The City of Medicine

Durham is nicknamed "The City of Medicine" for its more than 300 health-related companies and practices, large community, and veteran's hospitals, and (of course) Duke University School of Medicine -- but it has a lot to offer beyond medical school.

Rated one of the nation's most livable areas by publications ranging from Money magazine to the Ladies' Home Journal to Places Rated Almanac, the region is home to nearly a million people. It has one of the highest "PhDs per capita" rates in the country, thanks in part to its three major research universities -- Duke, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, located respectively in Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill. At the center of the three cities is Research Triangle Park. The world's largest university-related research and production district, with more than 100 major research companies, RTP has spawned innovations ranging from Astroturf to AZT.

Durham is large and prosperous enough to have an excellent variety of culture, yet small enough to avoid many of the problems endemic to bigger cities. It offers many outdoor recreation opportunities and top sports attractions, including Duke basketball and the Durham Bulls baseball team, which was made famous by the movie Bull Durham. Near the Duke campus are the offbeat Ninth Street shopping district and Brightleaf Square, an old tobacco warehouse that now houses restaurants, shops, and galleries. And if you feel like learning about something besides medicine for a change, take a break and visit the Hayti Heritage Center, Museum of Life and Science, the Primate Center, or another of the region's many cultural spots.

The Triangle

The Triangle contains a rich variety of cultural activities, including touring Broadway shows, local theatre companies, concerts, lectures, and film series. Within a thirty-mile radius, you have access to the state museums as well as independent collections. For those who enjoy the club scene, the area is on the regular touring circuit for many bands, from techno to rock. Coffee shops and wine bars host quieter evenings with live entertainment, perfect for lounging.

Looking for something to do while in town? Check out some of these sites:

triangle.citysearch.com lists almost all the activities going on in the triangle from art shows, movies, to national touring groups.

The offical visitors guide to Durham, supported by the Durham Convention and Visitor's Bureau.

Check-out the finer arts in the Triangle or see what the headlines are in our two local newspapers the Durham Herald Sun or the News and Observer.

A Family Place

The Triangle is a great place for families. Approximately 20 percent of current residents in the program are parents. There are excellent public and private schools in the area and good child-care services abound. There are very good recreational activities for children, in addition to traditional after-school activities.

Duke University Medical Center and Health System

The youngest of the nation's leading medical centers, Duke has grown in just the past three decades from a hospital and single research building into one of the country's largest clinical and biomedical research institutions, with a health system stretching across 32 counties.

Home to the School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center encompasses 88 buildings on 210 acres and employs around 14,000 people, including some 1,600 faculty physicians and researchers. Find out some of the "Fast Facts."

The Medical Center is consistently ranked among the top five of America's 6,300 hospitals by U.S.News & World Report, with every specialty among the nation's top 20. Our faculty physicians -- who serve more than 37,000 inpatients and 1 million outpatients each year -- include nationally recognized doctors in every area of medicine. In fact, more physicians from Duke are listed in The Best Doctors in America than from any other institution in the southeastern United States.

Encompasing Duke University Medical Center's mission is education and research. View the lastest news makers at DukeNews.

Take a virtual tour of Duke University Medical Center.

The Campus at a Glance

East Campus : East Campus served as Trinity College's original campus when the school relocated to Durham in 1892. The campus was redesigned for the new Duke University to have a Georgian-style architecture by Horace Trumbauer and Julian Abele, the same architects who designed the Gothic-style West campus.

West Campus : West campus is distinguished by its Gothic architecture and the 210-foot tower of Duke Chapel. Also designed by architects Trumbauer and Abele, the 467-acre campus opened in 1930 and inspired author Aldous Huxley to call it "genuinely beautiful -- the most successful essay in neo-Gothic that I know."

Athletics : The main facilities for Duke Athletics are located on the West Campus. They include the Aquatic Center, Cameron Indoor Stadium for basketball, Coombs Baseball Stadium, Koskinen Stadium for lacrosse and soccer, Wallace Wade Football Stadium, and fitness facilities -- including Card Gymnasium, the Sheffield Indoor Tennis Center, and the Wilson Recreation Center.

Duke Forest : The Duke Forest comprises 7900 acres of land, situated primarily in two counties adjacent to the Duke University campus. It is open to the public for recreational uses including hiking, biking, and horseback riding. A variety of ecosystems, plant species, soils, topography, and past land-use conditions are represented within its boundaries. Its five major divisions and several smaller tracts are fully accessible through a network of roads and fire trails.

Moving to Durham : There are a multitude of housing options in the area. One advantage being a Duke University resident is 100% financing of mortgage loans with many other "extras." Other possibilties include apartment communities, loft apartments, town houses and condominiums. Check out some listings!