Harnessing the Confluence of Design Innovations and Technology to Medicine
In today’s world, the use of technology and the design of the built environment play an increasingly significant role in improving the way we live and our quality of life. One area where this convergence of technology and design is making a huge impact is the practice of medicine.
The SUTD-Duke-NUS Special Track nurtures future clinicians with a foundation in engineering or architecture who can think creatively and work across disciplines. With the technology and design focused curriculum at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), graduates will possess the versatility to analyse healthcare issues and come up with innovative solutions in areas such as healthcare product design (medical devices/equipment), biomaterials, drug delivery, hospital bed allocation systems, patient monitoring, and hospital design.
With the ability to treat patients and design medical innovations, graduates will have an edge in the industry, quickly becoming the new benchmark and future leaders in healthcare.
Successful students will graduate with a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree at SUTD, followed by a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at Duke-NUS Medical School.
Further details can also be found at the SUTD webpageOpen in new tab.
Programme Highlights
This track builds on SUTD’s existing offerings and capabilities in healthcare across the pillars, and advances their mission of bettering the world through design. Students in the special track will expand both their engineering/architecture and clinical knowledge in an interdisciplinary learning environment, and learning will take place at three campuses – SUTD, Duke-NUS Medical School and Singapore General Hospital’s Outram Campus.
Through a number of coursework requirements, including the Healthcare Engineering Design Track in SUTD, a summer internship in a healthcare environment, and a healthcare-related Capstone project in the final two semesters, students will gain the knowledge and skills needed to overcome real-world design challenges and design medical technology for healthcare needs.
Students can expect to stay engaged with Duke-NUS through periodic meetings with Duke-NUS faculty on campus and invitations to activities designed to provide insights into the medical school experience and a career in medicine. A general overview of the coursework requirements and mentorship and enrichment activities is below.
Coursework Requirements:
- Healthcare Engineering Design Track
- Summer Internship in a Healthcare Environment
- Healthcare-related Capstone Project
- Duke-NUS Pre-medical Module (GMS1000)
Mentorship and Enrichment Activities
- Advising Sessions with Duke-NUS Medical School Faculty
- Duke-NUS Prehealth Experiential Programme
- Duke-NUS Medical Specialties Workshops
- Duke-NUS Alumni Clinical Observership
- Community Projects
Admission to the SUTD-Duke-NUS Special Track is competitive and only Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents (PR) may apply. The following will be considered in the selection process:
- Academic excellence and motivation to study in the field of medicine
- Records of leadership experience and community service
- Performance at interviews
Note: The admissions processes for each school are independent of each other. SUTD will be responsible for the entire period that students are in their course of study, while Duke-NUS will engage with students prior to their graduation from SUTD, and for subsequent admissions into the MD programme.
-
Applicants must indicate an interest in applying for the “SUTD-Duke-NUS Special Track” in their Undergraduate Application Form during the online SUTD Application Exercise.
-
In addition, applicants are required to complete the online Duke-NUS Conditional Admissions Application Form.
- Completed applications will be screened and only selected applicants will be invited for interviews.
- To be offered a place in “SUTD-Duke-NUS Special Track”, applicants will first need to be accepted into their undergraduate programme and also be offered conditional admission into the Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme at Duke-NUS.
Students are expected to maintain a stipulated academic performance and fulfil conditions stated in the conditional offer for successful admission into the Doctor of Medicine (MD) programme upon their graduation. A general overview of the final acceptance criteria is illustrated below.
Final Acceptance Criteria:
- Strong Cumulative Average Point (CAP) or Grade Point Average (GPA) – as an indication of academic performance
- Complete the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) by September of the year prior to entry to Duke-NUS
- Evidence of meaningful clinical/medical experiences
- Successfully graduate from SUTD
Frequently Asked Questions