For how long are med school pre-requisites good?

[VanessaLee13]

I have heard different answers on how long medical school pre-requisites are considered good before they need to be retaken (5 years, 7 years, 10 years). I started college in 2000, graduated in 2004. I took all of my med school pre-requisites within those four years. I am going to be taking the MCAT and applying to medical school in 2008. Will I need to retake any of these classes? I am sorry if this is a repeat question. I've tried searching and browsing the forums, Googling, and going to med schools webpages, but can't seem to find an answer.
Thanks!
Vanessa 🙂

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[DrMidlife]

I took calculus-based physics in 1988. I'm not retaking it, and I'm applying in 2008. With recent coursework and a recent MCAT, I allege I have my bases covered.

And I'd love to hear any evidence to the contrary before June comes!

 

[VanessaLee13]

Haha, well that's good to hear. I am probably going to be retaking a couple of them, and taking some new stuff too. So hopefully I'll be OK. 🙂

 

[DrMidlife]

If I can vote on what you retake, here is what I believe to be relevant:

1. Retaking classes is ineffecient MCAT prep. It's less expensive, more focused, and more efficient to do something like Kaplan. Doing both is not a bad idea, just likely to be overkill.

2. Retaking classes is a good idea if these classes are prereqs for upper div science that you want to take, and if you're shaky on those subjects. I retook a full year of gen chem for this reason.

3. Some adcoms advocate not retaking any coursework for which you got a C or better. My school says they'd rather see us do anthropology for breadth than retake physics to improve on a C.

Best of luck to you.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Your prereq classes are good forever because of one thing: the MCAT, which tests your knowledge of the basic sciences and cognitive ability. Adcoms have told me to just take upper-level sciences to prove you can still handle college and get straight As.

I got Cs in Physics I & II, Pchem I & II, and Calculus III which I am not re-taking.

 

[Law2Doc]

Your prereq classes are good forever

A couple of years ago there was a thread where someone emailed many of the schools to get their policies. I believe about 4 or 5 schools required prereqs to have been taken within the last 7 years, but the others all had no fixed prereq expiration date. Most schools do want to see "recent success" in science courses, but not necessarilly the prereqs. And a number of postbac program directors will, in fact, recommend that if your prereqs are a decade old or older, you retake.

 

[njbmd]

I have heard different answers on how long medical school pre-requisites are considered good before they need to be retaken (5 years, 7 years, 10 years). I started college in 2000, graduated in 2004. I took all of my med school pre-requisites within those four years. I am going to be taking the MCAT and applying to medical school in 2008. Will I need to retake any of these classes? I am sorry if this is a repeat question. I've tried searching and browsing the forums, Googling, and going to med schools webpages, but can't seem to find an answer.
Thanks!
Vanessa 🙂

Your best source of information on this is the schools that you are applying to. E-mail or call the schools directly and find out their policy. It is useless to spend money in application fees to a school that is going to reject you because your pre-reqs are dated. Some schools want to see recent coursework. Some schools want to see recent pre-reqs and some want to see both. The only way you will find out is to make some inquiries.

 

[DrWanahbe]

I was told that by the dean of the school I will most likely attend that my Bio 101 from 1993 counts, which is great, as I got an A in that class. I will likely audit the class to refresh myself, however.

 

[VanessaLee13]

If I can vote on what you retake, here is what I believe to be relevant:

3. Some adcoms advocate not retaking any coursework for which you got a C or better. My school says they'd rather see us do anthropology for breadth than retake physics to improve on a C.

Best of luck to you.

Your prereq classes are good forever because of one thing: the MCAT, which tests your knowledge of the basic sciences and cognitive ability. Adcoms have told me to just take upper-level sciences to prove you can still handle college and get straight As.

I got Cs in Physics I & II, Pchem I & II, and Calculus III which I am not re-taking.

So Cs are OK? As far as my pre-reqs go, I got a C in both my Organic Chems, which drops my BCPM to somewhere just below a 3.0. If I were to retake them (and get As), it would be around a 3.4. I am not great on the subject matter either. So should I just take different upper level chem classes instead of retaking the two I got Cs in?

 

[efex101]

I would retake the class I had a C in to be honest and take other upper levels as well. The field is competitive and the better you can present your self the more likely you will get in on the first round.

 

[VanessaLee13]

I would retake the class I had a C in to be honest and take other upper levels as well. The field is competitive and the better you can present your self the more likely you will get in on the first round.

That's what I am thinking. My one friend who finally convinced me to take the MCAT with her is saying that I do have a chance with my grades, but I am not so sure. Haha.

 

[DrMidlife]

I don't think o-chem is about chemistry at all. I think it's about character development and learning how to memorize. I got a B, C and an D. I'm retaking the D. My GPA isn't going to move from retaking the C, because I've taken too many classes over the last 20 years.

Yeah, I think retaking o-chem is not a bad idea for you. You probably don't need to be fluent in the subject matter as prep for upper division science (certainly not in biochem; somewhat in p-chem), but I'd be worried about test-taking capabilities. Knowing how to study to score points on tests turns out to be absolutely critical. Long term retention of the aesthetics of enantiomers, ylids and enols, is less beneficial.

 

[VanessaLee13]

Yeah, I think retaking o-chem is not a bad idea for you. You probably don't need to be fluent in the subject matter as prep for upper division science (certainly not in biochem; somewhat in p-chem), but I'd be worried about test-taking capabilities. Knowing how to study to score points on tests turns out to be absolutely critical. Long term retention of the aesthetics of enantiomers, ylids and enols, is less beneficial.

Thankfully, test taking has always been my strong area. Which is why I have been able to get my bachelors and now my associates in nursing with minimal, if any studying. I just don't have the best GPA to show for it, so I am realizing that I may have to actually start studying. Haha.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

A couple of years ago there was a thread where someone emailed many of the schools to get their policies. I believe about 4 or 5 schools required prereqs to have been taken within the last 7 years, but the others all had no fixed prereq expiration date. Most schools do want to see "recent success" in science courses, but not necessarilly the prereqs. And a number of postbac program directors will, in fact, recommend that if your prereqs are a decade old or older, you retake.

Okay, well I'm just repeating info told to me by visiting deans (and assistants) and what my premed office advisor told me. The med schools I talked to said that retaking doesn't show anything other than it takes you 2x as long to learn a subject as the MCAT tests whether or not you understood the preqs at a base level. Taking upper-level courses was their recommendation. But why listen to us on SDN? Ask the schools directly. Be sure to ask the Dean of Admissions, and not some random person on the telephone at the medical school.

 

[Lshapley]

Lifetimedoc is right. I am ten years removed from undergrad and a completed set of pre-reqs (92-96). I am in a postbac now and I am following the advice of my two advisors there and two other "virtual" advisors from adcoms who answer questions on boards like this one. As a result, I am only retaking general chemistry to give myself a solid foundation for upper level classes and the MCAT (it touches on both physics and orgo as well). All of my other classes (I am taking 5 total before I send in the applications) will be upper level sciences.

I am also emailing every school I plan to send an AMCAS application to. There results so far:

Temple: yes
Jefferson: yes
Drexel: yes
PCOM: yes
Tufts: yes
U of Conn: yes

I am planning to email/call about 10 more. I'll keep you updated.

lee

 

[VanessaLee13]

I am also emailing every school I plan to send an AMCAS application to. There results so far:

Temple: yes
Jefferson: yes
Drexel: yes
PCOM: yes
Tufts: yes
U of Conn: yes

I am planning to email/call about 10 more. I'll keep you updated.

lee

When you say "yes" does that mean that they said yes the pre-reqs are still good from 10 years ago?
Thanks! 🙂
Vanessa

 

[Lshapley]

Yes means they are valid. I haven't contacted a school yet that has said they were not valid. More than one said they were glad I was taking upper level sciences as recent coursework since that proves I can still do the work.

The only school I had heard about that might not accept the courses is Duke, and that is just hearsay. Calling or emailing is good because it give you a definite answer.

 

[VanessaLee13]

Thanks so much everyone!

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Yes means they are valid. I haven't contacted a school yet that has said they were not valid. More than one said they were glad I was taking upper level sciences as recent coursework since that proves I can still do the work.

The only school I had heard about that might not accept the courses is Duke, and that is just hearsay. Calling or emailing is good because it give you a definite answer.

When I checked Duke's website approx. 1 year ago, I found that, indeed, they will not accept prereqs taken over 7 years ago. It was right there on the admissions website.

Another different, but related topic was the issue of AP credit. Of the schools in which I was interested, Vanderbilt was the only one that wouldn't accept prereqs for which you received AP credit.

Bottom Line: It's best to check the policies of the individual schools. I ended up having to re-take (OK, I was able to get AP credit) Physics 1 and 2 because UTSW says that all science classes must be the version of the class for SCIENCE students. My background was in engineering, and my Physics courses were clearly labeled "Physics for Engineering Students I (and II)." I called and asked and they held firm that since Engineering != Science, I had to re-get credit for the appropriate courses. I cursed them under my breath, but am now glad that I went through that because UTSW is my only acceptance thus far 🙂 Have some schools in mind, find out their policies, and you can see if it will be an issue or not.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

When I checked Duke's website approx. 1 year ago, I found that, indeed, they will not accept prereqs taken over 7 years ago. It was right there on the admissions website.

Here is the specific link at Duke: http://dukemed.duke.edu/AdmissionsFinancialAid/index.cfm?method=AdmissionsRequirements

Admission Requirements
The essential qualifications for admission to the Duke University School of Medicine are intelligence, character, and integrity. We're looking for individuals who have compiled remarkable undergraduate records with clear evidence of leadership and scholarship, commitment to community service, and motivation for a career in medicine.

Admission requires at least 90 hours of approved college credit, including:

• One Year of College English or a university writing course
• One Year of Inorganic chemistry
• One Year of Organic chemistry
• One Year of Physics
• One Year of Biology and/or zoology
• One Year of Calculus

We recommend that you take an introductory course in biochemistry during the senior year, if possible. All science requirements must be completed not more than seven years before you enter medical school.

This is why I could never goto Duke (not to mention my stats aren't high enough, but I did live in Durham for years)...I'd have to repeat my entire undergrad career just to satisfy the requirements.🙄

 

[Lshapley]

I don't have to worry about Duke, even though my pre-reqs are over 10 years old. The wife has declared North Carolina off-limits for all medical school applications. Thankfully, everywhere she is willing to live so far has also been open to older pre-reqs.

FYI, Harvard is also ok with pre-reqs as old as mine (10-12 years old). Not that I expect to even get an interview there, but I have to give it a shot!