How to Get Into Duke Medical School: Requirements and Strategies
/How hard is it to get into Duke University School of Medicine? Learn the Duke Medical School acceptance rate and requirements, plus read Duke secondary essay examples
Duke University School of Medicine is ranked #6 for research by U.S. News and World Report
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Part 1: Introduction
Like other prestigious medical schools in the U.S., Duke University School of Medicine offers students an unbeatable medical education, exceptional research activity, and a first-rate reputation. There are also a few aspects that set Duke apart from the rest of its top-ranked peers.
Located in North Carolina, Duke is one of only two top-ten medical schools in the South. Furthermore, it was founded in 1930, making it one of the youngest institutions to consistently land in this top tier.
Duke’s medical school boasts an innovative curriculum that allows students to work directly with patients earlier and devote an entire year to pursuing their scholarly passions. Fittingly, Duke is ranked third in the country for NIH funding and is a pillar of the Research Triangle Park, the largest research park in the U.S.
If you’re a high-achieving premed, you likely have your sights set on Duke. However, you’ll need more than just a stellar GPA and MCAT score to get in. In this guide, we’ll reveal the essential components of how to get into Duke Medical School, from admissions statistics to application requirements to interview strategy. Most importantly, we’ll help you ace Duke’s secondary application prompts and show you example essays that fit the bill.
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Part 2: Duke Medical School MD programs
Duke offers students two primary paths towards a medical degree:
The traditional, four-year MD program
The Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD)
However, Duke’s recently revamped MD curriculum includes a flexible third year that allows students to undertake in-depth research in an area of their interest. One way you can use this time is to pursue a second degree; possibilities include an MD/MPH, MD/MPP, MD/MBA, and MD/JD, among many other options. Around 40% of Duke medical students graduate with a dual degree.
Duke School of Medicine also offers two specialty tracks within its MD program: the Primary Care Leadership Track (PCLT), which aims to train future leaders in the primary care field, and the Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship Program (LIC), which allows second-year students to work with a set group of patients longitudinally rather than in blocks.
If you’d like to apply to PCLT, you can indicate your interest on your Duke supplemental application. On the other hand, if you are interested in joining LIC, you’ll apply during your first year at Duke.
Duke Medical School tuition and scholarships
For the 2023–2024 school year, first-year tuition and fees at Duke School of Medicine are billed at $72,757. With the inclusion of housing, books, and other expenses, Duke estimates the total cost of attendance to be $101,315.
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Part 3: How hard is it to get into Duke Medical School?
Duke Medical School admissions statistics
With an acceptance rate of just 2.9%, getting into Duke School of Medicine certainly isn’t easy. Let’s examine the admissions numbers for the class of 2027:
Applications: 7,782
Complete applications: 4,606
Interviews: 568
Matriculants: 110
Median GPA: 3.9
Median MCAT score: 520
(Suggested reading: Average GPA and MCAT Score for Every Medical School)
Duke Medical School admissions requirements
Unlike most medical schools, Duke doesn’t require applicants to have taken specific courses to apply. That said, serious applicants are expected to have prepared themselves through coursework in the subjects below:
Biochemistry
Cellular biology
Statistics/biostatistics
Physics
Sociology
Psychology
Expository writing
Specific numbers of courses aren’t given for most subjects, so you’ll want to review Duke’s admissions website for a more complete sense of its academic expectations. Note that Duke seeks out students with a “broad and balanced” interdisciplinary education.
Applicants must also submit an MCAT score. For Fall 2024 admission, you’ll need to have taken the exam sometime between January 2020 and September 2023.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, submitting your application and being invited to interview without an MCAT score is currently possible. However, your application will be reevaluated once your score is in, and an MCAT score is ultimately required to be accepted.
(Suggested reading: Medical School Requirements: The Definitive Guide)
Duke Medical School application timeline
Below is a timeline of key dates and deadlines to remember as you complete your Duke application for 2023-2024. Duke’s dates for 2024-2025 applications have not yet been released.
May 2, 2024: AMCAS application opens
May 30, 2024: AMCAS application can be submitted
June 25, 2024: AMCAS transmission begins
July 2023: Duke secondary application opens
September 2023–January 2024: Interviews conducted
Mid–late February 2024: Admissions decision released
October 15, 2024: AMCAS submission deadline
November 15, 2024: Duke secondary application deadline
Unlike some other medical schools, Duke doesn’t pre-screen applicants, so once your AMCAS application is verified, you will receive an email invitation to complete the secondary application.
Duke releases all admissions decisions towards the end of February instead of admitting students on a rolling basis. Nevertheless, rather than wait until the fall to submit your application, we encourage you to submit your primary and secondary applications as early as possible—without sacrificing quality.
(Suggested reading: The Ideal Medical School Application Timeline)
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Part 4: Duke Medical School secondary application essays (examples included)
Once you’ve submitted your primary AMCAS application, you’ll want to focus your energies on writing your Duke secondary essays. Duke’s secondary application is notoriously long and features a number of unique prompts, so it’s a good idea to get started ahead of time. You can look to the fact that only 60% of initial applicants end up submitting a secondary to get a sense of the effort that is required!
Duke notes that the secondary application is an important component of their holistic application review. The wide range of required prompts, many of which focus on demonstrating personal characteristics, signals that they are looking to your secondary essays to better understand who you are as a person, what unique life experiences you’ll bring to the table, and what you have to offer beyond excellent grades and test scores. They also want to ensure that you have clear, well-thought-out reasons for committing yourself to medicine and serving others.
Therefore, get ready to dig deep and bring your complete self to the fore. Below, we’ll walk you through each of Duke’s secondary essay prompts, offering strategies for tackling each essay as well as real-life example essays that worked.
Question 1: Advocacy: Describe a situation in which you chose to advocate for someone who was different from you or for a cause or idea that was different from yours. Define your view of advocacy. What risks, if any, might be associated with your choice to be an advocate? (400 words)
Duke highlights through this prompt that there’s more to medicine than diagnosing and treating illness; being a physician also comes with a social responsibility. Physicians must work to empower patients and improve access to healthcare, whether on an individual or societal level.
In brainstorming topics for this prompt, consider times when you’ve stood up for the rights of others, helped someone find their voice, or enabled them to access something they needed.
Since many applicants understandably think of volunteer experiences for this essay, keep in mind that not all volunteer work necessarily involves being an advocate. For example, serving meals to the unhoused, while worthwhile, may not in and of itself be viewed as advocacy. On the other hand, accompanying an unhoused individual to appointments or helping them fill out paperwork might better fit the bill of “empowering others.”
Here's an example that works:
Toby turns his computer towards me. “Does this look good?” I nod as I read the email, which confirms his extra time accommodations for an English in-class essay. I can tell he’s unconvinced as he hesitates to send it. Toby is typically apprehensive when approaching teachers and worries that his classmates find his learning differences weird. Despite these fears, I encourage him to ask for help when struggling in class, assuring him that I will proofread his emails so that he can feel confident. I give Toby a thumbs up and remind him that using his voice is something to be proud of. “I used to be nervous talking to teachers,” I tell him. “Different learning is not bad learning! Just because Beyoncé has a vocal coach doesn’t mean she’s a bad singer.” Toby hits send.
Though I myself have not experienced the physical challenges of having cerebral palsy nor the social anxiety and distractibility associated with ADHD, I still support Toby’s goals by leading with empathy. I advocate for Toby every day by learning from his perspectives, encouraging him to identify and communicate his views, and anchoring him through difficult academic and social experiences.
Coming from an all-boys K-8 in Los Angeles that espoused speaking up for the voiceless, my understanding of advocacy was previously limited to providing services to the underserved and increasing education around inequities. Working as a personal aide with Toby has since expanded this definition. I’ve learned that advocacy comprises inherently selfless actions that focus on guiding people to feel empowered by their own decisions. It means empathetic listening first, then providing advice if called for. It requires challenging internal biases. In addition to sharing his experiences with disability, Toby has taught me about the nuanced manifestations of ableism: “toxic positivity,” viewing disabled people as broken humans who need to be fixed, and savior complexes are all harmful. I try to reflect upon and unlearn any attitudes that veer towards ableism and incorporate disability awareness into conversations with family and friends.
Being an advocate risks facing conflict with those who don’t believe in your cause. Not everyone will prioritize your advocacy goals, but this extra effort is worth it when you know that you’ve helped someone else. As a physician, I will encounter patients with varied conditions and health determinants; I will approach every individual with empathy and a readiness to support their health decisions.
Why does this work?
This student recounted a specific experience and demonstrated how it was an opportunity for them to empower someone else. They didn’t just talk about helping Toby, nor did they use this as a chance to pat themselves on the back. Instead, they illustrated how their work with Toby provided him with what he needed to complete an important task.
This student defined “advocacy”—in line with the prompt—and explained how their definition has been shaped by varying life experiences. In doing so, they also explained how that definition was influenced by the work they did.
One word stands out, “empathy.” This student’s experience allows him to frame his definition of advocacy within the idea of empathy, a necessary attribute for doctors. The way these ideas are linked shows clear communication skills and an ability to consider the profession on a deeper level.
The response concludes by tying advocacy to their future work as a physician.
Question 2: Coping with Disappointment: Not achieving a goal or one’s desire can sometimes be disheartening. What have you learned/gained from your setbacks and disappointments and how does this translate to your current way of thinking? (400 words)
Question 3: Value Systems: Describe a situation in which you had to utilize your values to interact with people from different backgrounds. How did those values impact the relationship? (400 words)
Question 4: Leadership: Leadership, teamwork, and communication flow synergistically. What do you value most as a leader and as a contributor? What attributes do you possess as a leader and as a team member and how do you apply them on a daily basis? (400 words)
Question 5: Critical Thinking: Critical thinking involves a number of characteristics. Research experience enhances critical analysis skills. Describe any research experience or another situation in which you utilized critical thinking. How will critical thinking be important in your future career? (400 words)
Question 6: Understanding the Need for Health Care Changes: Potential sources of health inequities exist. Duke’s Moments to Movement (M2M) is a collective stand to address these issues. Describe your experience and reflection with race and its relationship to disparities in health, health care and society. Consider the values of justice, diversity, inclusion and equity. (400 words)
Question 7: COVID-19 Implications: How has the COVID-19 pandemic influenced your journey to medical school? Have these events changed your outlook on medicine’s role in society? (400 words)
Question 8: Tell Us Who You Are: Tell us more about who you are. This is your opportunity to tell us how you wish to be addressed, recognized and treated. (500 words)
Question 9: Race / Ethnicity / Geographic Origin / Socioeconomic Status / Advantage / Disadvantage / Religious Affiliation. Use the text box below to provide additional information on how these parameters have/will influence you. (200 words) (Optional)
Question 10: Please let us know of any additional information that you would like us to consider while reviewing your application. (No word count given) (Optional)
Gain instant access to med school secondary essay examples for every single prompt required by every medical school in the United States and Canada. Subscribe today to lock in the current investments, which will be increasing in the future for new subscribers.
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Part 5: Duke Medical School interviews
Being invited to interview at Duke Medical School is an accomplishment in and of itself; in the most recent application cycle, fewer than 7% of applicants made it to the interview stage.
Duke’s website notes that you should think of your interview day as a window through which you can assess fit. Just as they hope to get a sense of “the depth of your intellectual curiosity, commitment to a career of service, and ethical values,” you should approach the interview as an opportunity to learn as much as you can about whether Duke matches what you’re looking for in a medical program.
Duke uses an MMI interview format; all interviews were held virtually in the 2023–2024 application cycle. (Information for the 2024-2025 application cycle has not been released.) Your Duke MMI interview will consist of eight interview stations: five ethical scenarios, two traditional interviews, one team scenario (visited twice), and a video interview station. Each station will take about nine minutes to complete, and your performance at each station will be assessed by different faculty, staff, or student raters who are members of Duke’s admissions committee.
To help you prepare, we’ve provided a comprehensive guide to acing the MMI interview, which includes strategies for thinking through each type of station, example answers, and 150 practice questions.
On the Sunday before your MMI, you’ll also have the opportunity to take a virtual campus tour, plus panels and breakout sessions that will allow you to learn more about Duke.
(Suggested reading: How to Ace Medical School Interviews (Questions Included))
Final thoughts
Getting into a medical school of Duke’s caliber can seem like a formidable challenge, especially when it requires you to write numerous lengthy essays. However, graduating with an MD from Duke is well worth the effort and will provide you with countless opportunities along the way. Start early and take the time to write application essays that highlight what makes you unique and which demonstrate your commitments to service and intellectual rigor. By following the advice in this guide, you’ll be one step closer to opening an acceptance letter from Duke School of Medicine.
About the Author
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on medical school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into medical school using his exclusive approach.