Is my 1998 B.S. Computer Engineering degree enough?

[saoj]

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I graduated in 1998, B.S in Computer Engineering with a 3.6 GPA. No biology classes. My electives were in economics (minor in Economics). Now I want to study for the MCAT and apply to Med School. My question is: Does my 15-year-old college degree meet the requirements to enter med school? I don't want to make the investment (time + money) to take the MCAT and later find out that I am not eligible to med school due to my college degree. Can the fact that my college degree is old (1998) be a problem? Am I lacking biology classes? Or if I do well on the MCAT the med schools will not have a problem with it? I understand that every med school is different and the top ones will consider even the color of your shirt, so let's consider an average med school for the question.

 

[theseeker4]

I graduated in 1998, B.S in Computer Engineering with a 3.6 GPA. No biology classes. My electives were in economics (minor in Economics). Now I want to study for the MCAT and apply to Med School. My question is: Does my 15-year-old college degree meet the requirements to enter med school? I don't want to make the investment (time + money) to take the MCAT and later find out that I am not eligible to med school due to my college degree. Can the fact that my college degree is old (1998) be a problem? Am I lacking biology classes? Or if I do well on the MCAT the med schools will not have a problem with it? I understand that every med school is different and the top ones will consider even the color of your shirt, so let's consider an average med school for the question.

Spend some time reading around, a lot of the basic information you need to get started can be found with some simple searches.

First, yes, your BS is fine to fulfill the requirement for a bachelor's degree to apply to medical schools. Your GPA is in the competitive range which means you don't have to worry about repairing it.
Second, you need a total of 1 year general chemistry, 1 year organic chemistry, 1 year biology and 1 year physics, all with lab. If you are missing any of these, you will definitely want to take them before you take the MCAT. Even if you took some of them back in the 90's, you probably would benefit from re-taking them so the information is fresh for the MCAT. Some schools have additional course requirements, and classes like Biochemistry, cell biology, microbiology, genetics, anatomy and physiology, etc. can be useful on the MCAT and help to show you are a capable student.
Third, you will probably want to take at least a few semesters of classes and get A's to show you are still a good student. The pre-reqs are the first ones you should take, and any of the additional courses if you have extra time to fill/money to spend. A medical school might be less eager to accept someone who hasn't been in a classroom as a student for over a decade, even if they have all the pre-reqs done.
Fourth, welcome, let us know if you have any questions. In the meantime, start some clinical volunteering and doctor shadowing if you haven't done so already, both to know for sure if this is what you want to do and because it is expected by admissions committees at medical schools. Good luck!

 

[LingoLaine]

You must have one year each of the following:

biology with lab
chemistry with lab
organic chemistry with lab
physics with lab

 

[saoj]

If you are missing any of these, you will definitely want to take them before you take the MCAT.

Thank you very much for your prompt reply. So to make sure I understand, are you saying that I have to go back to college to take those additional courses? For example, I have two classes (5 credits total, the two classes were taken on the same semester) on Chemistry: one is lab and the other one is theory. Does it meet the requirement of "one year of chemistry plus lab" ?

 

[dmf2682]

Thank you very much for your prompt reply. So to make sure I understand, are you saying that I have to go back to college to take those additional courses? For example, I have two classes (5 credits total, the two classes were taken on the same semester) on Chemistry: one is lab and the other one is theory. Does it meet the requirement of "one year of chemistry plus lab" ?

No, you need to do that for two semesters. So you would take chem 1, chem 1 lab, then chem2along with chem 2 lab.

 

[pkwraith]

The only likely prerequisite you have currently are the Baccaulerate degree itself, Math, Physics, stats, and writing. So, you're missing the huge chunk of classes as listed by the other posters, which are strict requirements for matriculation regardless of MCAT score.

There is not a lot of flexibility in prereqs. Some schools will substitute Biochem for a semester of Orgo (but again, you don't have either). A few schools will have even additional requirements (Anatomy, etc). So, you have significant steps ahead of you. It will be very difficult to take the MCAT well without taking the prereqs (although, technically possible).

Plus, the closer you get to 2015, the more requirements will show up (Psych, Sociology, Biochem, etc).

The age of your degree doesn't matter.

 

[dmf2682]

I will point out that the university of Cincinnati does not have any specific course requirements, but you probably wouldn't get in applying without them.

 

[DrMidlife]

The era when you could just take the MCAT to get into med school ended in the 70's or 80's. It was a LOT easier to get into med school, and a LOT cheaper then.

You'll need recent coursework to show you can still handle academics, regardless. Partially so that med schools don't view you as risky, and partially because you need faculty recommendation letters.

Your GPA is good enough to get you consideration at formal structured 1 year postbac premed programs such as Bryn Mawr, Goucher, Mills, Scripps, Penn, etc. These include MCAT prep and linkage to med school. You could apply now for Fall '12.

These programs won't take you seriously until you have substantial clinical exposure. Most applicants have 100+ hours of clinical volunteering.

Whether or not you go the structured formal program route or the roll-your-own route or the Harvard/Berkeley Extension route to get prereqs done, you need clinical exposure. I suggest you'll want to start a volunteer gig, such as 4 hrs/wk, now.

If you're risk averse, walk away now. There are no guarantees, ever, that you'll get into med school.

Best of luck to you.

 

[lkthlttr]

I graduated in 1998, B.S in Computer Engineering with a 3.6 GPA. No biology classes. My electives were in economics (minor in Economics). Now I want to study for the MCAT and apply to Med School. My question is: Does my 15-year-old college degree meet the requirements to enter med school? I don't want to make the investment (time + money) to take the MCAT and later find out that I am not eligible to med school due to my college degree. Can the fact that my college degree is old (1998) be a problem? Am I lacking biology classes? Or if I do well on the MCAT the med schools will not have a problem with it? I understand that every med school is different and the top ones will consider even the color of your shirt, so let's consider an average med school for the question.

People have already covered most of this so I'll just add that I was accepted this year with degree that was awarded around that time so it is not too old, however there are some schools that want you to have taken your degree more recently (Cornell & Duke off the top of my head). Also, I have heard, but do not have any proof, that some schools are alright with an older degree only if you have remained active in academic pursuits (such as grad school or research or some other academic career). Even beyond the typical pre-reqs that have been discussed in this thread, some schools (Emory, USC, etc.) will require a broad selection of humanities courses (something like 16-30 credits). If you get serious about it, I recommend picking up a copy of the MSAR https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/requirements/msar/

Good luck!

 

[flyhi]

I'm taking the MCAT in 2 days 😱 and can tell you that you will be very, very wise to re-take your pre-reqs in preparation. It was a bear to prepare for and with all the time spent, I would have been better off to retake at least a few. My degree is 3 years older than yours and in biology, btw. I took a physics class 3 years ago and am currently enrolled in the second half now.

Good Luck!

Edit, oh yeah, I was in vet school last year, so I had lots of bio again. My practice scores clearly reflect the currency of my classes. I'm sucking wind in gen chem and o-chem due to lack of recency. Do your pre-reqs and then you will have current LORs too....worked for me.

 

[saoj]

I'm taking the MCAT in 2 days 😱 and can tell you that you will be very, very wise to re-take your pre-reqs in preparation. It was a bear to prepare for and with all the time spent, I would have been better off to retake at least a few. My degree is 3 years older than yours and in biology, btw. I took a physics class 3 years ago and am currently enrolled in the second half now.

Good Luck!

Edit, oh yeah, I was in vet school last year, so I had lots of bio again. My practice scores clearly reflect the currency of my classes. I'm sucking wind in gen chem and o-chem due to lack of recency. Do your pre-reqs and then you will have current LORs too....worked for me.

I am usually better at studying by myself, but need these courses for pre-reqs and LoR. Best of lucky with your mcat. Did you do well with the sample exams?