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Individual Response

  • Duke University School of Medicine
  • Allopathic Medical School
  • Durham, NC
The Basics

What was the zip code of your residence in high school?

93301

Overall, how satisfied are you with this program?

5 out of 10

What do you like most?

"THE GOOD: Duke is unique among medical schools in that they compress all the classroom learning into one year, which opens up a year for independent research. I cannot overemphasize the value of the research year. Duke students apply to residency programs with multiple publications under their belts, which is a big advantage. As medicine becomes more data-driven and research-driven, doctors with research experience- the kind you receive at Duke- will rise to the top. Other perks include the pass/fail grading system during first year. My first year at Duke was far less stressful than college, largely because there’s no grade pressure. Durham is also a very affordable place to live. Compared to a medical student in Boston, New York, or San Francisco, you will save tens-of-thousands in living expenses." Report Response

What do you like least?

"THE BAD: Compressing the classroom curriculum into one year comes with a cost: Duke students don’t have as deep an understanding of normal anatomy and physiology as students at other schools. This lack of knowledge is obvious at the beginning of clinical year, but we ultimately close the gap and perform just as well on Step 1 as other medical schools. THE UGLY: Duke’s student culture is very alienating if you don’t fit the mold. During the interview process and second look, the school administration enthusiastically promotes left-wing ‘social justice’ ideologies, which creates a selection bias: militant social justice warriors flock to Duke, whereas people who reject those ideologies shy away from Duke. Thus, Duke ends up with a homogeneous super-majority who all believe the same far-left ideologies and constantly validate each other’s beliefs. It’s gotten to the point where students feel comfortable airing sweeping prejudices against large groups of people who are perceived as “illiberal”. White people from rural areas are “white inbred hicks” to quote a colleague. ‘Evangelical’ Christians and political conservatives are Nazis, brain-dead idiots, or “wastes of life”. Moderate and apolitical students are seen as untrustworthy or even “complicit in evil” because they won’t take a side. And the administration reinforces this culture. Everything they teach comes through a lens of race and gender, as if these were the only factors responsible for alleged disparities and hardships, as if human diversity is simply a product of race and gender. I attended a very liberal school as an undergrad, but it’s no comparison to Duke Med. Liberal-secular politics consumes the culture and curriculum at Duke- there’s no escaping it and certainly no questioning of it. If you’re a dedicated progressive, you’ll probably love the culture and think it’s a tight-knit community of enlightened 'free-thinkers'. If you don’t fall into that group, you may find the culture downright toxic." Report Response

The Details

Does the student body seem cooperative or competitive?

8 out of 10

Does the environment seem supportive for underrepresented minorities?

10 out of 10

Does the environment seem supportive for lesbian/gay/bisexual/transsexual students?

10 out of 10

Does the environment seem supportive for married students?

8 out of 10

Does the environment seem supportive for students with disabilities?

7 out of 10

Does the environment seem supportive for older/non-traditional students?

7 out of 10

How approachable are faculty members?

6 out of 10

How do students from this program do after graduation - are they adequately prepared for practice?

No Response

What are rotations like?

"8" Report Response

Any other information you want to share?

No Response

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