For Duke MD students interested in entrepreneurship and innovation
The Doctor of Medicine-Master of Engineering Dual Degree (MD+MEng) is a five-year program designed for MD candidates within the Duke University School of Medicine who have strong interests in health care, engineering, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
The MD+MEng program is part of Duke MEDx, a joint initiative between Duke's Pratt School of Engineering and School of Medicine.
Duke MD+MEng students are eligible to receive the Barr-Spach Medicine and Engineering Scholarship to support tuition and fees.
Earn an Engineering Master's During The Third YEar
- Seven engineering courses—taken during the Third Year of medical school
- A thesis, with a focus on the discovery of a health care need and the design of a solution—completed in the Fourth Year
- An internship, focused on engineering—completed in the Fourth Year
Engineering Courses
- Take seven (7) courses in your engineering discipline. In recent years, MD+MEng students have studied:
- Three (3) MD courses can be credited toward the Master of Engineering
- Browse other Master of Engineering disciplines offered at Duke »
Thesis Focused on Engineering Innovation
- Identification, prioritization, and selection of a health care need with high potential impact and value
- Conceptual design of an innovative solution
Engineering Internship
Complete an engineering practice-oriented internship, which can be a further development of the design in your thesis:
- Detailed engineering design, construction, and test of a proof-of-concept prototype
- Protection of the resulting intellectual property
- Presentation of a plan for development that addresses licensing, marketing, regulations, technology, manufacturability, distribution, costs, financing, and risks
Clinical Clerkship Re-Scheduled
Clinical clerkships take place in the Fifth Year, instead of in the Fourth Year.
Barr-Spach Scholarship
This competitive scholarship provides support toward tuition and fees, and is awarded annually to third-year Duke medical students who have been accepted into the MD-MEng dual degree program.
It was created by a gift from Maynard Ramsey III, M’69, G’75, to honor his Duke mentors:
- Biomedical engineering professor and associate professor of pediatrics Roger C. Barr, BS’64, PhD’68, and
- Pediatric cardiologist Madison S. Spach, T’50, MD’54, HS’54-59
Read more about:
- The 2021-2022 Barr-Spach Medicine and Engineering Scholars—medical students Miranda Morris and Christine Park, and emergency medicine resident Mitchell Veverka, MD
-
Duke medical students Jess Rames and Daniel Cox, the 2020-2021 Barr-Spach Scholars
-
Joshua D'Arcy, the inaugural Barr-Spach Scholar
Eligibility Requirements
- Be a Duke medical student in good academic standing
- Obtain clearance from Duke University School of Medicine through the Director of Third-Year Study Program
- File Notification of Interest and apply to a Duke engineering master's degree program
How to Apply
- Send a Notification of Interest to Bev Gedvillas at beverly.gedvillas@duke.edu, and
- Apply through Duke's Master of Engineering (MEng) website