Duke's Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) Program seeks to prepare a diverse student body to pursue a spectrum of medical career options in order to become physician leaders who can advance biomedical research and improve local, national, and global health.

This is accomplished in part, through an innovative curriculum in which students learn the core basic sciences in the first year, complete core clinical clerkships in the second year, devote the entire third year to scholarly investigation, and fulfill elective rotations in the fourth year.

By condensing the traditionally structured training from four years into three, students are provided ample opportunity to pursue their own independent interests. Many students earn a second degree during this time, graduating with an MBA, Master of Public Health or Master of Science in addition to the Doctor of Medicine degree.