Duke-NUS congratulates the graduating Class of 2012

It was with a mixture of joy, relief and bittersweet nostalgia that students from Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School donned their graduation gowns and were formally welcomed into the medical fraternity by their peers and mentors on May 26, 2012 at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

For the second graduating class of Duke-NUS, the hooding ceremony marked the end of their four-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) training and the start of a new journey as postgraduate year one doctors. They will provide clinical care as vital members of the healthcare team who tackle increasingly challenging issues such as age-related diseases, chronic diseases and cancer. They may go on to residency programs in specialties such as Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedic Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, Pediatrics and Psychiatry, and others.

Reflections Celebrating the Class of 2012 Celebrating Achievements Reflections on Our Journey to Graduation Congratulations from 3rd-Year Research Faculty Mentors

Congratulating the class of 2012 ahead of their graduation on July 7th, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, NUS President, recognized their hard work over the course of their studies and the rigor of the Duke-NUS program. He said, "These students have been immersed in the Duke-NUS culture of excellence, boldness and imagination; and they have benefitted greatly from the innovative clinical and research training. The rigorous training and exposure will enable our graduands to make a real difference to patients, our community and society. We are confident these graduands will become role models for future generations of clinicians and clinician-scientists who will transform medicine through research and innovation."

Mr Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Education, observed that, "Duke-NUS produces doctors with a diversity of insights and perspectives, and brings together different strengths and expertise to continually innovate and improve on the healthcare provision for Singaporeans."

Dr. Victor Dzau, Chancellor for Health Affairs, Duke University, and CEO, Duke University Health System, who visited Singapore to grace the hooding ceremony, called on the graduands to make the most of their unique skillset to serve others and to become healthcare and research leaders of the future. "Never before has there been as great a need for clinician-scientists who can not only engage in discovery science, but can translate discoveries from the laboratory to the clinic and improve the health of patients and the community," he said," I have great pride and expectations for the class of 2012."

Urging graduands to take up the mantle of medical excellence, Professor Ranga Krishnan, Dean of Duke-NUS said that "I am proud to see that our graduands are starting a new chapter in their lives. They will work as critical members of clinical healthcare teams, to bring hope and relief to patients and their families. We hope they will continue to let their passion for medicine and their spirit of inquiry and curiosity drive future discoveries in patient and disease management," he said.

Since August 2007, Duke-NUS has had five annual intakes for its MD program and admitted more than 240 post-baccalaureate students into its American-styled, research-oriented, four-year medical school program. All Duke-NUS graduates will receive a joint Duke and NUS MD degree.

In addition to a 240-strong MD cohort, the school has over 20 students in its PhD program track that enables research-oriented students to use their biomedicine knowledge to spur translational research that develops better patient treatment, strategies and technology.