Prereq's 10yrs old - need to repeat?

[sarah02]

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Hello everyone,

I graduated with a BS in Biology about 10 years ago and had done all the prereq's needed for med school then. never go a chance to apply back then b/c life happens. I'm looking to try for med school now and wanted to know if I would need to repeat all those course including the labs again b/c it's too old or is it still acceptable?

your help appreciated,
Thanks

 

[aznb0y129]

Hello everyone,

I graduated with a BS in Biology about 10 years ago and had done all the prereq's needed for med school then. never go a chance to apply back then b/c life happens. I'm looking to try for med school now and wanted to know if I would need to repeat all those course including the labs again b/c it's too old or is it still acceptable?

your help appreciated,
Thanks

10 years is pretty old, so you probably have to retake. I think the cutoff is 5 or 6 years.

 

[sarah02]

really? Bio 1 & 2, Chem 1 & 2, orgo 1& 2, Phys 1 & 2 all over again? what about just taking upper level courses instead - at least for bio?

 

[alibai3ah]

You should call individual medical schools and ask their policy on this. I would assume they wouldn't require it, if you take the MCATs and get a really good score (atleast on the sciences).

 

[aznb0y129]

really? Bio 1 & 2, Chem 1 & 2, orgo 1& 2, Phys 1 & 2 all over again? what about just taking upper level courses instead - at least for bio?

You should call individual medical schools and ask their policy on this. I would assume they wouldn't require it, if you take the MCATs and get a really good score (atleast on the sciences).

I agree with alibai3ah. It depends on the school, but my understanding is that many schools require pre-reqs to have been completed 5-6 years (at most) prior to matriculation.

 

[sarah02]

ok, good to know. that's for your reply.

 

[futureboy]

ok, good to know. that's for your reply.

You may also want to check out the nontraditional students forum for additional threads on this topic.

 

[Law2Doc]

You may also want to check out the nontraditional students forum for additional threads on this topic.

Agreed -- moving to the nontrad board. FYI this topic comes up over and over and over and over again, so a quick search will find lots of threads on this.

 

[njbmd]

Hello everyone,

I graduated with a BS in Biology about 10 years ago and had done all the prereq's needed for med school then. never go a chance to apply back then b/c life happens. I'm looking to try for med school now and wanted to know if I would need to repeat all those course including the labs again b/c it's too old or is it still acceptable?

your help appreciated,
Thanks

In general, most schools don't care about the age of your prereqs as long as you have a solid MCAT score and some recent coursework. With that being said, you may want to audit some courses to refresh your knowledge base without disturbing your uGPA with course retakes.

Only a couple of schools would "require" retakes on pre-reqs but for the most part, especially if your MCAT is competitive, you should not have to retake any of these and you especially would not have to retake the labs.

Bottom line: contact the schools first, do a personal knowledge inventory and if you have recent coursework this is likely a non issue except as it relates to what you remember from those courses.

 

[ZanshinTamashii]

Yes what njbmd said is what I have been told. I am in your exact same position. 10yrs out of school and been working. Did all my prereqs, along with research and what not back in college. Now Taking one or two Biocourses like genetics and cell biology physiology this summer.

I've met others on here who have prereqs 10yrs and older who are now in medschool and said they didnt have to retake any of the prereqs.

Adcoms just want to see a that you can handle academics by having Good MCATs and some recent upper level science UG courses taken.

In general, most schools don't care about the age of your prereqs as long as you have a solid MCAT score and some recent coursework. With that being said, you may want to audit some courses to refresh your knowledge base without disturbing your uGPA with course retakes.

Only a couple of schools would "require" retakes on pre-reqs but for the most part, especially if your MCAT is competitive, you should not have to retake any of these and you especially would not have to retake the labs.

Bottom line: contact the schools first, do a personal knowledge inventory and if you have recent coursework this is likely a non issue except as it relates to what you remember from those courses.

 

[Caprica6]

I agree with alibai3ah. It depends on the school, but my understanding is that many schools require pre-reqs to have been completed 5-6 years (at most) prior to matriculation.

5-6 seems unrealistic doesn't it. Considering most people take a lot of pre-reqs their 1st/2nd year in school. If you took 2+ years of then your pre-reqs would be over 5 years.

 

[Law2Doc]

5-6 seems unrealistic doesn't it. Considering most people take a lot of pre-reqs their 1st/2nd year in school. If you took 2+ years of then your pre-reqs would be over 5 years.

Just those taken in your freshman year would be.

Those places that would rather you retake tend to mean if you have been out of school for 5-6 years.

 

[Nanon]

Many of my pre-reqs were 8 - 10 years old. I called a lot of the schools I wanted to apply to, and only one or two (can't remember which ones, sorry!) said it was an issue. I got into 2 schools. I had taken a few classes since my graduation in 2004.

In a nutshell - my experience tells me that as long as your MCAT is reasonable, it doesn't matter in most cases.