Hi everyone! I am new to this site and I have been viewing for a couple weeks and decided to finally post something. I realize that this has been a discussion in the past but I haven’t seen anything recently. So… my question for the group is (especially any NPs transitioning to MDs) should I take my pre-med pre-reqs again? I graduated with a BS in Biology (2.8GPA) in 1999 and have fair grades in these classes. I went back to school and got my BSN (3.8GPA) (2003) and MSN-FNP(3.5GPA) (2010). After working as a NP for a couple of years I long for greater depth in knowledge and more flexible career opportunities. I have been studying for the MCAT for the past 2 weeks and plan on taking to in the spring of 2013. I am currently reviewing Physics and feel add if the Kaplan and Princeton review are very helpful. I am a little worried about the chemistry especially orgo section. I was hoping to just review on my own and then take a Kaplan review course in the winter. If I score well on my MCAT then I would wait a year and apply for the Fall of 2015, so as to give myself time to apply and get my score back. Anyways… as I was asking do you guys think it will be necessary to retake my science classes as they are pretty old? In the year I am applying I would robaly want to take A&P again at a local college. Thanks for listening to my long post and I look forward to hearing your response and getting to chat with you all!
It depends on where you intend to go to school - some have firm requirements that your prereqs be taken within 10 years (varies w/ school), while others will accept older coursework as long as you have a strong MCAT and newer coursework in upper level courses to show you can still handle the academic rigor.
Re: your ochem review, I am using ExamKrackers Ochem and ExamKrackers 1001 questions in Organic Chemistry for my organic chemistry review. I find the combination (brief topical review, then do questions to highlight fuzzy areas for deeper review) has been helpful. This is said with the caveat that I have yet to take my MCAT (will do so in 14 days), so I have yet to see how well this has served me.
Good luck!
Thanks seven wheels for the timely response!! Great advice on orgo study prep! I am hoping to apply only to those schools that will accept my transcript. I’ve been looking for evening pre med classes in the Austin, TX area but they don’t start until the Fall. I’ll study on my own for now. Good luck on your exam can’t wait to hear your results! That’s if you want to share!
Welcome! So from doing the math it looks like you may have taken Freshman Bio 15-16 years ago. Should you retake it? Probably yes. A lot has changed in that period of time.
Chem and O Chem are as they always have been, but in general those courses are going to be too old. I know this is not what you are wanting to hear. However, if you started this fall, you could still complete them before spring of 2014, take MCAT then AND complete your AMCAS and/or AACOMAS application in that spring. Scores back in 6 weeks at the worst, which still has you applying early in the cycle for admission fall of 2015. It’s just a lot more work between then and now.
And I totally understand your motivation as I’m coming from the same place. Of course, my courses were MUCH older, but I’m glad I redid them all. Just one more hoop to jump thru -it was all really fresh in my mind for MCAT. Bear in mind it is not a factual test - you need to apply principles. Lots of critical thinking questions (which are not new to anyone who recently did nursing education!).
Kate
Thanks for the reply Kate429. I see that you were a mid wife, how did you find the time to take your post bacc classes? Did you go full time or part time. I currently work full time and that is not optional. I study for my MCAT in the evenings and on weekend. So far I am just reviewing physics. I looked into a post bacc program at Northwestern which offered evening classes when I was in the Chicago area but they did not offer financial aid to previous science majors. I wish they would offer some science courses online or something!?! I would love to hear about your experience. You can in box me if you like (btw, is that an option 
?
@ Kate and others in the know:
What are the big changes in biology that I keep hearing about? I haven’t seen anything in my review that feels different than what I learned 18 years ago. I did take a genetics course in the last two years, so maybe that covers some of the advances made. What am I missing?
Thanks!
Annette
A lot is genetics and the rest is cell biology - understanding the steps in second messengers, EM imaging of dynein “walking” a protein to it’s destination from the ER…some of the DNA multiplication and sequencing techniques. THat sort of thing. I know we made recombinent bacteria in Bio in my post-bac …not sure when that became commonplace on an undergrad level.
Kate
Hi Furturemd1977, I am in the same boat, my BS is 11 years old and it was premed. Glad to see that I am not the only one with this question. My only difference is that my life has been in Physical Therapy. hope things go good for you.