Can I still be a Cardea Fellow if...
- I took AP Chemistry and earned a 1, 2, or 3 on the AP exam?
- I do not take Chemistry 99D?
- I am a first-year student who has taken Chemistry 99D?
- I am not interested in going to medical school?
- I am applying to FOCUS?
Other Questions:
- What if I am not accepted as a Cardea Fellow?
- Will this program guarantee my admission to medical school?
- How do I know if this is the right program for me and whether or not I should apply?
- How do you select applicants to the Cardea Fellows Program?
- Would this fellows program add to my regular college workload?
- In addition to academic engagement, what are the other key expectations?
Can I still be a Cardea Fellow if I took AP Chemistry and earned a 1, 2 or 3 on the AP exam?
The answer to this depends on your chemistry placement since enrollment in CHEM 99D is at the core of the first-year Cardea experience. Although you have not earned credit for CHEM 20 or CHEM 21, you are likely to have more than one year of high school chemistry and should consider a different chemistry course. See the Chemistry Department placement guidelines and/or contact a Director of Undergraduate Studies in Chemistry as placement in an appropriate level chemistry course is very important.
Can I still be a Cardea Fellow if I do not take Chemistry 99D?
At the heart of the Cardea experience is a learning community that develops during CHEM 99D. Conflicts with other courses or placement into CHEM 101DL, CHEM 110DL, or CHEM 201DL will disqualify you from participating in the program.
If you are not eligible for the Cardea Fellows Program, we encourage you to make use of Duke's prehealth advising resources offered by the Office of Health Professions Advising, and develop your own study group for prehealth courses in math and science offered by the Academic Resource Center. If you place into and take CHEM 99D in the fall and CHEM 101DL in the spring, you are encouraged to participate in SAGE study groups, since that may allow you to enter the program after your first semester.
Can I still be a Cardea Fellow if I am a first-year student who has taken Chemistry 99D?
Yes, we occasionally permit lateral entry for first-year students who have completed CHEM 99D in the fall & are taking CHEM 101DL in the spring AND are participating in the SAGE Program offered through the Academic Resource Center. Their lateral acceptance is entirely contingent on available capacity for that particular cohort.
Can I still be a Cardea Fellow if I am not interested in going to medical school?
Yes. The Cardea Fellows Program is a broad prehealth program that is open to any students wanting to pursue a career in healthcare. Duke has active pre-dental, pre-physical therapy, pre-vet organizations as well as many other organizations with ties to health-related professions, and we would encourage you to seek them out and get involved.
Can I still be a Cardea Fellow if I am applying to FOCUS?
The Cardea Fellows Program and the Focus Program (FOCUS) are both first-year residential programs which require significant time commitments. Therefore, we do not permit students to participate in both. Each year we coordinate our application review process with FOCUS, and those who are accepted into both programs will be asked to choose. To maximize your chances of being offered at least one opportunity, you are encouraged to apply to BOTH programs. Please note that if you are accepted into the Cardea Fellows Program, with the introduction of the New Curriculum, you will automatically be selecting a Constellation.
What if I am not accepted as a Cardea Fellow?
If you are not accepted into the Cardea Fellows Program, we encourage you to make use of Duke's prehealth advising resources offered by the Office of Health Professions Advising and to develop your own study group for prehealth courses in math and science offered by the Academic Resource Center. There are also a number of student prehealth organizations on campus including Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS) and Ivy League+ Pre-Health Society that provide community and support to guide you on your academic journey.
Will this program guarantee my admission to medical school?
While we cannot guarantee anyone admission to medical school, we can guarantee that Cardea Fellows have ample opportunities to develop academic skills in problem solving, explore healthcare careers, and to receive personalized advising about coursework and extracurriculars that will make your application to health professional schools competitive. All prehealth students should read the Prepare section of Duke's Office of Health Professions Advising (HPA) website. As a prehealth student, you will need to explore medical careers and demonstrate a commitment to service. You will also need to demonstrate a dedication to completing all prehealth academic requirements and to acquiring the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Premed Competencies for Entering Medical Students.
How do I know if this is the right program for me and whether or not I should apply?
Again, the focus of this academic support program is CHEM 99D. If you are not sure whether or not you have had too much chemistry to be eligible, we encourage you to take the Chemistry Department's Diagnostic Quiz. If you are still not sure after receiving your score, please contact Dean Ifekwunigwe. We highly recommend that you explore our website and read our Frequently Asked Questions, particularly in relation to Chemistry placement.
How do you select applicants to the Cardea Fellows Program?
At the heart of the Cardea experience is a learning community that develops during CHEM 99D. Hence, your eligibility for CHEM 99D will be the primary criterion for your being selected as a Cardea Fellow. CHEM 99D is specifically designed for students with little or no high school foundation in chemistry in order to prepare them for CHEM 101DL. CHEM 99D will not count towards any of your major, minor, certificate or graduation requirements nor will it count towards pre-health requirements. In other words, taking CHEM 99D when you don't need it is not the best use of your time.
Would this fellows program add to my regular college workload?
One of the key pillars of the Cardea Fellows Program is academic support designed to set all fellows up for success as a prehealth student. To facilitate their transition from high school, in the fall semester, all first-year Cardea Fellows will be enrolled in both CHEM 99D and EDUC 290T an academic success seminar exclusively for first-year Cardea Fellows. All fellows are also required to participate in the SAGE Program: Science Advancement through Group Engagement, which provides peer-led tutoring for STEM classes.
In addition to academic engagement, what are the other key expectations?
The Cardea Fellows Program is a supportive and welcoming living learning community that strives to create a sense of belonging and to foster overall well-being for all fellows. We achieve this through regularly scheduled social events, wellness workshops, faculty, research & Cardea alumni panels, opportunities for community service, etc. Most of our Cardea Fellows are also involved in other activities beyond our program and manage to balance their engagement with our programming with their commitment to other responsibilities, e.g., work study, student clubs, research, etc.