Duke

Duke University School of Medicine Durham, NC · Private · MD

Class size: 120
Tuition: $72,297 (per year)
Out-of-state applicants: Welcome

Deadlines

AMCAS deadline: Oct. 15, 2026
Secondary deadline: Nov. 16, 2026

Essays

Your story (400 words)

Share with us your story.

Trust and rapport (400 words)

Trust and rapport are essential in your day-to-day interactions with people. How do you build a relationship with a person who may be very different from you?

Advocacy (400 words)

Describe a situation in which you chose to advocate for someone or for a cause different than yours. Define your view of advocacy. What risks, if any, might be associated with your choice to be an advocate?

Feedback after a setback (400 words)

Describe a time when you received feedback following a setback. What did you do to implement change?

Leader and contributor (400 words)

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?

Critical thinking (400 words)

Critical thinking involves a number of characteristics. Describe any research experience or similar experience in which you utilized critical thinking. How will critical thinking be important in your future career?

Clinical connection (400 words)

Drawing from your clinical experiences, how have you fostered a connection with people?

Community relationships (400 words)

Which personal quality or skill of yours have you found to be the most beneficial in building relationships within your community?

Additional information (400 words)

Please let us know any additional information that you would like us to consider while reviewing your application.

Editor's notes

Everyone gets the Duke secondary, so the invitation means nothing. The essay set is the real screen: our record shows eight required 400-word essays. Budget two weeks, and don't let the deadline confusion (Nov. 15 on one page, Nov. 16 on two others) trap you. Plan for the 15th.
The MMI raters haven't read your file. You won't get to lean on your research or your GPA in the room. Duke's own advice is to learn the structure (five ethical stations, two traditional interviews, team stations, a video station) rather than memorize answers.
Duke says what it wants in plain terms: long-standing, in-person clinical work, first-hand relationships with patients, and research you can explain down to methods and findings. If your research role was thin, be ready to talk about what you actually did.
The third-year research year shapes everything. About 40% of students leave with two degrees. If you know what you'd study in that year, say so somewhere in the secondary.