Your cumulative GPA, your science GPA and MCAT or other test scores are important markers of your academic achievement and potential. These ....
- demonstrate your strong foundation in science
- show well-developed study skills and efficient time-management
- indicate that you will easily learn and master the material in medical or other health professional school
- predict your success on future exams
Schools will note if you have been capable of rigorous academic loads and overloads and able to take advanced or graduate level classes. They also will take into consideration if you have had to work part-time or if your academic skills have strengthened over four years. You may start at Duke as an average student, but you can show your improvement and achievement in science over time. If you find science courses challenging in your first year, meet with your advisor(s) and instructors, work with the Academic Resource Center, and develop stronger study skills and time management.
Duke students accepted to medical and other health professions schools generally have had a science GPA and total GPA of 3.4 or higher. However, as noted above, schools will look for improvement and special circumstances. If you are considerably below a 3.4 GPA or are worried, schedule a meeting with a prehealth advisor to find out more information.
To calculate your science (BCPM) GPA, take the average grades of all courses listed as:
- Biology (include courses in Cell Biology, Neuroscience, Immunology, Biophysics)
- Chemistry (including courses in Biochemistry)
- Physics
- Math (include courses in Statistics)
Include other courses (e.g., Evolutionary Anthropology, Psychology and Biomedical Engineering) if 50% or more of the course content is considered "Biology", "Chemistry", "Physics", or "Math".
For more information, see BCPM GPA Calculation in the Apply Section of this website and the Duke Course Classification Guide.
For a program to calculate your GPA, see GPA Calculator.net or you can use the Duke BCPM Excel Calculator.