Duke-NUS celebrates 20 years of medical innovation with largest ever graduating class

• Duke-NUS Medical School's Class of 2025 graduates 121 medical and doctoral students, including MDs, MD-PhDs, PhDs, and masters'degrees
• Landmark first batch of Masters in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality graduates, unique toSoutheast Asia
• Inaugural graduates from conditional admissions pathways with NUS and SUTD
• 41% of MD and MD-PhD graduates made bold mid-career shifts from fields such as law, PR, accounting and mental health support

SINGAPORE,May 31, 2025/PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating 20 years of transformative medical education, Duke-NUS Medical School graduated its largest cohort yet today, the Class of 2025, in a vibrant ceremony at the Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium in Academia attended by guest-of-honour MrOng Ye Kung, Minister for Health.

Marking a strategic milestone for Duke-NUS, the graduating class included 72 Doctor of Medicine (MD) graduates—five of whom are also earning PhDs—and 27 PhD candidates from the Integrated Biology and Medicine, Quantitative Biology and Medicine and Clinical and Translational Sciences programmes.

Among the MD graduates was the first group of individuals emerging from the Duke-NUS conditional admissions pathways with theNational University of Singapore(NUS) and theSingapore Universityof Technology and Design (SUTD). These pathways are designed to attract talent from engineering, information technology and other undergraduate programmes.

Dean ProfessorThomas Coffmansaid:"Collaborating with seven partner universities, includingDuke Universityand NUS, these pathways are designed to allow students to earn a first degree in diverse academic majors while providing an opportunity to seamlessly transition into medicine. It's a powerful model for developing doctors who are outstanding clinicians but also bring valuable multi-disciplinary skills into our healthcare system."

This cohort also includes the inaugural batch of graduates of the Master's in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality (MPSHQ) programme, the first of its kind inSoutheast Asia. The MPSHQ is focused on building highly reliable healthcare systems that are of consistent quality and safety.

The Class of 2025 represents Duke-NUS'commitment to broadening the skillset and experience of our students, with 41 per cent of MD and MD-PhD graduates having transitioned mid-career from professions that include law, public relations, accounting and mental health peer support. Additionally, 58 per cent of the Class of 2025's graduates are women, underscoring the School's dedication tofostering diversityin the learning environment.

Said DrFaith Wong Pih Yng, previously a modelmaking student and senior peer support specialist atSingapore'sInstitute of Mental Health, now MD graduate,"Among the many hospital postings, what stood out most vividly was assisting in and witnessing childbirth—the intense anticipation and joy of welcoming a new life into the world was simply unmatched. Ultimately, however, the memories I cherish most are the countless hours spent with my classmates, supporting one another and peer-teaching." 

Duke-NUS MD graduates received their degrees, awarded jointly byDuke Universityand theNational University of Singapore, in front of friends and family, as well as notable guests, includingDuke UniversitySchool of Medicine Dean ProfessorMary Klotman, SingHealth Group CEO ProfessorNg Wai Hoe, and keynote speaker, DrAmy Abernethy, member ofDuke University'sboard of trustees and co-founder of Highlander Health.

Caring and compassion underlines the Class of 2025's accomplishments, especially beyond academia. Partaking in a wealth of community service projects, some of their cohort, such as DrDana Chow Wai Shin, MD, started the Healthy to Thrive initiative, the first Duke-NUS-led public health screening event dedicated to migrant workers. 

The cohort was also recognised for their outstanding achievements, which were given out the night before. Awards such as the Singapore Medical Association-Lee Foundation Prizes and Teamsmanship Awards presented to graduates who demonstrated excellence in academics, community service, and leadership.

In the aspect of research and scholarship, the Class of 2025 did not flag, publishing an exceptional 253 papers and publications in their time at Duke-NUS, several as first authors in prominent journals such asNature Medicine,ImmunityandEMBO Molecular Medicine. MD-PhD graduate DrKatherine Nay Yaung, first author on a paper published inLancet Rheumatology, wrote about artificial intelligence and high-dimensional technologies to diagnose and treat autoimmune diseases, and PhD graduate DrAishwarya Prakash, named first author and published inAmerican Heart AssociationJournal, who found a type of peptide to have protective qualities for the heart after sustaining damage.

"The conversations I've had with patients emphasise a shift towards continuity of care and empowering individuals to make their own health choices. In moments where I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself that being a small part of each patient's journey has been a privilege,"said Dr Pang Wui Ming Jeremy, recipient of the SingHealth Prize in Family Medicine, Singapore Medical Association-Lee Foundation Teamsmanship Award for exemplary team values in medicine and Duke-NUS Achievement Prize.

As Duke-NUS enters its third decade, the School continues to redefine medical education and research, nurturing the next generation of healthcare leaders who are not just exceptional doctors but visionary innovators ready to make an impact inSingaporeand beyond.

About Duke-NUS Medical School

Duke-NUS isSingapore'sflagship graduate-entry medical school, established in 2005 with a strategic, government-led partnership between two world-class institutions:Duke UniversitySchool of Medicine and theNational University of Singapore(NUS). Through an innovative curriculum, students at Duke-NUS are nurtured to become multi-faceted'Clinicians Plus'poised to steer the healthcare and biomedical ecosystem inSingaporeand beyond. A leader in ground-breaking research and translational innovation, Duke-NUS has gained international renown through its five Signature Research Programmes and ten Centres. The enduring impact of its discoveries is amplified by its successful Academic Medicine partnership with Singapore Health Services (SingHealth),Singapore'slargest healthcare group. This strategic alliance has led to the creation of 15 Academic Clinical Programmes, which harness multi-disciplinary research and education to transform medicine and improve lives.   

For more information, please visitwww.duke-nus.edu.sg 

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SOURCE Duke-NUS Medical School