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myMDdreams

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Hi everyone!
I am currently calling schools to obtain school specific information but

1. did anyone encounter pre-requisite "expiration dates"?
Ex. courses must be completed 10 years from matriculation to medical school.

I took my pre-reqs in 2009-2013 and I am applying in 2017.
[My oldest pre-reqs are Biology I and II, Gen Chem I and II -> 8 years from MD application, 9 years from matriculation.]

**What has been your experience?**

2. If you applied a few years after finishing your pre-reqs, did an interviewer question your ability to perform in an academic setting?

3. Did any of you take additional courses during your gap year(s) to demonstrate academic promise?

4. Would a good performance on the MCAT (will take it in August) and a great GPA suffice?

Thank you! I really appreciate your input!!

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Oh is it that time again already? Time for the semi-annual prereq expiration thread? Yes there are schools that state an expiration policy. No it's not most schools. No there isn't a list. Yes a school can change its policy whenever it wants.

Why do schools care how old your prereqs are? Because there's no time in med school to warm back up to learning science, and the material in the prereqs is the most relevant foundation for what you have to cram into your head in the preclinical years. (Exception: calculus. You don't need it in med school. It's a weeder.) (Also: just because subject X in prereq Y isn't specifically relevant to med school doesn't mean all of prereq Y is irrelevant.)

Schools care about recent classroom success, such as within the last couple years or so, for similar reasons.

Yes in general, a strong balanced MCAT is the best defense against a bias toward prereqs expiration. The other best defense is fresh difficult successful science coursework, such as getting an A in biochem.

Hey, but what really strikes me in your post is AUGUST. In general, if you're taking the MCAT in August 2016, that means you can apply to USMD schools in May/June 2017.

BTW, my physics was 22 years old. My physical sciences MCAT score was above average. I had fresh biosci coursework. Never got asked about how old my prereqs were.

Best of luck to you.
 
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This tends to be very school specific. Some state a timeframe pre reqs are good for on their websites others don't specify. A few schools I contacted seemed to indicate that its a bit applicant specific. So if you took your pre reqs 10 years ago but have been working in a science field or teaching biology that whole time and show a strong performance on the MCAT, then they aren't as concerned that the classes are older.

But a lot of places like to see more recent coursework.

So yeah, very school specific. Check websites.
 
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Oh is it that time again already? Time for the semi-annual prereq expiration thread? Yes there are schools that state an expiration policy. No it's not most schools. No there isn't a list. Yes a school can change its policy whenever it wants.

Why do schools care how old your prereqs are? Because there's no time in med school to warm back up to learning science, and the material in the prereqs is the most relevant foundation for what you have to cram into your head in the preclinical years. (Exception: calculus. You don't need it in med school. It's a weeder.) (Also: just because subject X in prereq Y isn't specifically relevant to med school doesn't mean all of prereq Y is irrelevant.)

Schools care about recent classroom success, such as within the last couple years or so, for similar reasons.

Yes in general, a strong balanced MCAT is the best defense against a bias toward prereqs expiration. The other best defense is fresh difficult successful science coursework, such as getting an A in biochem.

Hey, but what really strikes me in your post is AUGUST. In general, if you're taking the MCAT in August 2016, that means you can apply to USMD schools in May/June 2017.

BTW, my physics was 22 years old. My physical sciences MCAT score was above average. I had fresh biosci coursework. Never got asked about how old my prereqs were.

Best of luck to you.
If I may ask how many biosci courses did you end up taking? And what types? I already took Biological Chemistry, Genetics, and some Neurobiology courses four years ago. I may take two upper level courses in the Spring of 2017 (immunology and pathogenesis of microbes) but I am wondering if that is sufficient.
 
I don't think your pre-reqs will be too old at all as long as you have a great MCAT.
 
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