Duke-NUS Medical School has marked its 20th anniversary by graduating its largest class to date, the Class of 2025, in a ceremony held at the Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium in Singapore. The event, attended by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, saw 121 students receive degrees, including Doctor of Medicine (MD), MD-PhD, PhD, and master’s degrees. This milestone includes the first graduates from the Masters in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality programme, unique to Southeast Asia.
The Class of 2025 is notable for its diversity and innovation, with 41% of MD and MD-PhD graduates making significant mid-career shifts from fields such as law, public relations, and mental health support. Additionally, 58% of the graduates are women, highlighting the school’s commitment to diversity. Dean Professor Thomas Coffman emphasised the importance of the conditional admissions pathways with the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), which attract talent from various academic backgrounds.
The graduates have also made significant contributions to research, publishing 253 papers, with several appearing in prestigious journals like Nature Medicine and Lancet Rheumatology. The cohort’s community service efforts were recognised, including initiatives like the Healthy to Thrive programme, which provides health screenings for migrant workers.
As Duke-NUS enters its third decade, it continues to redefine medical education and research, preparing healthcare leaders who are not only skilled clinicians but also innovators ready to impact Singapore and beyond.
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