pathway, you will still be considered for the SMU degree programme.
You will be informed of the outcome of your admission to SMU and the conditional admission to Duke-NUS separately. If you have been admitted by both SMU and Duke-NUS MD programme, please note that the conditional offer to Duke-NUS Medicine is contingent upon your acceptance of the SMU offer. If you do not accept the SMU offer by the stipulated deadline, the conditional offer to Duke-NUS will lapse.
Requirements for Final Acceptance of Conditionally Admitted Students
Conditionally admitted students must meet the following criteria in order for their conditional admission to the MD programme to be confirmed:
- Successfully graduate from SMU’s undergraduate programme with a strong graduating Cumulative Grade Point Average (cGPA)
- Complete and have a good score in the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) exam prior to entry into the Duke-NUS Medicine programme
- Complete meaningful clinical/medical and service experiences throughout their undergraduate years (in consultation with Duke-NUS faculty
- Expected to conduct themselves professionally and ethically during undergraduate studies
- Submit the Duke-NUS MD application and all required application materials to the Duke-NUS Admissions Department by the specified deadlines
Although students on the conditional admissions track are not required to make a binding commitment to Duke-NUS at the time of admission, they must inform Duke-NUS of their withdrawal at the very latest by the year preceding medical school matriculation.
A student may also decide against continuing with the track if she/she may have suffered significant academic setbacks in the academic year following admission such that his/her undergraduate academic performance does not fulfil the requirements of the pathway.
Loss of Conditional Admission Status
A student will lose conditional admission status if any of the following occurs during the completion of the undergraduate programme:
- Withdrawal from SMU’s undergraduate programme
- Failure to achieve the required graduating cGPA on completion of SMU’s undergraduate programme
- Failure to achieve the required Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) score
- Violate a standard of academic or ethical conduct policy or any other applicable policy of SMU, where the potential outcome could result in a failing assignment or examination grade, a failing course grade, or disciplinary action (including but not limited to probation, suspension, expulsion from SMU)
- Miss the required Duke-NUS MD application submission deadline