Research

Basic and clinical research are the engines that drive advances and innovation in medical care, health promotion and policy, and improved outcomes. The following are a few examples of Duke’s leading research capabilities.

• The Duke University School of Medicine includes more than 2,500 basic and clinical researchers and clinician faculty members. Their research has resulted in some of the world's most significant medical and biological discoveries as well as innovative new treatments for a wide range of human diseases. The Duke Office of Clinical Research within the School of Medicine provides services to support principal investigators, study coordinators and members of the Clinical Research Units where Duke serves as an investigational site for clinical research.

• A part of the Duke University School of Medicine, the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) is the largest academic clinical research organization in the world. Its mission is to develop, share, and implement knowledge that improves health around the world through innovative clinical research. The institute has helped to shape the fundamental approaches to clinical research and is known for conducting groundbreaking multi-national clinical trials, managing major national patient registries, and performing landmark outcomes research. Since 1996, the DCRI has published over 17,500 publications in peer-reviewed journals, and its findings have been cited in over 760,500 scientific articles.

• The Duke University School of Nursing advances nursing science in issues of global importance and fosters the scholarly practice of nursing. The school offers masters, PhD and doctor of nursing practice degrees, as well as an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing degree to students who have previously graduated from college. Duke University School of Nursing received more than $8.4 million in research funding from the from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2021, making it 5th among nursing schools engaged in NIH-funded research. The school was also ranked #6 in the number of F31 grants awarded (Individual Predoctoral Fellowships).

• The Duke-NUS Medical School was established in 2005 as Singapore's first US-style graduate-entry medical school. Based on Duke University School of Medicine's curriculum, graduates go on to play a critical role in transforming medicine and improving patient care. As of 2022, the Duke-NUS Medical School has received more than $674 million in research funding, established more than 260 synergistic research alliances and been granted seven National Research Foundation Fellowships and three National Research Foundation Investigatorships.

• The Duke Global Health Institute (DGHI) works to reduce health disparities in our local community and worldwide. Recognizing that many global health problems stem from economic, social and environmental inequalities, DGHI brings together interdisciplinary teams to solve complex health problems and train the next generation of global health leaders. DGHI faculty are engaged in collaborative research projects with global partners in more than 30 countries, and the institute provides global health training and research-based education for more than 360 undergraduate, graduate and medical students.

• The Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute is focused on leveraging the vast research resources at Duke University and facilitating collaborations that provide or enhance the infrastructure, education and resources needed to take promising ideas from concept, through development and testing, and into patient care.

Education

Duke Health educates hundreds of new physicians, nurses and other health professionals each year. Many of Duke’s schools and programs are regularly recognized as being among the nation’s very finest, including by U.S. News & World Report.

Some of Duke’s accomplishments in the field of medical education include:

• The Duke University School of Nursing is ranked #3 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for its 2022 Best Nursing School rankings, and in 2021, for the seventh time since 2010, won the Best Nursing School for Men in Nursing award from the American Assembly for Men in Nursing (2010, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021).

• The Duke University School of Nursing has been repeatedly recognized as a National Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing, with designations in the categories of Advancing the Science of Nursing Education, Enhancing Student Learning and Professional Development, and Promoting Pedagogical Expertise of Faculty. In 2021, the school's Center for Nursing Discovery was granted reaccreditation in the area of Teaching/Education by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) and Council for Accreditation of Healthcare Simulation Programs, making it the only accredited simulation center at Duke and in the Triangle.

• The School of Nursing established the clinical nursing specialist program in 1958, the first master's program of its kind in the nation.

• The Duke University School of Medicine, ranked #3 in the nation for research by U.S. News & World Report, offers a unique curriculum for MD students that allows students to study the core basic sciences for one year instead of two, giving them the opportunity to devote their entire third year to a scholarly research project. Students care for patients during their second year, a full year earlier than their peers.

• Approximately 16 percent of Duke's medical students are enrolled in the Medical Scientist Training Program, which culminates in both a medical degree and a doctoral degree.

• The School of Medicine established the nation’s first Physician Assistant Program in 1965, which is ranked #1 in the country.

• The school offers a new Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program. Launched in 2020, the program welcomed its first class of students in 2021.

• Additionally, the School of Medicine offers international educational experiences through partnerships with the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, Duke's Global Health Institute and Duke Kunshan University.