2014-2015 Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School

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Quick Facts About the MCAT 2015

For you who are keen to study medicine, here are some quick facts about the MCAT Exams for admissions to MD programs.

1) The Medical College Admission Test of MCAT is a standardized examination administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) for prospective students seeking to study medicine in United States and Canada.

2) Popularly known as the MCAT, the test was first developed in 1928 to improve the screening process by medical schools to admit students who would be able to cope with a challenging medical program.

3) The first version of the test had 6 – 8 subtests on reading and comprehension, memory, logic among others.

4) The new 2015 MCAT has been adopted based on recommendation of an advisory committee appointed by AAMC in 2008. The review included over 2700 surveys received from various stakeholders.

5) The 2015 MCAT has 4 multiple choice sections. These include: Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living System, Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behaviors and Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills.

6) The total content time for the 2015 MCAT exam is 6 hours and 15 minutes.

7) From April 2015 onwards, one may attempt the exam up to a maximum of 7 times in a lifetime.

8) The 2015 MCAT has a total score ranging from 472 to 528, with 500 as the midpoint score one may have.

9) The MCAT result can also be used to apply for the MD program at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School in Singapore.



Sources:

1) http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=195259

2) http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/highest-mcat-score-in-aamc-history.117689/

3) https://www.aamc.org/students/download/63060/data/mcatessentials.pdf

4) https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/mr5/

5) https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/scores/414286/scores.html

6) 6) http://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/?utm_campaign=Forumz

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From my experience last year, they picked both types of candidate almost simultaneously. They did pick a few Singaporean first just because they have interview day before the one in the US. Around this time last year, some international students were already selected.

On a completely different note, is it just me or the thread just get more and more quiet every year? Does it mean the interest has gone or people are just getting too cool to post stuffs on SDN?

Yea its getting really quiet... I am getting most of my information from past year threads. Any updates from anyone? We can all share the agony of waiting tgt... haha

But anw, I still haven't heard back since my interview last year, and I have a bad feeling about it, so I am mentally preparing to reapply:)
 
Keep your spirits up everyone. I know the wait can be agonising. The interview cycle is almost over.

Yes, the threads have been getting quieter. I suspect that most applicants are not aware of SDN. If you know of anyone applying, please direct them to this forum or email a student ambassador (https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/admissions/student-information/student-ambassadors) to allay any concerns. Be assured that seniors are still visiting this forum to help answer questions. Do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Brian Chan
MS2 President
[email protected]
 
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I just went for the recent interview. Keeping faith while waiting.
 
How many applicant days are held per cycle? Is it once per month or more frequent than that?
 
Hi all! Just saw this forum. I interviewed on Jan 9 in Durham, anyone who interviewed around that time heard back from them? Best of luck to all!
 
Any offers or even rejections received in Feb? Anyone, any news?
Just out of curiosity, how are scholarships being awarded and typically how many were awarded in the past?
And for those who are accepted, how many are in the official group already (if there's one)? So we can have a gauge of the remaining vacancies.
 
Any offers or even rejections received in Feb? Anyone, any news?
Just out of curiosity, how are scholarships being awarded and typically how many were awarded in the past?
And for those who are accepted, how many are in the official group already (if there's one)? So we can have a gauge of the remaining vacancies.

Hi, I have no idea how scholarships are awarded, but am curious to know as well, as for the facebook group there are around 20 people right now. Good luck to all those who are waiting.
 
Hi,

I know this thread is only about Duke - NUS but I have a question related and unrelated to this thread.

I am both a Australian and Singapore PR. I have the option to apply to the Australian Medical Schools (via as a domestic student) as well as to Duke NUS. I am planning to apply to both University of Western Australia (UWA) and to Duke-NUS medicine.

One of my concerns is the school fee. According to the website: admission 2015, the fee per year in UWA medicine is AUD10266, while Duke-NUS charges SGD45,350. (Anyway, i can on enroll in 2006 onwards) Clearly Duke-NUS fee is higher. However, does anyone know whether how many students in percentage roughly get full subsidy, scholarship, bursary in Duke-NUS?

I have other considerations on my mind apart from the fee, such as ease to secure residency later, reputation etc...

Also, if you were me, without considering the fee as a factor, which school would you choose and why?

many thanks.
 
Anybody who interviewed from January onwards heard back already?
 
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I interviewed in December but haven't heard back too... anyone who interviewed last year but haven't heard back as well? or anyone heard of rejections yet?
 
I interviewed at the end of Nov and I have not heard back
 
Hi,

I know this thread is only about Duke - NUS but I have a question related and unrelated to this thread.

I am both a Australian and Singapore PR. I have the option to apply to the Australian Medical Schools (via as a domestic student) as well as to Duke NUS. I am planning to apply to both University of Western Australia (UWA) and to Duke-NUS medicine.

One of my concerns is the school fee. According to the website: admission 2015, the fee per year in UWA medicine is AUD10266, while Duke-NUS charges SGD45,350. (Anyway, i can on enroll in 2006 onwards) Clearly Duke-NUS fee is higher. However, does anyone know whether how many students in percentage roughly get full subsidy, scholarship, bursary in Duke-NUS?

I have other considerations on my mind apart from the fee, such as ease to secure residency later, reputation etc...

Also, if you were me, without considering the fee as a factor, which school would you choose and why?

many thanks.
You should make a separate post next time but I will answer.

It doesn't hurt to apply to both programs since Duke-NUS doesn't have application fee anyway. If you got accepted by both, you could apply for scholarships. As it stands, UWA is much better than Duke-NUS in terms of tuition and cost of living, which Duke-NUS scholarships are unlikely to cover the full difference. As for residency and reputations, there aren't many differences since it is entirely dependent on where you want to practise in the future. Both are Commonwealth countries but residency trainings are not directly equivalent, i.e. you could not directly work as a physician in Singapore if you were trained in Australia. I would argue that UWA is more reputable since Duke-NUS is still a very new school. If I were you, I would go with Australian medical schools for cheaper tuition, more resources, and potentially better locations.
 
I had a skype interview with them in January 12th, I was told that I should hear back from them around March/April
 
Any recent acceptance? Getting quite worried
 
Just asked for an update and they said that I can expect to hear from them by April/May latest. So I guess we have a few more weeks to go to wait (and I've been waiting since September T___T)
 
I interviewed in Jan... Wonder if anyone from the same batch has been accepted already..
 
I interviewed in Jan and got the offer recently! Best of luck!
Congratulation!!! How recent did you receive the offer? Did you interview in the US or Singapore if you don't mind me asking
 
Congratulation!!! How recent did you receive the offer? Did you interview in the US or Singapore if you don't mind me asking

So sorry for the late reply! I got the offer around March 10. I interviewed in Durham, international applicant =) all the best!
 
Just got my rejection letter today...very disappointing news, I've always wanted to practice medicine in Singapore and SEA. I was waitlisted last year, I was hoping for a better outcome. Good luck to every one else. :(
 
For people accepted, could you share your mcat score? How important is mcat scores for duke nus? is this for interview cutoff?
 
Just got my rejection letter today...very disappointing news, I've always wanted to practice medicine in Singapore and SEA. I was waitlisted last year, I was hoping for a better outcome. Good luck to every one else. :(

I'm so sorry to hear that!Did you get a letter or an email?
 
You should make a separate post next time but I will answer.

It doesn't hurt to apply to both programs since Duke-NUS doesn't have application fee anyway. If you got accepted by both, you could apply for scholarships. As it stands, UWA is much better than Duke-NUS in terms of tuition and cost of living, which Duke-NUS scholarships are unlikely to cover the full difference. As for residency and reputations, there aren't many differences since it is entirely dependent on where you want to practise in the future. Both are Commonwealth countries but residency trainings are not directly equivalent, i.e. you could not directly work as a physician in Singapore if you were trained in Australia. I would argue that UWA is more reputable since Duke-NUS is still a very new school. If I were you, I would go with Australian medical schools for cheaper tuition, more resources, and potentially better locations.

Duke-NUS is definitely more reputable than UWA, it is a new school but already it is a very competitive school and on top of that it has the names of Duke and NUS both top 50 or so unis in the world.
 
I'm so sorry to hear that!Did you get a letter or an email?
Yeah, I'm just a little disappointed because I was in waitlist last year and my application definitely got stronger. I was expecting at least another waitlist but I guess my application is not strong enough.

I got the notification through my email
 
Yeah, I'm just a little disappointed because I was in waitlist last year and my application definitely got stronger. I was expecting at least another waitlist but I guess my application is not strong enough.

I got the notification through my email

I am sorry to hear that. Why don't you check with DUKE NUS on why your application is rejected so that you can make a stronger application for the next intake? The opening for 2016 is in May. I am going to apply for the next intake.
 
Yeah, I'm just a little disappointed because I was in waitlist last year and my application definitely got stronger. I was expecting at least another waitlist but I guess my application is not strong enough.

I got the notification through my email

Hey so sorry about your application too... Are you intending to reapply? Such a long agonizing wait... I am intending to reapply for the 2016 intake if this application doesn't work out as well... Do you know if we have to rewrite all the essays and submit fresh recommendation letters and all?
 
Hey so sorry about your application too... Are you intending to reapply? Such a long agonizing wait... I am intending to reapply for the 2016 intake if this application doesn't work out as well... Do you know if we have to rewrite all the essays and submit fresh recommendation letters and all?

Hey, I don't think I will anymore. This is already my second application. Like I said, this time around the outcome is even worse than before even with improvement. I already emailed them and asked last year about what can I do to get better and I tried that. But it seem like there's something about me that is not going well with Duke-NUS I guess. I really don't think I would.

In term of essays and letter, I don't think they specifically require it but I think it would be a good idea to get/write new ones since obviously, it doesn't work that well the first time.

Good luck to you
 
Congrats! can you share your other stat? How important do you think mcat is?

I am planning to apply for 2016 intake, any advise?

Hello!
I graduated from NUS life sciences with a 2nd upper honours degree :)
Worked in research lab for 6 mths before i shifted to SGH to do clinical research.

hmm.... perhaps u can engage in inpatient volunteer work or shadowing which will enable you to know about doctor's everyday life!

Anyway, i think the mcat is quite impt... but the school will also look at other aspects of your application too!
 
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@kntran1010 Thanks and all the best to you in whatever you decide to do next!

Anyone has any other updates on their application/how many spaces there are left in this class? I was looking at last year's forum and seems like early-mid April was when most got their acceptance/rejections/waitlists! I've been obsessively checking my email/spam/junk mail everyday... ahha.

I really hope to hear from them soon... its like my life has been on standby mode for the past half a year and I can't plan anything past June:/ haha. Good luck to everyone still waiting!!
 
Hello!
I graduated from NUS life sciences with a 2nd upper honours degree :)
Worked in research lab for 6 mths before i shifted to SGH to do clinical research.

hmm.... perhaps u can engage in inpatient volunteer work or shadowing which will enable you to know about doctor's everyday life!

Anyway, i think the mcat is quite impt... but the school will also look at other aspects of your application too!


Thanks so much for your reply! how long did you take to study for your mcat?

I will be signing up for this year mcat to be in time for application. But it been a long time since I taken an exam.
 
Thanks so much for your reply! how long did you take to study for your mcat?

I will be signing up for this year mcat to be in time for application. But it been a long time since I taken an exam.
Sry for the laggy response! Anyway, i took about 3 mths.
 
Hi guys!Any word on when we would hear back about decisions from admissions?
 
Hi guys!Any word on when we would hear back about decisions from admissions?
The Officer of Duke-NUS told me you would know whether you were accepted, rejected or on the waiting list by the end of April, so hopefully next week. :)
 
The Officer of Duke-NUS told me you would know whether you were accepted, rejected or on the waiting list by the end of April, so hopefully next week. :)

Ah okay.So no specific dates,I assume?
 
I got waitlisted... how did everyone else do?
 
Also waitlisted! >.< Doesn't help much.... Basically still in limbo now.
 
I have received my acceptance letter via email last week. MCAT score of 34.
I am non-Singaporean citizen.

Does anybody know when and how you can get the Singaporean citizenship once you enroll at Duke-NUS? Is it possible? or no?
 
I have received my acceptance letter via email last week. MCAT score of 34.
I am non-Singaporean citizen.

Does anybody know when and how you can get the Singaporean citizenship once you enroll at Duke-NUS? Is it possible? or no?

Hi xenyx,

Not likely to get Singapore citizenship as a student unless you have been living here and holding a job here for a certain number of years. You can apply for permanent residency when you graduate, and then for citizenship once you have been working for some time. Hope this helps!
 
Hello!

I am thinking of applying for next year, and am doing my MCAT in Aug..
I havent started any of the other parts of the application yet.. but does any one ave any idea on what are some good kind of reference letters?
I have been out of school for a few years now...I might be able to wring about 1 or 2 acedemic ones or old research lead ones, but obviously this is from my performance about 4 years ago! Does anyone have any idea how they look at employer/ work related reference letters?

Thanks for your help!
 
Hello there,

I also got accepted with an MCAT score of 30.
 
Hello there,

I also got accepted with an MCAT score of 30.

Congrats!!!! Thanks for your reply! Would you think MCAT is important for your application?
 
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Would the accepted students mind sharing your stat if you don't mind? Thanks so much!!! any tips for 2015-2016 application?
 
Hi @oldapple
Here are some of the things I did, hopefully it'll help you in your application! I scored only a 32 on the MCAT, which I think is perhaps very average, I think a score of 35 and above is more favorable ( but I'm not sure that will hold true with the new MCAT system to be implemented). I did research on and off for about 3-ish years, I was involved in 3 different research projects, but 1 of them wasn't in science research but in science education. I also volunteered in a few places with my longest one being around 3 years. If you would like to know more or have any questions feel free to leave me a personal message!

Good luck with your application :)
 
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Congrats!!!! Thanks for your reply! Would you think MCAT is important for your application?

You're welcome :) I would think the MCAT is an important component for the application, but I think there are other components such as research, volunteering experiences that are equally important to build up on. I also did shadowing in the hospital.

Good luck with your application too :)
 
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