Latest news with #Duke-NUS
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Health
- Korea Herald
Career-switching professionals, twins and trailblazers: Duke-NUS' Class of 2029 redefines path to medicine
SINGAPORE, Aug. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new chapter in Singapore's healthcare story began today as 78 aspiring doctors from Duke-NUS Medical School's 19th Doctor of Medicine (MD) cohort donned their white coats and recited the Hippocratic Oath, committing themselves to a future of medical excellence, professionalism and a lifelong service of healing. Duke-NUS' Class of 2029 reflects the School's bold and purposeful cultivation of medical talent—by welcoming individuals from a wide spectrum of academic and professional backgrounds. This year's students range in age from 22 to 33 and include 46 early-to-mid-career professionals who have switched paths to pursue medicine. Forming the School's largest batch of career-pivoting individuals, they bring with them rich perspectives from fields such as law, software engineering and economics. Also represented are fresh graduates from universities worldwide, as well as seven students admitted through Duke-NUS' conditional pathways in partnership with Singapore's top universities. Professor Thomas Coffman, Dean of Duke-NUS, said: "Duke-NUS was founded to reimagine how medical talent is developed in Singapore. By welcoming students with many academic backgrounds and life experiences, we bring together diverse minds united by a shared purpose—to serve, to heal and to improve health for generations to come. The White Coat Ceremony reflects our shared commitment for our students to become competent and compassionate doctors who may also contribute to medicine as scientists, educators, policy makers, innovators and future healthcare leaders." Along with their undergraduate degrees in a variety of fields, six members of the Class of 2029 hold Master's degrees and one has attained a PhD prior to joining the programme. Among the incoming students is Ms Seah Xue Er, Cheryl, 33, a former senior counsel with J. P. Morgan and a private legal practitioner with a decade of experience in law. Ms Seah, who has also taught yoga part-time, believes in competency and in being compassionate when caring for her patients. "I want to be a doctor who is hands-on, passionate and relentless in advocating for the best outcome for every patient. I would be someone who perseveres in the duty I have undertaken to provide the best care, treatment and recovery solution for them," she said. Another student, Ms Tania Chattopadhyay, 30, left a career in software engineering to pursue medicine—a dream she had wanted to fulfil since being inspired by her father's battle with a heart disorder. Now a mother, she is committed to engineering preventive health solutions in cardiovascular and metabolomic disorders treatment. "I believe many conditions can be detected early or even prevented altogether with the right tools, education and systems in place. I want to work on solutions that empower patients to take charge of their health and make care more proactive and effective," she said. This intake also includes the School's first pair of twin sisters, Ms Shruthi Kumar and Ms Swathi Kumar, 23, who studied psychology and engineering respectively and share a passion for healing. "Taking the next step into medicine together feels incredibly special—not just as a personal milestone but as a shared dream we've nurtured side by side," said Ms Shruthi Kumar, with Ms Swathi Kumar adding: "We've always challenged and supported each other, and now, we're excited to approach learning with different viewpoints and to bring our different strengths to medicine, together." Mr Tang Zheng Yang Tony, 24, an English Literature graduate who joined Duke-NUS via a conditional admissions pathway from Yale-NUS College, believes that medicine and literature are "two sides of the same coin" that illuminate the complexities of human life. He hopes to draw from the empathy and introspection instilled in him by his humanities training to offer holistic care as a clinician. "I have been blessed with many knowledgeable professors and a wealth of reading material that enliven me not just in an aesthetic sense, but also philosophically and spiritually, forming an important 'human' foundation for the medical profession," said Mr Tang, a recipient of the Duke-NUS Dean's Scholarship. The Class of 2029 includes 57 Singaporeans, four permanent residents and 17 international students from countries including China, the United States, the Philippines and India. All students will also undergo most of their clinical training at SingHealth institutions and graduate with an MD degree jointly awarded by Duke University and the National University of Singapore. Duke-NUS is the only graduate-entry medical school in Singapore. Its MD curriculum—rooted in research and team-based learning—caters to students who bring maturity, purpose and diverse experiences to medicine. About Duke-NUS Medical School Duke-NUS is Singapore's flagship graduate entry medical school, established in 2005 with a strategic, government-led partnership between two world-class institutions: Duke University School of Medicine and the National 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 in Singapore and 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's largest 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.
Independent Singapore
30-07-2025
- Health
- Independent Singapore
SG retirement trap: Why retiring at 65 in Singapore might be the biggest mistake of your life; a wake-up call for SG's mid-lifers
SINGAPORE: We've all heard the mantra: work hard, save up, retire at 65, then finally kick back and relax. But what if that blueprint to life's golden chapter is actually fool's gold? According to Xueni Yang, a licensed private wealth advisor in Singapore who spends her days advising senior executives and high-net-worth families on how to make their money matter: Waiting until 65 to retire could be a costly — and regretful — mistake. 'I spend a lot of my time helping senior executives in their 50s figure it out. Financially, many are ready, but emotionally, not quite,' Xueni said. Her message is that retirement isn't just about the dollars in your CPF or the timeline set by the government. It's also about health, mental clarity, and freedom — and all of those are ticking away, one week at a time. Cognitive decline doesn't wait for retirement Xueni pulls no punches. Cognitive decline begins much earlier than we think, she warns. While many associate forgetfulness with frailty in their 80s, the slippery slope actually begins in their early 60s. In Singapore, a Duke-NUS (medical school) study found that 15 – 20% of people aged 60 and above suffer from mild cognitive impairment (MCI). That's one in five. MCI isn't just about misplacing your keys — it's a measurable decline in memory, focus, and emotional balance. And the kicker is that over half of those affected will slide into dementia within five years. Imagine this: you wait your whole life to retire at 65, only to realise that your mental sharpness has already begun to dull. Early cognitive decline might affect your ability to manage finances, travel with confidence, or pick up new skills — the very things people dream of doing in retirement, Xueni says. In short? Your bucket list could be compromised before you even get to open the bucket. Your health clock is louder than your CPF alarm Singaporeans boast one of the highest life expectancies in the world — 84.1 years, according to the World Health Organization. Sounds like plenty of time, right? Well, not quite. Our healthy life expectancy — the years we can live without serious illness or disability — is only 73.6 years, Xueni reveals. That means if you retire at 65, you get roughly nine years of active living before potential health complications start showing up uninvited. Think about that: just nine solid years to travel, hike, play with your grandkids, or start that painting class you've postponed since 1989. The sad reality is that if we delay retirement till 65 or later, we might be spending our healthiest years working — and our retirement years managing health issues, she added. You've got less time than you think (and that's a good thing) Xueni's not trying to be a buzzkill. Her message is actually one of empowerment. She just wants to replace vague optimism with crystal-clear reality. If you're 45 today, you have about 1,500 weeks of good health left. If you're 55, that's fewer than 1,000 healthy weeks, she explains. That's a finite number of Sunday brunches, sunset walks, and pain-free mornings. 'Because if most of those weeks are spent stuck in overtime, putting off serious retirement planning, and waiting for someday, it's time to rethink. Someday is today,' she stressed. See also Can the average Singaporean actually afford to stop working? Retirement isn't the end … Xueni is flipping the script on what retirement means. It doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. She calls on people to take control of their retirement timeline. 'This is your life and your timeline,' she says. 'Retirement doesn't mean doing nothing. It could mean scaling back, switching to part-time work, or finally exploring a passion project you've put off for years.' The first step is awareness. The second is action. How to prepare for early or semi-retirement (without panicking) Xueni's retirement plan isn't about throwing caution to the wind — it's about being intentional: Spend less than you earn: Simple, but powerful Invest wisely and avoid costly mistakes: Don't chase hot stock tips or jump into trendy investments you barely understand Prioritise one home and one clear goal: Now is not the time to buy that fifth investment property In Singapore, where shiny condos and 'forever working' mentalities often dominate the retirement conversation, Xueni's advice feels refreshingly grounded. She adds, 'Focus on liquidity, not fixed assets. Invest in your health because there's no point in wealth if you're not healthy enough to enjoy it.' Her bottom line is, 'Freedom isn't about how much you have saved in your retirement accounts. It's about having the energy and clarity to enjoy the years you have worked hard for.' Retirement should be a reward instead of a regretful mistake Xueni's message is sobering and hopeful. She's not telling you to quit tomorrow , but she's urging Singaporeans to stop putting off life in the name of a distant finish line. Retirement, she says, should be a reward, so don't let it become a regretful mistake. If you're in your 40s or 50s, now's the time to revisit your financial plans, reimagine what freedom looks like, and most importantly , reclaim your time while you still have plenty of good years ahead. Watch Xueni Yang's full video to hear her advice in her own words below: In other news, when Lim Wei Ming sat at his Tanjong Pagar office one March morning, staring at his CPF retirement projections, he didn't see it as his golden years. Instead, he saw it as a financial black hole. Wei Ming saw his decades of dutiful saving and climbing the corporate ladder led to one cold, hard truth: even with the maximum Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions, retirement in Singapore might be more sobering than celebratory. His calculations resulted in a modest S$2,800 monthly payout from CPF, compared to a real-world expense of nearly S$8,000. Mortgage, mum's medical bills, daughter's overseas uni fees —all of that wasn't fiction. This is Singapore's retirement reality. But Lim, like hundreds of Singaporean seniors, discovered a game-changer: remote work. You can read how he went about it over here: Remote work for Singaporean elders: How a 58 y/o man in SG secured his financial lifeline and retirement needs with just a laptop and Wi-Fi
Korea Herald
31-05-2025
- Health
- Korea Herald
Duke-NUS celebrates 20 years of medical innovation with largest ever graduating class
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 Mr Ong 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 the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). These pathways are designed to attract talent from engineering, information technology and other undergraduate programmes. Dean Professor Thomas Coffman said: "Collaborating with seven partner universities, including Duke University and 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 in Southeast 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 to fostering diversity in the learning environment. Said Dr Faith Wong Pih Yng, previously a modelmaking student and senior peer support specialist at Singapore's Institute 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 by Duke University and the National University of Singapore, in front of friends and family, as well as notable guests, including Duke University School of Medicine Dean Professor Mary Klotman, SingHealth Group CEO Professor Ng Wai Hoe, and keynote speaker, Dr Amy Abernethy, member of Duke University's board 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 Dr Dana 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 as Nature Medicine, Immunity and EMBO Molecular Medicine. MD-PhD graduate Dr Katherine Nay Yaung, first author on a paper published in Lancet Rheumatology, wrote about artificial intelligence and high-dimensional technologies to diagnose and treat autoimmune diseases, and PhD graduate Dr Aishwarya Prakash, named first author and published in American Heart Association Journal, 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 in Singapore and beyond. About Duke-NUS Medical School Duke-NUS is Singapore's flagship graduate-entry medical school, established in 2005 with a strategic, government-led partnership between two world-class institutions: Duke University School of Medicine and the National 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 in Singapore and 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's largest 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.
Malaysian Reserve
31-05-2025
- Health
- Malaysian Reserve
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 to Southeast 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 Mr Ong 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 the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). These pathways are designed to attract talent from engineering, information technology and other undergraduate programmes. Dean Professor Thomas Coffman said: 'Collaborating with seven partner universities, including Duke University and 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 in Southeast 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 to fostering diversity in the learning environment. Said Dr Faith Wong Pih Yng, previously a modelmaking student and senior peer support specialist at Singapore's Institute 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 by Duke University and the National University of Singapore, in front of friends and family, as well as notable guests, including Duke University School of Medicine Dean Professor Mary Klotman, SingHealth Group CEO Professor Ng Wai Hoe, and keynote speaker, Dr Amy Abernethy, member of Duke University's board 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 Dr Dana 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 as Nature Medicine, Immunity and EMBO Molecular Medicine. MD-PhD graduate Dr Katherine Nay Yaung, first author on a paper published in Lancet Rheumatology, wrote about artificial intelligence and high-dimensional technologies to diagnose and treat autoimmune diseases, and PhD graduate Dr Aishwarya Prakash, named first author and published in American Heart Association Journal, 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 in Singapore and beyond. About Duke-NUS Medical School Duke-NUS is Singapore's flagship graduate-entry medical school, established in 2005 with a strategic, government-led partnership between two world-class institutions: Duke University School of Medicine and the National 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 in Singapore and 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's largest 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 visit
Straits Times
30-04-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
How Duke-NUS Medical School supports staff to drive healthcare innovations
Professor Patrick Tan in his Duke-NUS lab, where groundbreaking cancer genetics research translates into clinical trials with real-world impact. PHOTO: DUKE-NUS MEDICAL SCHOOL BRANDED CONTENT 'Our role is about service': Why staff stay, grow and drive healthcare innovation at this med school Duke-NUS Medical School's culture of open collaboration and access to a vast clinical ecosystem enables its staff to push boundaries in medicine and public health From installing life-saving devices at Housing Board void decks to discovering new cancer treatments, innovation at Duke-NUS Medical School extends beyond the lab. In March 2025, in collaboration with SingHealth, the school launched its Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Institute (AIMI) with the aim to equip healthcare professionals with the tools and support to develop and apply AI solutions in the real world. There is tremendous use for AI, from finding new drugs to understanding complex biological pathways, to detecting patterns in the emergence of diseases, says Professor Patrick Tan, Duke-NUS' senior vice-dean for research. A Stanford-trained MD (Doctor of Medicine)-PhD holder, the 56-year-old was one of the school's pioneer faculty members and has been appointed the next and fourth dean of the school, effective January 1, 2026. 'The character of Duke-NUS is very special,' he says. 'We're a medical school that produces doctors who do more than clinical care, researchers who do more than publish papers, and administrators who lean into our mission of innovative education and impactful research that transforms the practice of medicine in Singapore and beyond.' This sense of shared purpose is echoed by Associate Professor Shiva Sarraf-Yazdi, who sums it up succinctly: 'Our role is about service.' Duke-NUS was established in 2005 as a partnership between two world-class institutions: Duke University and the National University of Singapore. A former Duke-trained surgeon, she joined Duke-NUS more than a decade ago to focus on medical education. 'The act of surgery itself measures impact in days, weeks or months but education measures impact in decades,' says the 53-year-old, who is now the vice-dean for education overseeing the Duke-NUS MD programme. The school has been ranked as one of Singapore's best employers for five years running, in a list compiled by global research firm Statista in collaboration with The Straits Times. Faculty members and staff have cited a high level of trust, strong emphasis on workplace diversity and clear work expectations as factors that make Duke-NUS stand out as an employer. Prof Tan, who leads a 600-strong research office, says: 'Part of my job is to bring in the best people, assemble the best teams, and make sure they can do their best work with supporting structures in place to tackle the big questions of the future.' The setting up of AIMI marks the school's latest move to leverage cutting-edge technology and interdisciplinary expertise to solve complex healthcare challenges and redefine what's possible in patient care. A spirit of innovation at Duke-NUS Medical School empowers every member to push boundaries, to transform medicine and improve lives. (Seated, from left) Professor Patrick Tan, senior vice-dean for research; professor Thomas Coffman, dean; and Dr Zhou Jin, principal research scientist. (Standing, from left) Mr Anirudh Sharma, director, communications and strategic relations; and associate professor Shiva Sarraf-Yazdi, vice-dean for education. PHOTO: DUKE-NUS MEDICAL SCHOOL Creating real-world impact Prof Tan says the scale and success of the work of Duke-NUS researchers is made possible because of the institution's collaborative model and access to Singapore's broader healthcare ecosystem. That includes his own groundbreaking contributions to stomach cancer research. Prof Tan's work in gastric cancer won the American Association for Cancer Research Team Science Award in 2018 – a first for a team from Asia. Supported by Duke-NUS, his team – comprising researchers from the National Cancer Centre Singapore, the Genome Institute of Singapore and collaborators from Japan, Taiwan and Thailand – identified key genetic abnormalities in stomach cancers and translated those findings into targeted clinical trials. Reflecting on his focus on research rather than clinical care, he says: 'When you provide clinical care, it is to one patient at a time. This is tremendously important. But if you can find the cause of disease and therapy to intervene, there is a much broader level of impact.' Another real-world example is the installation of AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) across Singapore, an initiative led by Duke-NUS' research on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates. 'It wasn't a drug, but it saved lives. That's the impact,' says Prof Tan. Breakthroughs in medical research and healthcare Fighting cancer From developing Singapore's first home-grown cancer drug (ETC-159) to mapping stomach tumours for personalised therapies, scientists at Duke-NUS are leading advances in cancer treatment. From developing Singapore's first home-grown cancer drug (ETC-159) to mapping stomach tumours for personalised therapies, scientists at Duke-NUS are leading advances in cancer treatment. Pioneering Covid-19 response Duke-NUS is among the first globally to isolate, culture and characterise the SARS-CoV-2 virus, driving innovations in Covid-19 testing, vaccines and therapeutics – including the world's first FDA-approved neutralising antibody test kit. Duke-NUS is among the first globally to isolate, culture and characterise the SARS-CoV-2 virus, driving innovations in Covid-19 testing, vaccines and therapeutics – including the world's first FDA-approved neutralising antibody test kit. Hope for Parkinson's Duke-NUS is advancing cell therapies for brain diseases like Parkinson's, taking these treatments from the lab to clinical trials in Singapore and overseas. Duke-NUS is advancing cell therapies for brain diseases like Parkinson's, taking these treatments from the lab to clinical trials in Singapore and overseas. Driving longevity research Researchers at Duke-NUS discovered how the IL-11 protein is linked to ageing and excess scar tissue build-ups in organs or tissues, paving the way for new treatments. Researchers at Duke-NUS discovered how the IL-11 protein is linked to ageing and excess scar tissue build-ups in organs or tissues, paving the way for new treatments. Beating cardiac arrest Research led to the placement of over 10,000 automated external defibrillators across Singapore and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for more than 180,000 people annually – dramatically improving survival from cardiac arrests outside hospitals. Empowering bold innovations Prof Sarraf-Yazdi feels the school's innovation-friendly culture encourages bold ideas. This support has enabled her team to embark on new projects that continually enhance the school's education programme to better prepare students for clinical practice. One of her earlier initiatives was the MD Programme Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship. It was run as a pilot to expose students to multiple clinical disciplines in a holistic approach while enabling them to form stronger connections with patients, mentors and peers. Insights from the pilot helped reshape the MD curriculum, such as the longitudinal C.A.R.E. (Connect, Assimilate, Reflect, Explore) Programme, which now spans the entire curriculum. The programme complements students' capabilities for practice by progressively incorporating essential skills like communication, clinical reasoning, ethics and professionalism, while exploring emerging healthcare priority areas such as Population Health and AI in medicine. Associate Professor Shiva Sarraf-Yazdi with Duke-NUS students during one of their clinical education programmes, practising procedural skills in a safe environment. PHOTO: DUKE-NUS MEDICAL SCHOOL 'It is easy to take bold steps when you are backed by a courageous team and supported by institutional leadership that tolerates failure, embraces change and encourages innovation,' she says. In addition to Duke-NUS, she credits the school's extended ecosystem – including over 2,000 clinical faculty across the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre – for guiding students through their clinical education. Enduring impact on public health At Duke-NUS, professional growth is not limited to students. By providing a supportive environment including flexible work arrangements to encourage lifelong learning, faculty and staff are enabled to deepen their expertise and expand their capabilities. Prof Sarraf-Yazdi herself pursued two additional degrees while working – a Master of Health Professions Education from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Business Administration from NUS. Programmes such as the Dean's Excellence Awards and Administrative Achievement Awards also help in highlighting staff contributions and fostering peer appreciation. Prof Tan says: 'There is an ethos and culture to Duke-NUS that has sustained me. 'Here, you will find that many of us stay for quite a long time because we're all attracted to this very dynamic place that tackles some of the key and important questions of the future that affect Singapore and the world.' Read more about Singapore's Best Employers 2025. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
