How to "update" app during interregnum

[Beast11]

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Greetings all:

I am currently on Thanksgiving break and obsessing over my applications. I wonder how to broach interest of ADCOMS in my recent activity

In brief:

I am very non-trad (in R&D rat race for a couple of years before I realized I should be a doctor and actually helping people rather than CMA and corporate life)

In any event, here is my story...😴:

Graduated 3.27 BCPM (3.3 overall) B.S. in Chemistry over 10 years ago. Bio, gen Chem, and Gen Phys. were AP'ed out.(so no GPA grade) I nailed Org Chem and covered many areas through upper level classs (although no upper level math or bio). Think I got good LORs from undergrad (even in this app cycle-they remembered)

Went to grad school-3.95 with reasonable pubs/presentations although I know advisor wanted more (left on neutral terms-not sure advisor would write great letter, although prolly not bad). Of necessity, I included advisor's letter as part of pre-med advisor (not committee) letter.

After grad school-did nothing of interest to ADCOMS for a couple of years (and not really included on AMCAS app.)

Recently, I took an adjunct teaching position (low pay) at a small College (taught general chem) and volunteered (free clinic >200 hrs) to retool for AMCAS this cycle (got 33T MCAT and some other good application lines)

My general questions are:

I have an upcoming Christmas break which I could do something else (shadowing, other useful EC-suggestions? anyone?) Alternatively, I want to call ADCOMS and insinuate that I could get a "recent" acadmic track record (suffice it to say-I can give myself an A in gen chem since I am teaching, and could ask to "test out" in bio, org, gen. phys and show I deserve an A.)

Similarly, this upcoming spring/summer I could take some additional courses free (benefit of my current position) and wonder if I should call ADCOMS and mention that I could show a recent classroom track-record (if my age scares them) or do anything else viewed as worthwhile (try an EMT-B?)

My specific questions are:

1.) Should I call ADCOMS and ask specific mechanisms to make any arbitary cutoffs (retake undergrad to average grades for BCPM, or anything else they say are red-lights on app-say more recent clinical exposure-so I clean OR's over Xmas, sigh...).

2.) How do I truly figure the weight of a graduate GPA (all the threads I've read say post-bacc is given less weight. My question is how much? How do I calculate an ADCOM average-is a series of retaken 4.0 in the undergrad pre-reqs (which could "average" with true B's on undergrad transcript to twice as many 3.5 BCPM grades) necessarily better than "upper level" post-bac type As? What is the best GPA rule for averaging for non-trads (post-bacc and undergrad to give some sort of composite number)? I can cover a lot in a summer (if I can convince ADCOMs to wait for proof)

3.) Do you suggest calling ADCOMS and telling them updates? This would show interest, and as such may be welcome, but how does one "insinuate" oneself to ADCOMS while deciding on waitlists, etc. without being annoying?

TIA and good-luck other non-trads this cycle

 

[DrMidlife]

I can only guess that this isn't getting much response because we're intimidated by "interregnum."

My personal opinion is that once you hit submit, it's too late to try to make yourself look better. A term or two of new grades, or a few months of a volunteer gig, suchlike and whatnot, is not going to change the appeal of your app. There's 10 years' extra stuff with you as it is, so don't sweat a few more months. Save the charm and interest for interviews.

I just have one word for a 10 year old GPA: acceptance. It is what it is. Mine's 20 years old, so I'll see your "very nontrad" and raise you a "very, very nontrad."

Meanwhile, I live my life in two buckets lately, with all these apps out. The first bucket is "what do I want to be doing now, assuming I start med school next August?" The other bucket is "what do I want to be doing now, assuming I don't get into med school and need to be ready to apply again in June?" I'm trying to do stuff that goes in both buckets, but it's tough. Such as taking biochem and immunology. I expect these subjects to hurt less as an MS1, having seen the material. I'm spending a lot of time with friends and family, getting all my crap organized so I'm ready to move, and trying to have some fun despite the up-in-the-air-ness of my very, very adult life. If I were a better planner, I'd be spending this year outside the US.

Hope that helped. Best of luck to you.