Where to Find Facts and Figures About Duke University School of Medicine

Updated

The Facts and Figures section on medschool.duke.edu is the school's own reference page for institutional statistics and priorities. Use it when you need a quick, authoritative overview of Duke University School of Medicine rather than a full annual report. The page organizes data around six areas: Education, Research, Patient Care, Community Partnerships, Global Impact, and Philanthropy.

What the Facts and Figures Page Covers

According to the site, the section is framed as a way to "Learn School of Medicine facts, statistics, and key priorities as they relate to Education, Research, Patient Care, Community Partnerships, Global Impact, and Philanthropy." That framing matters: the page pairs numbers with stated priorities, so it works both as a data snapshot and as a signal of what the school emphasizes.

The six categories break down roughly as follows:

Category What to expect
Education Facts and figures tied to the school's teaching mission
Research Statistics on the school's research activity and impact
Patient Care Data connected to clinical care
Community Partnerships Information on work with communities, including in North Carolina
Global Impact Figures on the school's reach beyond the U.S.
Philanthropy Numbers linked to fundraising and campaign support

How the Site Presents Research and Impact

The homepage connects the Facts and Figures section to a broader research narrative. A "Research Saves Lives" feature states that it explores "how Duke's research is changing people's lives across North Carolina and around the world." The same page links philanthropy to mission progress through The Duke Campaign and the MADE FOR THIS campaign, described as generating "resources to ensure our success."

Two examples on the homepage show the kind of impact the school publicizes:

  • CPR training record attempt (RACE-CARS Trial): On February 25, 2026, Duke University School of Medicine led a statewide effort to break the world record for the most people trained in hands-only CPR in a single day. The site reports that while the effort fell short of a 30,000-person goal, almost 20,000 participants learned CPR — described as a benchmark day for trainings in the United States. The page also notes that more than 350,000 people experience sudden cardiac arrest in the U.S. annually, 90% of cases are fatal, and immediate CPR doubles to triples survival rates.
  • Alzheimer's prevention research: The site profiles Heather Whitson, whose work found that Alzheimer's and dementia are diseases of aging that can be prevented decades before initial symptoms set in.

These are homepage highlights, not the Facts and Figures page itself, but they illustrate the research and community themes the statistics section is meant to support.

When to Use This Page

Reach for the Facts and Figures section when you need:

  • A fast institutional overview for a report, application, or briefing
  • The school's own framing of its priorities across the six categories
  • Pointers to related pages on research impact and philanthropy

For current news, the site maintains a separate Newsroom, with recent items including a STAT Wunderkind recognition (October 7, 2026), Hispanic Heritage Month coverage (October 2, 2026), and Duke Health Pride in Durham (October 2, 2026). For leadership context, the homepage features a conversation between Dr. Mary E. Klotman, dean of the School of Medicine, and Dr. David W. Zaas, CEO of Duke University Health System, on what the site calls "a new chapter for Duke Health."

Practical Notes

The Facts and Figures page is a summary layer, not a data archive — expect headline numbers and priority statements rather than downloadable datasets. If you need deeper detail, follow the links from each category into the corresponding education, research, or philanthropy pages. Because figures on institutional pages are updated periodically, check the page directly rather than relying on cached copies when the exact number matters.