A Netflix reality star spent nearly two years portraying herself as a Duke University physician assistant student, but the university says it has no record that she ever applied to or attended the program
Angel Murdock, who appeared on Netflix’s Temptation Island, built a social media following of more than 34,000 on TikTok around content documenting her supposed journey through Duke’s Physician Assistant (PA) Program, including classes and clinical rotations.
According to the Duke University School of Medicine website, the school’s Physician Assistant program is the oldest in the United States, and currently ranked No. 1 by U.S. News & World Report.
The allegations gained traction on August 20 after a Reddit user who identified themselves as a recent Duke PA graduate questioned Murdock’s claims. The poster said members of the 2026 class had never seen Murdock in class, on campus or at program events and questioned photos she posted outside Duke Chapel that appeared to show her wearing graduation regalia.
When reached for comment by Inc., Duke Health officials said, “We can find no record of a student by the name of Angel Murdock having applied to or attended the Duke Physician Assistant Program. Duke created the first physician assistant program in the nation. Those who graduate from our program have earned a significant distinction.”
Kiera Brown, a 2026 Duke PA graduate and class historian, addressed the allegations on Monday (August 24) in a TikTok video that has received more than 4 million views.
Brown said her class began with 91 students and that classmates knew one another well enough that Murdock’s name immediately stood out as unfamiliar.
“Our class is very small,” Brown said. “We know each other by name.”
Brown also questioned Murdock’s social media posts about the program. According to Brown, one image appearing to show Murdock inside the Duke PA building was actually taken from an older class’s post. She also said Murdock’s posts about clinical rotations appeared to mirror her own, including psychiatry in September and OB-GYN in October.
Brown said people were turning to Murdock for advice about getting into PA school and the profession, raising concerns that followers may have relied on guidance from someone Duke says never attended or even applied to its program. Brown also alleged that Murdock received brand deals tied to her PA school content.
David Markowitz, a Michigan State University associate professor who studies deception and social psychology, told Inc. that the attention associated with a prestigious identity could encourage someone to continue a deception.
Murdock and Netflix did not immediately respond to Inc.’s requests for comment. Murdock’s social media accounts have since been removed or made private.
Brown said the situation was particularly frustrating because of the work she and her classmates put into earning their degrees.
“You do not get to cosplay the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life,” Brown said.
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