New programme expansion allows students from Chinese medicine, computing, law, humanities and other fields to pursue graduate medical education.
Duke-NUS Medical School has expanded its Pathways to Medicine programme, opening more opportunities for students from diverse academic disciplines to pursue careers in medicine.
Announced in Singapore on May 13, 2026, the expansion strengthens collaborations between Duke-NUS, Nanyang Technological University and National University of Singapore.
The updated programme now includes students from NTU’s Bachelor of Chinese Medicine, Biological Sciences with Second Major programmes, and CN Yang Scholars studying Biological Sciences.
In addition, a new partnership with NUS College allows students from more than 60 majors, including computing, law, humanities, and other disciplines, to apply for conditional admission into Duke-NUS’ Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme after completing their undergraduate studies.
Students accepted through the pathways must still meet strict medical school admission requirements, including academic performance, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores, co-curricular achievements, and interview evaluations.
During their undergraduate studies, students will participate in mentorship programmes with Duke-NUS and SingHealth faculty members, clinical attachments, workshops, and talks designed to prepare them for medical school.
A new “Mini Medical School” initiative will also give participants hands-on exposure to medical training through clinical shadowing, simulated patient interactions, first aid training, and Duke-NUS’ TeamLEAD learning system.
Professor Patrick Tan, Dean of Duke-NUS Medical School, said the programme aims to bring together students from different academic backgrounds who share a common goal of improving healthcare and advancing medicine.
Associate Professor Linda Zhong, Director of Biomedical Sciences and Chinese Medicine at Nanyang Technological University, said the inclusion of Chinese medicine students would support the development of integrative medicine by combining Eastern and Western healthcare approaches.
Professor Simon Chesterman, Dean of NUS College, said the pathway would help develop future medical leaders with interdisciplinary knowledge and problem-solving skills.
The programme builds on existing Duke-NUS partnerships with institutions including Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Duke University, Duke Kunshan University, and King’s College London.
Applications for the expanded NTU-Duke-NUS Medicine Pathway and the new NUS College pathway will open annually in June and July.
Source: Duke-NUS
