Duke School of Medicine: A History of Excellence and a Future of Promise

After transforming Trinity College into Duke University through the Duke Endowment, James B. Duke's additional bequest established the Schools of Medicine and Nursing and Duke Hospital in 1925, and in 1927.

Noted pediatrician Wilburt Davison of Johns Hopkins University was named Duke medical school’s first dean. Since its founding, the Duke University School of Medicine has been mission-driven in its focus to transform education, research, patient care, and community partnership.

Today –100 years after Duke University's creation – the School of Medicine stands as one of the world’s preeminent medical schools, pioneering new treatments for once-fatal diseases, innovating its medical curriculum to meet the needs of an ever-changing world, and remaining deeply committed to serving the community through partnerships with local organizations and global initiatives.