How old can grades be for med school?

[stoleyerscrubz]

I started college in 1990 as an engineering major. I completed 3 semesters of calculus, 3 semesters of physics with lab, and 2 semesters of Chemistry with lab before 1997 although I never graduated. I am going back to school this summer to finish my bachelors degree but do not anticipate graduating until after 2006.

Do medical schools only accept courses that are recent? If this is so then how old do they allow courses to be that are submitted to them for admissions?


Thanks!!

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[docmemi]

I started college in 1990 as an engineering major. I completed 3 semesters of calculus, 3 semesters of physics with lab, and 2 semesters of Chemistry with lab before 1997 although I never graduated. I am going back to school this summer to finish my bachelors degree but do not anticipate graduating until after 2006.

Do medical schools only accept courses that are recent? If this is so then how old do they allow courses to be that are submitted to them for admissions?


Thanks!!

im pretty sure that your gpa never gets old. but obviously they would like to see your recent grades so they know you can still do well in school. you prolly should call some schools and ask them directly.

 

[TexasRose]

My ugrad degree is from '91, with more recent coursework to complete the sci prerequisites. I never had a problem with it. Like docmemi said, you just need to be able to show recent coursework with excellent grades. Since you are currently working on the degree, this won't be a problem for you.

good luck!

 

[Amy B]

They accepted my english credits (college courses), intro sociology and intro psychology that I took while in senior year in high school in 1984 eek: it's been that long since high school), there has never been any questions asked about the age of those credits.

I also had things form 1991/1992 again no questions have been asked about those. While they do like newer work in the sciences to show how you preform in school now, it shouldn't be an issue with you since you are going back to school and will have recent work. I assume you haven't taken the MCAT yet, so I would make sure you know what you learned in Physics and Chem since it has been awhile.

 

[liverotcod]

AmyB, I graduated high school in 86 and will be applying to VCOM in June. It's been interesting reading your critiques of VCU, which will be my first choice school. Sorry for the off-topic post.

 

[Amy B]

My critiques?? Hey I call them as I see them. VCU/MCV is a good school, but it needs to change certain policies especially in dealing with so many out-of-staters, which as you may know has been my biggest complaint. I was actually at VCU yesterday (undergrad campus) and was amazed at all the changes. I hadn't been back there since May 2002.

PM me if you would like to talk about VCU or VCOM. I have interviewed at both and of course I spent 4 years as an undergrad at VCU and have met with Dr. Heldberg a whole bunch of times. She is quite helpful if you need anything.

 

[stoleyerscrubz]

Thanks for all of the info. I was considering other routes of medicine that required a medicine and they want grades that are no older than 5 years so that is why I asked. Who wants to do physics and chem with a lab...AGAIN. I'm excited.

I have not taken the MCAT so I will brush up on the physics,chem, and calculus that I have taken. I will problably end up taking an MCAT review course if I can afford it and do a practice test in a year or so and do not like my performance on the practice tests.

thanks a lot! I'm excited.

 

[Amy B]

Yep, other medical career schools do want newer grades. The PA schools won't take things older than 10 years.

Good luck in your MCAT prep

 

[sheiny]

I graduated from high school in '86, undergrad in '90. When I started thinking about med school in about '99 I contacted U of AL who told me that I had to take ALL of my undergrad courses over again. What a crock! I'm in my first year at VCOM now and they never questioned the "distance" of my education. I took Chem 2, and 2 semesters of physics just before taking the MCAT. That was all of my recent ed. VCOM (and other schools) were more interested in my experience than how long I'd been out of school. (I'd been an RN for 13 years before entering med school).

Don't let the naysayers get you down. It CAN be done with "old" courses.

 

[beanbean]

It really depends on the med school. I graduated with a Biomed Eng Degree in 1990 and hadn't taken any classes since then. I retook Gen Chem as a Summer class since it had been 15 yrs since I had seen a periodic table and I didn't want to go into Orgo like that. In terms of Bio, I retook 1 sem of basic bio to get back in the swing of things and them completed coursework in cell bio. physiology, biochem and genetics as a post-bacc student. There have been so many changes since 1988 (my last bio related class) and this was a big help for my first year of med school.

When I was accepted to UCONN's post-bacc they requested that I also redo my physics . I hadn't done very well the first time around, but with my engineering background it was an easy 'A' and good prep for the MCAT.

For calculus and English, UCONN didn't care how old the grades were and neither did I.

Best of luck as you begin the journey...

Deirdre

 

[greggth]

I graduated from college in 1992, and I had no problem getting my chem courses counted at Ohio State and University of Iowa- I was accepted at both those places.

 

[rgporter]

I started school in 1993 and I graduated in 2000. I applied this year and was accepted, so I'm sure you'll be fine as long as your current coarsework shows a consistent level of effort.