taking prereqs

[OneiroKnight]

I have a Bachelor's and Master's in Nursing, am an NP, and have awesome clinical experience. Wanting to go back for the remaining pre-reqs for med school, my question is: should I just focus on getting all the pre reqs ONLY completed, e.g., a year of physics, chm, and o-chm; or will it look better if I go back for a full time schedule and include things like cell-molec bio, genetics, etc. My undergrad GPA was 3.22 and grad school GPA 3.29, and I'm an old fart at 36.

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[windycitycassie]

I have a Bachelor's and Master's in Nursing, am an NP, and have awesome clinical experience. Wanting to go back for the remaining pre-reqs for med school, my question is: should I just focus on getting all the pre reqs ONLY completed, e.g., a year of physics, chm, and o-chm; or will it look better if I go back for a full time schedule and include things like cell-molec bio, genetics, etc. My undergrad GPA was 3.22 and grad school GPA 3.29, and I'm an old fart at 36.

Well, your GPA is higher than quite a few 'mature' students who happened to goof up in their undergrad years, and they managed to get in. So perhaps you'll be ok with that and a decent MCAT score.

Have you taken any of the pre-reqs before? I'd at least try to get As in all of them this time around and it will show that you are a better student now than you were back then. That will also boost your undergraduate GPA making you an even stronger candidate.

 

[OneiroKnight]

Well, your GPA is higher than quite a few 'mature' students who happened to goof up in their undergrad years, and they managed to get in. So perhaps you'll be ok with that and a decent MCAT score.

Have you taken any of the pre-reqs before? I'd at least try to get As in all of them this time around and it will show that you are a better student now than you were back then. That will also boost your undergraduate GPA making you an even stronger candidate.

I haven't had any of the prereqs except one semester of general chem, and too long ago. I have had a bunch of bio classes; year of A&P, micro, patho undergrad and grad, parasitology, non of which are pre-reqs of course. I know that aside from the standard prereqs, a review of A&P would be helpful, and perhaps cellular and molecular bio, genetics, whatnot. Or would my time be better spent on MCAT study and focusing on only the essentials for getting in? On the other hand, maybe fulltime science classes will show I could handle a full load, rather than getting only the prereqs done, which would be a half time schedule.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

You're certainly not an old fart at 36 - heck, I'm 44. I know that if you're over 35, you must feel that time is of the essence and you're going to rush. You do have time to take an extra year. I took the MCAT with just my basic prerequisites completed - but it wasn't easy. MCAT says that only the basic prerequisites are needed for the MCAT - my opinion is that I agree with them except in the biological sciences section. If you can get a couple of upper-division courses under your belt like biochemistry, cell bio, or genetics, I think it will help you a great deal on the MCAT. Plus, schools do like for you to have a couple of upper-division bio courses to show that you've successfully handled more advanced work - although I think you've already done that, the more current grades wouldn't hurt. A&P is helpful for the MCAT, too, but I'm sure a brief review would be more than enough for you. Good luck.

 

[gdk]

i'm 35 now so i can relate
anyway, i would recommend only focusing on the basic prereq's and then taking time for MCAT if you can (like somebody else suggested)... except genetics which i would recommend taking. i think a lot of those higher level classes will go into more detail then you'll really need later on.
keep in mind that some schools may put expiration dates on your pre-reqs, but my experience has been that even schools that say they do (emory and duke come to mind) don't seem to bring it up during the process.
also, i would recommend going to wherever is cheapest and easiest. i went to kennesaw state university after undergrad and grad school at auburn and nobody asked anything about ksu. i think your mcat score and GPA will be more important than what school you go back and get your pre-req's from.

 

[PineappleGirl]

I have a Bachelor's and Master's in Nursing, am an NP, and have awesome clinical experience. Wanting to go back for the remaining pre-reqs for med school, my question is: should I just focus on getting all the pre reqs ONLY completed, e.g., a year of physics, chm, and o-chm; or will it look better if I go back for a full time schedule and include things like cell-molec bio, genetics, etc. My undergrad GPA was 3.22 and grad school GPA 3.29, and I'm an old fart at 36.

I have a very different background, but I was told when I met with the dean of admissions at a large private school here in Boston that it is definitely better to do everything full-time: pre-reqs and additional upper level classes, since this is most similar to the basic science years of medical school. The adcom looks at it like if you could deal and get As and Bs in an intensive full-time science program (4-5 science classes a semester) you should be okay during the first two years of medical school. If you have the means to do a full-time program, I'd go for it.

 

[efex101]

I have to disagree with some of the posters and highly encourage you take a FULL load to include mol bio/genetics/biochem/ etc. You are competing with very bright and highly motivated individuals. To make yourself stand out you NEED PROOF that you can do it better than others. This PROOF is done by kicking arse in all the classes you take from now on. Getting "just" the pre-reqs "might" get you in but are you willing to take the chance? also, getting more classes WILL help for medical school so you are NOT wasting your time. Do not try to rush through this process because it might come back to bite you in the rear. Take your TIME go full time get back into the swing of things and also prepare intensely and adequately for the MCAT. It is better to take LONGER to apply but apply with a stellar application that leaves NO DOUBT that you would make an excellent medical school student VERSUS applying hurriedly with a mediocre application. Folks, applications are getting more and more competitive so you are competing with extremely well qualified folks...

 

[PineappleGirl]

Take your TIME go full time get back into the swing of things and also prepare intensely and adequately for the MCAT. It is better to take LONGER to apply but apply with a stellar application that leaves NO DOUBT that you would make an excellent medical school student VERSUS applying hurriedly with a mediocre application. Folks, applications are getting more and more competitive so you are competing with extremely well qualified folks...

 

[OneiroKnight]

I think I agree with a full load. the order of the prereqs I need will take six semesters anyway, and I can add classes into it which will not prolongue the time at all.