Anyone have really old prereqs and not plan on retaking them?

[bioteach]

I graduated from undergrad in 2000, so all my prereqs were taken between 7-9 years ago. However...I completed a master's in bio in 2004 and I currently TEACH all of the bio pre-reqs.

I have heard rumors about schools not accepting pre-reqs past a certain age, but I haven't seen that on ANY school website and it is not in the msar. They all give the oldest MCAT you can submit, but nothing about the age of the pre-reqs.

Anyone have any insight on this??? Should I be worried?

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[DrMidlife]

I took physics in 1988-1989 and am not retaking it. I'm applying this June. My understanding is that a recent decent MCAT score and recent upper div science coursework negate the need to redo a year of lower div physics. I've also seen nothing to indicate that prereqs expire.

Best of luck to you.

 

[bioteach]

Cool. Thanks for your input. I am planning on applying this June as well. Good luck to you, too!

 

[spicedmanna]

I graduated college in 1996. I retook most of my premedical prerequisites in an informal post-baccalaureate program, with the exception of General Biology II + Lab, English, and Calculus I & II, so that there wouldn't be any issues, or doubts, with schools. And true to that, no school that I applied to gave me any problems.

The only way to be sure is to directly contact the school in which you wish to apply and ask them. That would be my suggestion.

 

[remo]

I took Gchem, physics, bio, and ochem in 1988-1990 and never had any problems getting multiple acceptances this year. I did take about a dozen upper div bio and some ochem during a recent post-bac. Like DrMidlife said, if you have recent coursework and a good MCAT then as long as you took the pre-reqs sometime during your life and got at least a "C" then you are fine. I think there are a few schools that expire pre-reqs (Duke?) but I applied to a lot of schools and my old pre-reqs were never questioned.

 

[crx7]

I took Physics and G. Chem ten years ago. Back then I did pretty well, but the material isn't fresh and did hurt me on the MCAT. Do yourself a favor and retake any course you feel you may be weak in, not all of us teach material from that long ago.

 

[new_doc]

I took Gchem, physics, bio, and ochem in 1988-1990 and never had any problems getting multiple acceptances this year. I did take about a dozen upper div bio and some ochem during a recent post-bac. Like DrMidlife said, if you have recent coursework and a good MCAT then as long as you took the pre-reqs sometime during your life and got at least a "C" then you are fine. I think there are a few schools that expire pre-reqs (Duke?) but I applied to a lot of schools and my old pre-reqs were never questioned.

All my pre-reqs were >20 years ago. Neither Duke nor any other school said boo about it. One caveat: since then I got a PhD and have been a research scientist, so I have more recent signs of related cognition.

 

[Deepa100]

I have done my pre-reqs 20 years ago, I retook all of them.

 

[EMTB2MD]

Bioteach,

You aren't going to have any problems with older prereqs with a master's in bio (2004). For those without recent course work SOME schools require your to 'prove' yourself taking recent science classes. I would recommend calling admissions at the schools you are looking at. Every school may not look at old prereqs the same way.

Ken

 

[Doctor Bagel]

My gen chem and organic prereqs dated back to 1995-97, and I didn't retake them. As has been said above, recent coursework and a decent MCAT score will assure the adcoms that the age of the prereqs isn't a big issue.

 

[ViolinCello]

Some of the schools I asked were ok with the classes that could be carbon dated, but others were not. What my bigger issue was LORs. Many schools would not budge on needing the letters -- that sealed the decision for me.

 

[yyd]

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[njbmd]

I graduated from undergrad in 2000, so all my prereqs were taken between 7-9 years ago. However...I completed a master's in bio in 2004 and I currently TEACH all of the bio pre-reqs.

I have heard rumors about schools not accepting pre-reqs past a certain age, but I haven't seen that on ANY school website and it is not in the msar. They all give the oldest MCAT you can submit, but nothing about the age of the pre-reqs.

Anyone have any insight on this??? Should I be worried?

Age of pre-reqs is not such a big deal if you have recent coursework especially in the sciences. If you graduated 10 years ago and have no recent coursework, the age of your pre-reqs might be a liability. The other variable is the MCAT. If you are sitting on a high MCAT score and you have old pre-reqs, there might not be any questions asked in that case either.

My pre-reqs were far older than ten years but I had completed a Ph.D in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology + a high MCAT. No one questioned the age of my pre-reqs. Most of my interview questions were about my research.

 

[Scottish Chap]

I graduated from undergrad in 2000, so all my prereqs were taken between 7-9 years ago. However...I completed a master's in bio in 2004 and I currently TEACH all of the bio pre-reqs.

I have heard rumors about schools not accepting pre-reqs past a certain age, but I haven't seen that on ANY school website and it is not in the msar. They all give the oldest MCAT you can submit, but nothing about the age of the pre-reqs.

Anyone have any insight on this??? Should I be worried?

This is usually not a big deal.

My prereqs were ten years old and I had no intention of taking them again. Nobody cared. I did have some recent graduate school credits (5 years before application). It may have helped.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

I took physics in 1988-1989 and am not retaking it. I'm applying this June. My understanding is that a recent decent MCAT score and recent upper div science coursework negate the need to redo a year of lower div physics. I've also seen nothing to indicate that prereqs expire.

Best of luck to you.

Same situation here where I took physics 1989-90 and my other prereqs between 1989-95. I'm not retaking any prereqs again (though biochem is a new one I did take) even though I got C's in some of them. Just 2 years of upper division sciences:

• Microbiology
• Physiology
• Pathophysiology
• Pharmacology
• Hemostasis
• Vertebrate Histology
• Biochemistry I & II
• Neuroanatomy
• Endocrinology
• Embryology
• Human Gross Anatomy

 

[st0w]

In looking through various books, I did notice that UMass does have a timeline. In one book from last year, their statement said they require prereqs taken within the last four years. It looks like they've made it a bit lax, as their website currently indicates the past six years.

So far, they're the only school I've come across that lists requirements.

 

[oxeye]

I didn't retake any of the prereqs I had already done. Most were from '98 or '99.

I did have a few prereqs to finish, though and I took them within the past couple years. I guess that helps show that I can still do the classes. I really think the MCAT is the great equalizer, though in term of proving you still understand the material since you MCAT score does expire.

 

[bottles999]

I am starting med school this coming Fall and can atest you don't need to go back and redo all the pre-reqs. I finished my original BS in '90 and I never redid English, physics, or a semester of gen chem I. So these were credits from the late 80s that were applicable to my application last year.

Let me qualify that statment. In the intervening years I was working full time as an engineer. Further, I still had to take the MCAT, which tested competancy in all of those subjects. In order to do well on the MCAT I basically relearned Physics, albeit MCAT focused/style.