MD+Master of Engineering Dual Degree

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.

Duke MD+MEng students are eligible to receive the Barr-Spach Medicine and Engineering Scholarship to support tuition and fees.

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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:
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Artificial Intelligence for Product Innovation
• 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

1. Send a Notification of Interest to Bev Gedvillas at beverly.gedvillas@duke.edu, and
2. Apply through Duke's Master of Engineering (MEng) website