tmdsas essay prompts 2023

Definitive Guide to TMDSAS (2024)

Introduction.

We understand that applying to Texas medical schools can seem like an overwhelming process. However, by understanding more about the application systems, you will realize that applying successfully is not as difficult as it seems. The majority of medical schools in Texas participate in TMDSAS (Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service) which is the common medical school application for all state funded medical schools in Texas. However, if you plan on applying to medical schools in Texas, it is likely that you will also apply through at least one other medical school application system depending on how many medical schools you plan on applying to. One Texas allopathic medical school and one Texas osteopathic medical school participates in AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) and one Texas osteopathic medical school participates in AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service). The focus of this article will be on TMDSAS.

Which medical school participate in TMDSAS? Below are medical schools listed by type (allopathic or osteopathic) and the application service in which the schools participate.

Table of Contents

Allopathic Medical Schools in Texas that participate in TMDSAS

• Baylor College of Medicine  
• McGovern Medical School (UT Houston)
• University of Houston – Fertitta Family College of Medicine
• Texas A&M University College of Medicine (also uses AMCAS for MD/Phd and non-resident EnMed Applicants)
• Foster School of Medicine Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine Lubbock
• Long Medical School (San Antonio)
• University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School
• John Sealy School of Medicine University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine at Galveston
• University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
• University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
• University of Texas Tyler

Medical Schools in Texas

Related Article: Medical Schools In Texas

Osteopathic medical school in texas that participates in tmdsas.

• Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine – University of North Texas
• Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Allopathic Medical School in Texas that participate in AMCAS

Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas Health Science Center (Burnett School of Medicine at TCU)

Osteopathic Medical School in Texas that participates in AACOMAS

University of Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine

Applying to Medical Schools in Texas through TMDSAS

The cost to apply to all Texas medical schools through TMDSAS is a flat rate of $215. Nine TMDSAS medical schools require a secondary application with costs varying from $0-$60.

TMDSAS Acceptance Rate, Average MCAT, Average GPA

Entering year 2022 (the most recent data available):

• 6,833 applicants applied via TMDSAS
• 3,483 applicants INTERVIEWED via TMDSAS (85% TEXAS RESIDENTS)
• 2,544 applicants ACCEPTED (89% TEXAS RESIDENTS)
• 37% of TMDSAS applicants ACCEPTED 
• 2143 accepted applicants MATRICULATED to TMDSAS medical schools (93% TEXAS RESIDENTS)

It is important to keep in mind, however, that some applicants accepted to Texas medical schools using TMDSAS ultimately choose to attend AMCAS medical schools.

• Average TMDSAS MCAT for matriculants: 511.7
• Average overall TMDSAS GPA for matriculants: 3.82
• Average TMDSAS BCPM GPA matriculants: 3.77

To complete the TMDSAS application, you will need to compose a personal statement, employment and activities entries, as well as two additional essays.

TMDSAS Application Components and Character Limits

What are the written components of the TMDSAS application with characters limits?

• TMDSAS Personal statement (5000 characters with spaces)
• TMDSAS Personal characteristics essay (2500 characters with spaces)
• TMDSAS “optional” essay (2500 characters with spaces)
• TMDSAS employment and activities entries (300 characters with spaces)
• TMDSAS three top meaningful activities entries (500 characters with spaces each)

TMDSAS Personal Statement

The TMDSAS personal statement is one of the most important pieces of your medical school application.

The TMDSAS personal statement prompt is as follows:

Explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. Be sure to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician.

This TMDSAS prompt is very similar to the AMCAS personal statement prompt. The TMDSAS personal statement character limit is 5000 characters with spaces whereas the limit for AMCAS is 5300 characters with spaces. Most students use the same essay (with very minor modifications, if necessary) for both application systems.

Relate Article: Successful Med School Personal Statement Examples

Tmdsas additional essays.

In addition, Texas has two additional essays one of which is required and the other which is optional, but, applicants are encouraged to complete. The TMDSAS personal characteristics essay character limit is 2500 characters with spaces as is the “optional” essay.

TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay

Essay Prompt: Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others.

The personal characteristics essay is a required essay and limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

When writing this essay have an open mind about what defines diversity. You might have a distinctive interest, background, path, or viewpoint. Try to think outside the box when writing this essay.

TMDSAS Optional Essay

Essay Prompt: Briefly discuss any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application which have not previously been presented. This is not an area to continue your essay or reiterate what you have previously stated; this area is provided for you to address any issues that have not previously been addressed.

The optional essay and limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

Again, we encourage all applicants to complete this optional TMDSAS essay. Like the personal characteristics essay, think outside the box when writing this essay trying to highlight experiences or circumstances that have been influential to you.

TMDSAS Work and Activities / TMDSAS Employment and Activities Entries

The final part of the TMDSAS application is the employment and activities section. Here you will write about all of your experiences, from between high school to August of the application year. “Healthcare and employment activities may be listed in each category if the experience was a paid position; otherwise, do not list experiences in more than one section.” For example, a scribing job would be listed in both Healthcare Activities and Employment.

For each experience entry you are only allowed 300 characters with spaces. The TMDSAS system list your activities in chronological order automatically.

TMDSAS will also generate a “chronology of activities” document automatically that serves as a resume or CV for medical schools. This document contains only the first 50 characters of each description. We do not recommend going overboard to try and make these 50 characters suit the purpose of the chronology.

TMDSAS also asks you to identify three top meaningful activities for which you are allowed 500 characters each.

The Employment and Activities categories are as follows:

• Academic Recognition
• Non-Academic Recognition
• Research Activities
• Healthcare Activities
• Community Service
• Extracurricular & Leisure Activities
• Planned Activities
• Identifying Top Meaningful Activities

For University of Incarnate osteopathic medical school, you will complete the AACOMAS application. (the cost for AACOMAS is $196 for one school and $46 for each additional school. Secondary applications are extra and in the same range as AMCAS).

TMDSAS Medical Schools that Require a Secondary Application

Texas Medical Schools with Secondary Applications (cost $60 – $100 per school):

• Baylor College of Medicine
• UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Dell Medical School

John Sealy School of Medicine at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

• UT Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
• McGovern Medical School
• Sam Houston State University
• Texas A&M University College of Medicine
• Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine at University of Houston
• Texas Tech University HSC School of Medicine
• The University of North Texas HSC – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Texas Tech University HSC El Paso Paul L. Foster SOM

TMDSAS Medical Schools that Require Casper

• Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio
• University of Texas Southwestern
• The University of Texas at Tyler

Texas Medical Schools that Use AMCAS

• Texas A&M University School of Medicine (for MD/PhD and non-resident EnMed Applicants)
• Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU

Texas Medical Schools that Use AACOMAS

• University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine

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• May 1, 2023: TMDSAS opens for submission
• May 15, 2023: TMDSAS applications submitted to medical schools
• Mid-July: Interviews begin
• August 1st: Early decision deadline
• August 15th: All supporting material must be received (transcripts, letters, score for Early Decision applicants)
• October 1st: Early decision results announced.
• October 15th: Medical schools begin extending offers.
• November 1st: Submission deadline for applications.
• November 15th – January 31st: Prematch offers can be extended to Texas residents only
• February 2nd: Submission deadline for RANKING of SCHOOL PREFERENCE for the TMDSAS admissions match; must be entered online by 5 p.m. CST
• February 16th: Match results announced
• March 3rd: Medical applicants with multiple offers must decide which program to attend and withdraw from other schools
• April 30th: Medical applicants with multiple offers must decide which program to attend and withdraw from other schools
• May 15th: Medical schools can no longer make offers to Texas resident applicants holding another seat

Ideally applicants should submit the TMDSAS application as early as possible. TMDSAS application processing takes two to four weeks, and, even though the application system opens May 2nd, the majority of applications are submitted in June (33% of applicants last year).

How does the Texas Medical School Match Work?

Only Texas residents are eligible for the Texas medical school match.

Between November 15th and December 31st of the application year, medical schools can extend prematch offers to Texas residents. If a student receives multiple offers, he or she can hold those multiple acceptances. Even if a student receives a prematch offer, she must still participate in the Texas match and can match at a higher ranked medical school.

By February 17th, each applicant ranks all of the medical schools at which he or she interviewed. The medical schools then rank the applicants according to preference.

On March 3rd, match results are released. If a student is accepted to a lower ranked school, that student will still remain active at any higher ranked school and can gain admission to those higher ranked medical schools during the rolling admissions process. However, the student will not remain active at any medical school ranked lower than the one to which he matched. This is indeed confusing and TMDSAS has a published video that clarifies the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeoLLjkKvng

TMDSAS Letters of Recommendation

TMDSAS applicants are required to submit either three individual letters of evaluation or a health professions committee letter packet. A letter packet can have more than three letters of evaluation so, if you have more than three letters to send, ideally you should send a letter packet. For individual letters, TMDSAS recommends the following: “It is recommended that your evaluators be current/former professors that can speak to your academic ability in the sciences.”

TMDSAS will also allow you to submit one additional letter of evaluation which you can indicate on the application.

Some Texas medical schools will also allow you to send additional letters directly to the medical schools.

RELATED ARTICLE: Medical School Letters of Recommendation

Tmdsas mcat.

MCAT scores, which must be sent directly to TMDSAS, can be up to five years old!

Are you Competitive for Medical School Admissions in Texas?

When applying to Texas medical schools, it is important to determine if your application is competitive. While researching medical schools, pay attention to the average MCAT scores and GPAs of accepted students, and acceptance rates. If you are considering medical schools in Texas as an out-of-state applicant, it is imperative that you also research what percentage of each entering class is comprised of in-state students. Most medical schools in Texas prioritize in-state applicants, which can make it especially competitive for out-of-state applicants..

So, how difficult is it to get accepted to a Texas medical school? To determine your competitiveness you must consider the average metrics for matriculated students.

• The average MCAT score for all TMDSAS matriculants was 510.8.
• The average overall GPA for TMDSAS matriculants was 3.8.
• The average BCPM GPA for TMDSAS matriculants was 3.73.

As mentioned earlier in this article, only 7% of TMDSAS matriculants were from outside the state. However, when reviewing this data please keep in mind that many students who apply to Texas medical schools opt to attend medical school out of the state.

See the article Medical Schools in Texas for the average MCAT scores and GPAs, interview rates for in state and out of state applicants, acceptance rates, percent of entering class that is in state, and tuition for all medical schools in Texas.

If you want help figuring out how to distinguish yourself, contact MedEdits. We have been working with medical school applicants for more than ten years. This year, our students enjoyed a 93% medical school acceptance rate!

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September 14, 2023

Writing Your Essays for the TMDSAS (Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service)

The Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) has its own application process. You can begin filling out the organization’s electronic application on May 1, similar to the AMCAS application . On the TMDSAS application, there are two required essays and one optional essay. 

Ready to get to work on your TMDSAS application? Read on. 

TMDSAS application essay tips

Tmdsas medical application deadlines and important dates, personal characteristics essay (required of all applicants).

Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others.

The personal characteristics essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

The Accepted consultants recently had a productive discussion about the Personal Characteristics Essay from this year’s TMDSAS application.

Is this primarily a diversity question ? A question about one’s unique educational experiences? A combination?

Here’s what Dr. Herman (Flash) Gordon , one of our expert med school consultants, had to say:

“As a med school educator and former chair of admissions, I see this as a purposeful question. Medical education is changing from the old didactic style to peer-peer education (a subset of “interactive learning”). Typical models are case-based instruction, team learning, and [think-]pair-share. For this to be most effective, there needs to be something to learn from your peers. In general, the more diverse your peers, the more you will learn.

“So I see this prompt as trying to elicit how well the candidate will fit into the new model of med ed. It would be good for applicants to describe experience with such educational models and to reflect on what they got out of the experience, as well as what they were able to contribute to others.”

In other words, this is both a diversity essay and something more than that. The prompt is asking you to think through the ways that your unique background and experiences will help you contribute to an evolving peer-to-peer education model. Being able to discuss previous experiences in a meaningful way will help you here.

A diversity essay, like any personal essay, can be anxiety producing for applicants: some people get caught up in telling the stories they think the committee wants to hear (without putting their own unique imprint on them) or block their writing process by convincing themselves they don’t have an experience worth sharing .

The best essays will also reveal the outcomes of each activity. Because this essay is only a half page in length, be strategic in selecting your characteristics – the best examples will show how well you work with others . Be honest! Have fun with this one.

Medical applicant personal statement

Explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. Be sure to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician. (max 5000 characters)

The length of this essay equals roughly one page. If you have already written a personal statement for the AMCAS application, you can adapt that essay to this purpose. If not, we recommend creating a timeline of your life that includes all the important events that have encouraged you to become a doctor. You can begin with your childhood, if relevant. This might be the only place in your application that you can discuss your activities or volunteer work from middle and/or high school. Make sure you cover the most important details of your preparation for a career in medicine.

Optional essay (all applicants)

There is one optional essay available for all applicants. This essay is an opportunity to provide the admissions committee(s) with a broader picture of who you are as an applicant. The essay is optional; however, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.

Briefly discuss any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application, which have not previously been presented. Optional Essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

Even though this is labeled an “optional” essay, it’s not really optional . It will hurt your application if you do not write it. Looking through what you have already covered in your other essays, are there any challenges or unique circumstances that you have overcome? If you struggled academically or with the MCAT, this section would be the most appropriate place to address any concerns that the selection committee might have about your application. Do you speak any other languages? Have you completed a medical mission in another country? Or do you have a unique approach to leadership that you would like to discuss in more depth? This section will allow you to go into detail about anything you feel would be important for the selection committee to know about you.

**Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with TMDSAS directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

Source: The TMDSAS website

If you get stuck on any of these essays, it can be helpful to have the guidance of an expert. We recommend that you start your essays early to avoid the stress of an impending deadline. Most students do their best work when they are not under the pressure of a deadline.

You need to work hard if you want to submit a winning TMDSAS application – and we can help! Check out , which provide complete application guidance, from conceptualization to final review. Your experienced consultant will guide you through your entire application, ensuring that you make the best use of your time to create a compelling portrait of yourself as a future leader in the medical field.

For 25 years, Accepted has helped applicants gain acceptance to their dream healthcare programs. Our outstanding team of admissions consultants features former admissions directors, admissions committee members, pre-health advisors, postbac program directors, and doctors. Our staff has guided applicants to acceptance at allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools, residencies and fellowships, dental schools, veterinarian schools, and physician assistant programs at top schools, including Harvard, Stanford, Penn, UCSF, Johns Hopkins, and Columbia. Want an admissions expert to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• The Quick Guide to Acing Your TMDSAS Application , a free guide
• Do’s and Don’ts of Medical School Recommendation Letters
• Teamwork in Medical School Admissions: How to Show You’ve Got It

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Understanding the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS)

• Sasha Chada
• February 26, 2024

Table of Contents

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For the most part, you can apply to all MD programs using AMCAS , and all DO programs using AACOMAS (read about the differences between MD and DO programs in our article here ). Texas, being Texas, doesn’t quite work that way. All of the public medical, dental, and veterinary schools in Texas use the same system: TMDSAS. 

A number of private schools in Texas also accept applications from this system, notably Baylor, though this is not universal. In this article, we’ll break down what this application requires step by step, and give you strategic advice on how to complete it. Let’s get started!

The TMDSAS Basics

Almost every medical school in Texas uses TMDSAS. The exceptions are Texas Christian University (which uses AMCAS), and University of the Incarnate Word (which uses AACOMAS). In addition, Baylor’s MD/PhD program requires you to apply using AMCAS. 

TMDSAS costs $215 as a flat fee, regardless of how many schools you apply to through it. This can make it economical to apply to several Texas medical schools if you’re applying to any. 

You should note that all public Texas medical schools are required to cap their out of state enrollment at 10%. While many out of state students do still apply to these schools, it is slightly easier to gain acceptance for Texas residents. 

The TMDSAS Timeline

In general, you can follow the same timeline we outline for all medical school applicants. There are a few dates which are specific to TMDSAS however: 

• May 1: Application becomes available
• May 15: Submission opens
• August 1: Early decision application deadline
• October 1: Early decision results are announced
• November 1: Regular decision application deadline
• February 2: Match preference submission deadline
• February 16: Match results released and rolling admission begins
• April 30: Applicants with multiple offers must choose which program to attend

It takes two to four weeks to process an application on average, though this can stretch to six weeks during the busiest part of the application cycle. 

Texas residents are able to complete the Match process through TMDSAS. Pre-Match offers are extended between October 15 and January 29. You can receive and accept multiple of these offers to reserve your spot at these schools. It is polite to decline offers if you know you won’t attend a school (such as if you’ve been admitted to a school higher on your list), as this allows offers to be extended to other students in a timely fashion.

Note that you must participate in Match if you are a Texas resident, even if you have received pre-Match offers. You rank all of the medical schools you interviewed with, and medical schools rank all of the students they interviewed. Match then attempts to pair applicants with the school they most prefer that also ranked them highly. 

You may get into schools which did not extend pre-Match offers to you. At the end of the Match process, however, you will have only one acceptance, regardless of how many pre-Match offers you entered with. 

If you do not gain an acceptance through Match, then you will enter the rolling acceptance phase. Here, schools with remaining slots will extend acceptances through the spring and summer.

Application Sections

In general, TMDSAS is quite similar to AMCAS in the information it asks for, and you can easily reuse the information you entered for one application into another. There are some key differences to be aware of however. 

The TMDSAS Personal Biography and Activities section allows you an unlimited number of entries, each of which allows for 500 characters to describe your participation. Your three most important activities (chosen by you) get an additional 500 characters each. Each activity must be placed in one of the following categories: 

• Research Activities
• Healthcare Activities
• Community Engagement
• Extracurricular Activities
• Planned Activities

Academic Recognition, Non-Academic Recognition, and Employment offer 300 characters apiece, but are otherwise entered in the same way.

MCAT Scores

You must submit MCAT scores as part of the TMDSAS. However, they allow scores up to five years old to be submitted, compared to the two to three years expected by the AMCAS. 

Recommendation Letters

You are required to submit either three individual letters of evaluation or a single health profession committee packet. In addition, you may submit one optional letter. This is far fewer than you can submit through AMCAS. You will want to choose which letters you submit carefully, to make sure you cover all needed information .

TMDSAS Essays

Just as with the AMCAS, the essays are a core part of the TMDSAS application. You are required to write three for the application as a whole: 

• Medical applicant personal statement (5,000 character limit)
• Personal characteristics essay (2,500 character limit)
• Optional essay (2,500 character limit)

In addition to these core essays, each school you apply to through TMDSAS will have their own supplemental application, with additional essay questions you are expected to answer. You can see what these are like in our article on medical school essays .

The personal statement is very similar in topic to the one requested by AMCAS, but has a slightly shorter allotted space; 5,000 characters in total, including spaces. We recommend using the same personal statement for both if you are applying using both applications. You will need to edit slightly to fit the reduced character limit, but there’s no point in doing more work when you don’t need to. 

One thing you may wish to include in a TMDSAS personal statement is a personal connection to Texas, especially if you grew up there or attended undergrad there. This should not be shoehorned in, but if you shadowed at a hospital in Texas, or have a specific connection to healthcare in the state, then that is worth mentioning briefly. This is not a specific requirement; your residency is judged separately from the essay, but can be a nice connection to the readers of the essay.

The personal characteristics essay is a version of the diversity essay, which a lot of secondary applications ask for on the AMCAS. As a reminder, diversity doesn’t just need to talk about race, gender, or sexuality. Any factor which sets you apart or gives you a unique perspective on the medical field can be discussed in this essay. 

This essay can touch on multiple different factors briefly, or use one as a supporting factor when discussing another. Whatever you speak about, it should directly show how you will be able to connect to patients as a doctor, and relate to people with experiences and viewpoints different from your own.

The optional essay is technically optional, though strongly encouraged. We recommend all students answer this essay; all admissions officers know is what you tell them, so you should tell them as much as possible. 

That said, this essay is explicitly not a place for continuing or rehashing the other essays they ask you to write. You are encouraged to use this space to talk about anything else you want to cover, which is a great opportunity for you. We generally recommend taking one of the following approaches: 

• Adapting one of your other secondary essays you wrote for AMCAS. You want to make sure this isn’t one which any of the TMDSAS schools ask for, as you don’t want to repeat topics with their secondary essays either.
• Writing an entirely new essay to talk about some achievement or experience related to medicine you haven’t had the opportunity to cover yet.
• Touching on any potential red flags with your candidacy, such as low grades or an incident on your academic record. Much as the additional information section on the Common App, this essay can be used to give needed context for these. 

Whatever you decide to write about, make sure it continues the core purpose of your essays: demonstrating your fitness for medical school. 

TMDSAS MD-PhD Essays

If you are applying to MD-PhD programs, there are additional essays you are required to answer. Note that all MD-PhD programs must be applied to via AMCAS, even as you use TMDSAS to apply to just the MD portion of the program. DO-PhD programs can be applied to through TMDSAS. 

In either case, be prepared to answer the following prompts: 

• Prompt 1: Explain your motivation to seek a MD/PhD or DO/PhD dual degree.  Discuss your research interests and career goals as an applicant to a dual degree program.
• Prompt 2: Describe your significant research experiences.  Include the name and title of your research mentor as well as your contributions to the project.  List any publications which have resulted from your work.

Final Thoughts

If you are a Texas resident, then applying to medical schools in Texas is probably on your agenda. In that case, you will use TMDSAS to do so. While it is not radically different from either of the other application systems, it has its own quirks that you need to be aware of. 

We hope that this article has provided a solid introduction to TMDSAS, and what you will need to do when approaching it. Of course, the application is just one of many moving parts you need to keep track of when applying to medical school. If you are looking for guidance, or advice on where and when and how to apply, schedule a free consultation with us today. We have experience with every aspect of medical school admissions, and are always happy to help you with yours.

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Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts

• Cracking Med School Admissions

In the 2021-2022 medical school cycle, Baylor switched from using the AMCAS application to using the TMDSAS application. Then, in the 2022-2023 cycle, Baylor changed its essay prompts. The Baylor College of Medicine secondary application is short, BUT it’s important to highlight your strengths as an application. Read below for our Cracking Med School Admissions tips to answer your Baylor College of Medicine secondary essays!

Baylor College of Medicine changed its secondary application essays from previous years in the 2022-2023 application cycle. However, the school did not its Baylor secondary application prompts in the 2023-2024 medical school cycle. Given that the essays are a bit different than the other Texas schools, we recommend students pre-writing these essays. 

If you have questions about your AMCAS or TMDSAS application, contact us below! We can help you edit your secondary essay edits , activities descriptions, and personal statement ! 

>> Download our Cracking Med Secondary Essay Guide for secondary essay tips to STAND OUT and examples of excellent essays.

• Personally Tailored Essays
• Edits by Stanford & Harvard-trained Doctors
• We study your application strengths to see what unique attributes we’ll bring to the medical school

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2023 - 2024

Baylor secondary application md essay prompts.

Clinical Research

Healthcare/disparities/medical undeserved communities

Academic Medicine

Community Health

Simulation in medical education

Health systems science

• Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat TMDSAS or AMCAS application information. This section is mandatory. Please make sure you submit an essay or your application will not be reviewed by the committee. (2000 characters)
• Are you planning to matriculate into medical school immediately after completing your undergraduate education? If not, please explain what activities and/or careers you have pursued in the time between your college education and your application. (2000 characters)

Baylor MD PhD Secondary Application Additional Essay Prompts

• Please describe your primary research Interests for PhD training.  (1000 characters)
• Why do you think Baylor College of Medicine MD/PhD Program would be a good place for you to train to be a physician scientist? Please provide names of potential Baylor College of Medicine and/or Rice University faculty with whom you would like to work. (Will not limit final research project or mentor selection)  (1500characters)
• Tell us about a characteristic(s) that may enable you to interact with people from a wide range of ages, experiences, viewpoints, and backgrounds.  (1000 characters)
• List your published articles, please provide full citations:

Tips to Answer Baylor Secondary Application Essays

Baylor Secondary Application Pre-Writing Guidance: The Baylor College of Medicine secondary application did not change last year, and since the approach to answer these questions take a bit more “out of the box” thinking, we would recommend Texas applicants to pre-write their Baylor secondary application essays.

• Download  all  our HIGH-YIELD tips for secondary essays:  Cracking Med School Admissions Secondary Essay Guide
• Read our school profile with Baylor College of Medicine medical school admissions statistics and curriculum information: Baylor College of Medicine: Tips to Get Accepted 

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Tip #1:  For essay #1, if you have a question about what each career path category entails or which career path to choose given your application, fill out the contact form to ask Dr. Rachel Rizal and Dr. Rishi Mediratta. We are here to help you stand out !

Baylor Medical School Secondary Application Essay #1 is very similar to Stanford’s secondary. And, the schools have similar missions! You can read more of our Stanford secondary essay tips here . 

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Tip #2: Baylor College of Medicine is an innovative school. Reflect how you’ve been innovative in your endeavors, whether it’s through writing composition or your research. You can discuss innovation in essay #1 and essay #2. No matter what professional path you choose, you can incorporate innovation. For example, if you choose the Baylor secondary application “Academic Medicine” choice, you can discuss how you will innovate in medicine through research. On the other hand, if you choose the Baylor secondary application “Healthcare/disparities/medical underserved communities,” you can discuss how you will innovate in decreasing healthcare disparities, such as finding funding mechanisms to improve health insurance access in Texas.

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Tip #3: Baylor has enough space where you should add “Why Baylor” in at least one place throughout the secondary essay. Some students opt to talk about their extra-curricular activities and “Why Baylor” for their Baylor secondary response. Read more about how to answer “Why this medical school” essays. Read our Cracking Baylor College of Medicine school profile to get detailed information about Baylor’s medical school curriculum and culture. 

>> Download our Cracking Med Secondary Essay Workbook and Examples .

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Tip #4: For the essay, “ Are you planning to matriculate into medical school immediately after completing your undergraduate education? If not, please explain what activities and/or careers you have pursued in the time between your college education and your application ” we suggest utilizing all the space. We think the best essays are organized activity-by-activity. Typically, our students will have 1 paragraph per 1 anticipated activity.

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Tip #5: Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact us below. Need editing help on your secondary? We can help you through our secondary essay packages . 

[ Read more secondary essay tips:  Stanford School of Medicine , Texas A&M , University of Texas San Antonio , University of Texas McGovern ] 

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Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2022 - 2023

NOTE: Baylor changed its essay prompts from previous years.

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2021 – 2022

• Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat TMDSAS or AMCAS application information. (2,000 characters max)

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2020 – 2021

• If you have taken a gap year(s), please explain what you have been, or will be, doing since graduating from your undergrad institution. (2,000 characters max)
• Is becoming a physician a second career for you? If so, what was your first career choice? (2,000 characters max)
• Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat AMCAS application information. (2,000 characters max)

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2019 – 2020

• (Required) Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat AMCAS application information. (2,000 characters max)

Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2018 – 2019

• (Optional) What did you do during your gap year? (2,000 characters max)
• (Optional) Is becoming a physician a second career for you? If so, what was your first career choice? (If yes, 2,000 characters max)

MSTP Essay Prompts

• Please describe your primary research Interests for the PhD portion of dual degree training including potential Baylor College of Medicine or Rice University faculty with whom you would like to work. (This will not limit final research project or mentor selection). (2,000 characters max)

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Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts: 2017 – 2018

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Personal Statement and Essay Prompts 2020: AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS

Looking for a comprehensive index of all required essay prompts for the AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS applications?

Look no further. Personal statements, short essays, experience descriptions - it’s all covered here.

All the prompts and character limits were gathered online from primary sources ( AAMC , AACOM , etc.) or from our past 2019 students. We’ve tried to ensure that this information is accurate and up-to-date, but please note that it’s subject to change.

We want to be a one-stop shop for all the medical school primary essay prompts, so please let us know if you notice any discrepancies. Don’t forget to brush up on the AMCAS, AACOMAS, and TMDSAS Deadlines .

Oh, and if you’re looking for tips and examples, you’ll find those here, too.

Just follow the links:

Table of Contents

2020 AMCAS Essay Prompts

Personal Statement Prompt

Institutional Action Prompt

Disadvantaged Information Prompt

Experience Descriptions Prompt

Most Meaningful Remarks Prompt

2020 AACOMAS Essay Prompts

2020 tmdsas essay prompts.

Personal Characteristics Prompt

Optional Essay Prompt

Most Meaningful Essays Prompt

BONUS: All Medical School Secondary Essays 2019-2020 (by state)

2020 AMCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT PROMPT

(5300 characters max)

Use the space provided to explain why you want to go to medical school. The available space for your response is 5300 characters, or approximately one full page. You will receive an error message if you exceed the available space. For additional assistance, click "help" on the tool bar at the top of the screen.

There are a few follow up questions to help you:

• Why have you selected the field of medicine?
• What motivates you to learn more about medicine?
• What do you want medical schools to know about you that hasn't been disclosed in other sections of the application?
• Unique hardships, challenges, or obstacles that may have influenced your educational pursuits.
• Commentary on significant fluctuations in your academic record that are not explained elsewhere in your application.

SAVVY PRE-MED TIPS:

Whew, where to start? Hmm… probably here:

Savvy Pre-med's Ultimate Guide to Writing Your Personal Statement

But seriously, the personal statement is a complex, multifaceted process, so you might want to target certain areas. Here are some elements we’ve covered:

Getting Started on Your Draft

Writing Attention-Grabbing Hooks

Average vs. Compelling Personal Statements

Crafting Your “Why Medicine” Answer

Cliches to Avoid

How to Know Your Personal Statement is Finished

Our full archive of articles on the personal statement

Jump back to the Table of Contents .

2020 AMCAS INSTITUTIONAL ACTION PROMPT

(1325 characters max)

MILITARY DISCHARGE

The question asks if you’ve ever been discharged by the Armed Forces. If you answer Yes, you’ll be asked if you received an honorable discharge or discharge under honorable circumstances. If you answer No, you must explain in 1,325 characters the circumstances of your discharge, including the circumstances leading to your discharge, your period of service, and your rank at the time of discharge.

FELONIES AND MISDEMEANORS

You must indicate if you have ever been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, a felony crime or misdemeanor, excluding

(1) Any offense for which you were adjudicated as a juvenile

(2) Convictions that have been expunged or sealed by a court (in states where applicable).

You need not disclose any instance in which you:

• Were arrested but not charged

• Were arrested and charged, with the charges dropped

• Were arrested and charged, but found not guilty by a judge or jury

• Were arrested and found guilty by a judge or jury, with the conviction overturned on appeal

• Were arrested and found guilty but received an executive pardon

If you answer Yes, you’ll have 1,325 characters to explain the circumstances of your conviction, including the number of conviction(s), the nature of the offense(s) leading to conviction(s), the date(s) and location(s) of conviction(s), the sentence(s) imposed, and the type(s) of rehabilitation.

Academic Probation

You must answer "Yes" if you were ever the recipient of any institutional action resulting from unacceptable academic performance or a conduct violation, even if such action did not interrupt your enrollment or require you to withdraw. You must answer "Yes" even if the action does not appear on or has been deleted from your official transcripts due to institutional policy or personal petition. If you answer Yes, you’ll have 1,325 characters to explain the circumstances.

If you are not certain whether or not you have been the subject of an institutional action, contact the registrar, student affairs officer, or other appropriate party at the institution for confirmation of your record. Applicants who become the subject of an institutional action after certifying and submitting the AMCAS application must inform their designated medical schools that an action has occurred.

Don't feel obligated to fill all 1325 characters for this essay:

PARAGRAPH 1

1-2 sentences to explain the factors that led to the institutional action

It's wise to let the facts speak for themselves. If there were extenuating circumstances that led to this anomalous blip in your record, make sure to include those as evidence, BUT DON'T editorialize or try to make direct excuses for what happened. The goal in the beginning is to just acknowledge and own up to the IA.

PARAGRAPH 2

3-4 sentences to explain how you've rectified the situation

This will depend a lot on your situation, but typically, it will involve some kind of probation, mandatory classes, written letters, court appearances, etc. Beyond explaining the requirements you fulfilled and your current good standing, discuss the ways you've sought to improve overall as a person.

PARAGRAPH 3

1-2 sentences to explain the growth, personal qualities, and lessons you’ve gained

Again, this will depend a lot on your situation. Perhaps there's some activity or endeavor that you can use as "proof" of your growth as a person (i.e. tutoring other struggling students or serving on the student judiciary board). If not, just explain what you learned from the experience and how it's turned you into a better person moving forward.

2020 AMCAS DISADVANTAGED INFORMATION PROMPT

When you click the box on the AMCAS application to see if the status applies to you, here is what AMCAS provides:

Underserved: Do you believe, based on your own experiences or the experiences of family and friends, that the area in which you grew up was adequately served by the available health care professionals? Were there enough physicians, nurses, hospitals, clinics, and other health care service providers?

Immediate Family: The Federal Government broadly defines “immediate family” as “spouse, parent, child, sibling, mother or father-in-law, son or daughter-in-law, or sister or brother-in-law, including step and adoptive relationships.”

State and Federal Assistance Programs: These programs are specifically defined as “Means-Tested Programs” under which the individual, family, or household income and assets must be below specified thresholds. The sponsoring agencies then provide cash and non-cash assistance to eligible individuals, families, or households. Such programs include welfare benefit programs (federal, state, and local) Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC or ADC); unemployment compensation; General Assistance (GA); food stamps; Supplemental Security Income (SSI); Medicaid; housing assistance; or other federal, state, or local financial assistance programs.

If you think there are other circumstances that have contributed to your disadvantaged status that are not listed, don't feel constrained by the above.

In addition to requesting family financial data, AMCAS provides the opportunity for a 1,325 character statement explaining why you should be considered disadvantaged.

EXAMPLE PARAGRAPH 1

2-3 sentences to explain the factors that contribute to your disadvantaged status

I am blessed to have been adopted by my grandparents, who provided a stable life by removing me from a destructive environment with an absent father and drug-addicted mother. However, due to my grandparents’ age and physical limits, I missed out on many things people take for granted, like playing catch with one’s father or enjoying student-parent activities.

EXAMPLE PARAGRAPH 2

5-6 sentences to illustrate the day-to-day struggles as a result of your status

I am a first-generation college student who has been financially independent since age 18. My discipline stems from my teenage years when I worked manual labor on construction sites. This translated into dedication and focus, as I later sought a scholarship to subsidize my schooling and worked full-time alongside a rigorous course load. To fund my college experience, I attended a local university and gained merit-based aid, balancing school (20+ unit semesters) and three jobs (totaling 40+ hours/week). My lack of expendable income prevented me from accessing certain opportunities off-campus. Luckily, the Wilkinson Honors Scholarship provided a dorm stipend that covered most of my living expenses. However, to further cut costs, I went without a car and obtained an on-campus job and research opportunity.

EXAMPLE CONCLUSION

1-2 sentences to explain the growth, personal qualities, and lessons you’ve gained as a result of your status

Overall, my obstacles have given me more resolve to plan ahead, meet my goals, and help others do the same.

2020 AMCAS EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTIONS PROMPT

(15 activities or less, 700 characters max for each)

The Work/Activities section of the application is designed to give you the opportunity to highlight your work experience, extracurricular activities, awards, honors, or publications that you would like to bring to the attention of the medical schools to which you are applying.

You may enter a maximum of 15 experiences, and you may enter four separate date ranges for recurring experiences. This section cannot be edited or updated after the original submission of your application. Work and activities will appear on your application in chronological order and may not be rearranged. However, please be aware that medical schools sort your entries and view them in a variety of different orders to suit their specific review processes.

Medical schools receive your Work/Activities descriptions as plain text. Therefore, formatting options such as bulleted lists, indented paragraphs, and bold/italic fonts do not appear for reviewers and are not available.

You have the opportunity to describe or summarize each experience. The space allotted for each description is 700 characters.

We often get questions about whether it’s better to use bullet points or paragraphs for these descriptions. Either is fine! The key is being consistent in the way you choose to format your descriptions. Here’s an example of both methods:

BULLET POINT EXAMPLE

Outreach Coordinator                St. Augustine Orphanage, Tijuana, Mexico

- Planned, fundraised, and led a volunteer service trip to impoverished communities in Mexico

- Coordinated and managed a team of 20 volunteers and faculty

- Executed simple, precise interventions to spread change across a population

- Improved communication and bedside manner while engaging locals about their health problems and barriers to care

- Lived alongside children in multiple orphanages in Tijuana and poorer rural areas

- Brought clothes and supplies and provided hygiene demos for the children

- Gained insight into disparities and social determinants of health in underserved populations

- Wrote detailed protocol and reflection exercises for future leaders to use on their trips  

PARAGRAPH EXAMPLE

As outreach coordinator, I fundraised and led a service trip to impoverished communities in Mexico. In this role, I managed a team of 20 volunteers and faculty to execute interventions and spread change across a population. As part of this experience, we lived alongside children in multiple orphanages in Tijuana while donating supplies and providing hygiene demos. I improved my communication and bedside manner while engaging locals about their health problems and barriers. During this time, I gained insight into disparities and social determinants of health for the underserved. After the trip, I wrote a detailed protocol and reflection exercises for future leaders to use on their trips.

In your experience descriptions, try to show your “Trackable Progress”:

“Trackable progress” can be any number of things:

- Earned promotion within first three months of working for Lab XYZ

- Assigned new responsibilities of training recent hires and creating orientation manuals

- Ran promotional campaign that tripled our club’s active membership

- Garnered over half of the company’s referrals during the last two years

- Updated and improved the lab’s protocols to cut costs by more than half

If possible, support these bullets with quantitative evidence and stats (EX: raised membership by 50%, trained 50+ employees, etc). This data will show a lot about your contributions without taking up too much space.

020 AMCAS MOST MEANINGFUL REMARKS PROMPT

(choose 3 of your activities, 1325 characters max for each)

You may identify up to three experiences that you consider to be the most meaningful. This designation will allow you an additional 1,325 characters to explain why the experience(s) was particularly meaningful to you.

When writing your summary, you may want to consider the transformative nature of the experience, the impact you made while engaging in the activity, and the personal growth you experienced as a result of your participation. If you have two or more experience entries, you will be required to identify at least one as the more or most meaningful.

You may change which experience(s) you designate as Most Meaningful until the initial submission of your application. The text you entered in the Experience Summary section will be lost if you remove an experience from those you have designated as Most Meaningful. Your Most Meaningful selection(s) will be designated as such by a check-mark in the Work/Activities main screen.

If you’re in doubt about what to choose, many students will include one medically oriented activity, one leadership activity, and one extracurricular (research, service, etc). As long as you’ve invested significant time and energy into the activity (compared to your others), then it’s fair game for a most meaningful essay.  

Once you’ve narrowed down your possible choices based on time and commitment, you’ll want to ask yourself some brainstorming questions to determine the best activities and angles to explore in your most meaningful essays.

Remember that it’s okay to overlap the experiences of the personal statement and most meaningful essays, as long as you don’t repeat stories or lessons verbatim.

BRAINSTORMING QUESTIONS:

Which of the activities had the most setbacks or failures? Can you recall one or two specific moments that required your resilience?

Which of the activities presented the steepest learning curves? Why were they so challenging? Did you have to change something about yourself to succeed?

Did any of the activities expose you to people much different than yourself? Were their difficulties in communicating and collaborating with them?

Which of the activities most surprised you? Can you recall any moments within them when your perspective on medicine or life shifted?

Did you get more than expected out of a particular activity? Why? Vice versa, were there activities that disappointed you for some reason? How did you respond?

Which of the activities made you the most apprehensive? Why? Can you recall one or two moments that pushed you outside your comfort zone?

Which of the activities taught you a new skill that you otherwise wouldn’t have learned? Did you learn or realize how you could apply this skill moving forward?

How-to Guide and Most Meaningful Essay Example

5 Reasons You Should Apply to DO Schools - MUST READ!

2020 AACOMAS PERSONAL STATEMENT PROMPT

This section is where you can write a statement, which is shared with all your osteopathic medicine schools. Once you submit your application, you cannot edit this section.

• Keep your topic general : Keep the statement general as this essay is sent to all the programs you apply to. If you plan to only apply to one program, we still strongly recommend keeping your statement general in case you later apply to additional programs. Once you submit your application, the essay cannot be edited or changed.
• Do not exceed the maximum length : Refer to the number below the field in the application. This is the number of characters (not words) that you can use in your essay. As you type, you can see how many characters are still available. Characters include spaces, carriage returns, and punctuation. You cannot save your essay if it exceeds the character limit.
• Use your own words : Plagiarizing any part of your essay is a violation of the code of conduct and may subject you to sanctions.
• Use simple formatting : Formatting such as tabs, italics, multiple spaces, etc. will not be saved. To delineate paragraphs, type a double return between each paragraph.

Thankfully, the AACOMAS recently decided to give candidates more space, as compared to past years when you only had 4500 characters.

Still, most candidates face the challenge of converting an MD personal statement into a DO one. What to cut? What to add? What are the essentials to include?

We’ve distilled our years of wisdom from helping candidates down into:

5 Simple Steps to Turn Your AMCAS Essay into Your AACOMAS Essay

2020 AACOMAS DISADVANTAGED INFORMATION PROMPT

There is no essay on the AACOMAS to explain your disadvantaged status, but the application has a series of questions to categorize you:

(Yes/No) Your parent's family income falls within the table's guidelines and you are considered to have met the criteria for economically disadvantaged.

(Yes/No) I am from a family that lives in an area that is designated as a Health Professional Shortage Area or a Medically Underserved Area.

(Yes/No) I graduated from a high school at which many of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced price lunches.

(Yes/No) I am from a school district where 50% or less of graduates go to college or where college education is not encouraged.

(Yes/No) I am the first generation in my family to attend college (neither my mother nor my father attended college).

(Yes/No) English is not my primary language.

Savvy Pre-med Tips:

Use some space in the personal statement to elaborate on your disadvantaged background, especially if the circumstances require contextual explanation.

Also keep in mind that the DO secondary essays tend to be rather generous in the amount of space they provide (sometimes up to 500 words per essay). These essays will give you additional opportunities to discuss disadvantages.

Refer to our tips for the AMCAS Disadvantaged Information Prompt .

2020 AACOMAS INSTITUTIONAL ACTION PROMPT

(500 characters max)

Applicants will be asked to disclose information regarding prior criminal offenses. Failure to accurately and truthfully disclose such offenses on the AACOMAS application may result in an offer of admission being rescinded or, if the omission is discovered after enrollment in medical school, in dismissal.

Have you ever been disciplined for student conduct violations (e.g. academic probation, dismissal, suspension, disqualification, etc.) by any college or school?

Have you ever been disciplined for academic performance (e.g. academic probation, dismissal, suspension, disqualification, etc.) by any college or school?

Have you ever been convicted of a Felony?

Have you ever had any certification, registration, license or clinical privileges revoked, suspended or in any way restricted by an institution, state or locality?

Have you ever been convicted of a Misdemeanor?

If you answer Yes to any of these questions, you’ll have 500 characters to explain.

Refer to our tips for the AMCAS Institutional Action Prompt .

2020 AACOMAS EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTIONS PROMPT

(600 characters max for each entry)

Key differences between AACOMAS and AMCAS experience descriptions:

• AACOMAS does not have Most Meaningful Remarks
• AACOMAS gives you 100 fewer characters for your descriptions
• AACOMAS breaks its “Supporting Information” into Experiences and Achievements - no limit on the total number of entries for either
• AACOMAS has fewer category distinctions for Experiences (only volunteering, healthcare experience, or paid/non-healthcare experience)
• Achievements include honors/awards, presentations, or publications
• Distinguish your AACOMAS hobbies as “non-healthcare experience”

Refer to our tips for the AMCAS Experience Descriptions Prompt .

2020 TMDSAS PERSONAL STATEMENT PROMPT

(5000 characters max)

The personal statement essay is limited to 5000 characters, including spaces. Explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. Be sure to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician.

Refer to our tips for the AMCAS Personal Statement Prompt .

2020 TMDSAS PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS PROMPT

(2500 characters max)

The personal characteristics essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces. Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others.

It’s wise to choose one of your Most Meaningful AMCAS essays and expand upon it (from 1325 to 2500 characters).

Is one of your three Most Meaningfuls more distinct than the other two? Does one focus on a more atypical pre-med activity? If so, that’s probably the one to choose, since this prompt is looking for “diverse backgrounds and experiences.”

If all three of your Meaningfuls feel equally distinct (or equally average), pick the one that would give you the most useful insights to share with your future classmates (i.e. “add to the educational experience of others”).

When adding content (~1000 characters) to your Most Meaningful, here’s where to focus your attention:

Add 1-2 sentences to the “hook” of the essay (paragraph 1) to make the experience even more vivid and concrete for the reader

Add 3-4 sentences to the “plot” of the essay (paragraph 1 or 2) to expound on your biggest responsibilities, contributions, and accomplishments

Add 3-4 sentences to the “reflection” of the essay (paragraph 2 or 3) to explain how this activity and its lessons make you a diverse and valuable candidate

Refer to our tips for the AMCAS Most Meaningful Essays Prompt .

2020 TMDSAS OPTIONAL ESSAY PROMPT

The optional essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces. The optional essay is an opportunity to provide the admissions committee(s) with a broader picture of who you are as an applicant. This essay is optional; however, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. Briefly state any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application. This is not an area to continue your essay or reiterate what you have previously stated - this area is provided to address any issues which have not previously been addressed.

If you’ve written or will be writing a Disadvantaged Essay for the MD application (discussed in the following module), then it makes sense to use that same essay here and expand upon it (from 1325 to 2500 characters).

When adding content (~1000 characters) to your Disadvantaged Essay, here’s where to focus your attention:

Add 1-2 sentences to the “hook” of the essay (paragraph 1) to make your backstory even more vivid and concrete for the reader

Add 3-4 sentences to the “plot” of the essay (paragraph 1 or 2) to expound on your biggest challenges, obstacles, limitations, etc.

Add 3-4 sentences to the “reflection” of the essay (paragraph 2 or 3) to explain how your hardships and their lessons make you a valuable candidate

Even if you’re not disadvantaged, you should still answer this TMDSAS Optional Essay by using another one of your Most Meaningfuls. With the two choices remaining, choose the one that has more autobiographical or personal relevance, or perhaps the one that better illustrates your exemplary qualities (leadership, creativity, problem solving, innovation, initiative, etc.).

Add 3-4 sentences to the “reflection” of the essay (paragraph 2 or 3) to explain how this activity and its lessons make you a valuable candidate

2020 TMDSAS DISADVANTAGED INFORMATION PROMPT

There is no essay on the TMDSAS to explain your disadvantaged status, but the application has a series of Yes/No questions to categorize your socioeconomic standing:

1st generation undergraduate:

1st generation graduate:

Parent/guardian of dependent children:

Primary language:

Bilingual or multilingual:

Fluent in languages other than English:

Household size:

Household income:

Residential property value:

Ever live in subsidized housing:

Ever receive benefits from the Federal Free and Reduced Meal program:

Responsibilities raising other children in household while attending elementary and/or high school:

Were you required to contribute to the overall family income (as opposed to working primarily for your own discretionary spending money) while attending high school:

Zip Code to age 18:

Lived outside US to age 18:

Percentage of college expenses provided by:

Academic scholarships:

Financial need-based scholarships:

Jobs/Employment:

Other Sources:

Received a Pell Grant during undergraduate education:

Still full-time student:

Use the TMDSAS Optional Essay to elaborate on your disadvantages.

Refer to our tips for the TMDSAS Optional Essay Prompt .

2020 TMDSAS INSTITUTIONAL ACTION PROMPT

(600 characters max)

If you answer Yes to any of the following questions, you’ll be given 600 characters to explain.

(Yes/No) Has your education ever been interrupted for any reason?

(Yes/No) Were you ever the recipient of any action by any college or professional school for unacceptable academic performance?

(Yes/No) Were you ever the recipient of any action by any college or professional school for conduct violations?

(Yes/No) Have you ever been sanctioned or received disciplinary action by a State Licensure Board of any kind (i.e., nursing, pharmacy, legal, etc.)?

(Yes/No) Are you currently under charge or have you ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, or have you ever received a felony or misdemeanor deferred adjudication?

2020 TMDSAS EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTIONS PROMPT

(300 characters max for each entry, no limit on number of entries)

Healthcare and Employment Activities may be listed in each category if the experience was a paid position; otherwise, do not list experiences in more than one section. For example, a scribing job would be listed in both Healthcare Activities and Employment. The Employment and Activities categories are as follows:

• Academic Recognition
• Non-Academic Recognition
• Research Activities
• Healthcare Activities
• Community Service
• Extracurricular & Leisure Activities
• Planned Activities
• Identifying Top Meaningful Activities

REFER TO OUR TIPS FOR THE AMCAS EXPERIENCE DESCRIPTIONS PROMPT .

2020 tmdsas most meaningful essays prompt.

(choose 3 of your activities, 500 characters max for each)

This section was recently added last cycle. The TMDSAS now asks you to identify three top meaningful activities.

With only 500 characters, try to capture the activity through an emotionally-gripping or inspirational scene:

As our team approached the scene, we were greeted by the scorched remnants of Dave’s trailer - four deflated tires and a melted frame - the result of an arsonist attack. This was my first ride-along with the American Red Cross. The Disaster Action Team provided clothes, water, blankets, and a few hundred dollars, but it was clear Dave needed more than temporary supplies. A humble realization set in - I will not be able to save everyone, but I will always strive to be a buoy to keep them afloat.

499 characters

END OF CONTENTS

We hope you find this resource useful. Make sure to bookmark it as a reference throughout your application cycle!

If these essays feel overwhelming, you can BOOK A FREE MEETING with our expert medical school advisors for more guidance. We’ve helped hundreds of students write their personal statements and essays, and we’d love to help you on your writing journey!

Good luck!  

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• Medical School Application

TMDSAS Optional Essay Example

There is a lot you can learn from a TMDSAS optional essay example. TMDSAS (short for the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Applications Services) is the central organization through which participating Medical Schools in Texas have come together to help with the success of aspiring physicians, podiatrists, dentists, and veterinarians. We will have a look at how you can apply to join these fields in detail and with optional essay examples to help with the process.

If you’re applying to medical schools in the United States, you are probably already familiar with the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) – which is a centralized online application processing service for applying to most medical schools in the country.

But, if you plan to apply to medical, dental, or veterinary schools in the state of Texas, you should know that the state uses its own application service – the  Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) .

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

Article Contents 7 min read

Should i take the tmdsas or amcas path.

If you are applying to join the 20 or so medical, dentistry or veterinary school in Texas (listed below), then you have to go the TMDSAS way. These schools strictly accept students through TMDSAS which means, that is your only option.

The TMDSAS application process has its own rules and regulations . Many, but not all, medical, dental, and veterinary schools in Texas use TMDSAS, and we will have a look at the participating schools next, but it is up you to know which institutions do and do not use this application system.

What are the Participating Universities?

The participating medical schools are:

What is the application fee?

As for the information regarding the payment information, the application fee is a non-refundable, flat fee of $200.00. They only accept credit card payments and warn that TMDSAS does not grant application fee waivers.

Looking for more help with your application? Check out these tips for your TMDSAS personal statement:

What is this Optional Essay?

The TMDSAS essays guide website has all the information you may need regarding all essays that need to be submitted.

There is one optional essay that applies to all participants, regardless of the school they are applying to. This essay offers you an opportunity to provide the admissions committee with a broader picture of who you are as an applicant. The essay is optional; however, you are strongly advised to take advantage of this opportunity.

Optional Essay Prompt – briefly discuss any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application, which have not previously been presented. Optional Essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

There are 4 things to remember about essays:

The best way to avoid formatting issues is by typing your essays directly into the TMDSAS application instead of copying and pasting them from word processing applications. Also, copying formatted text into the application may result in issues that can\u2019t be edited once the application has been submitted. "}]">

TMDSAS Optional Essay Examples

Tmdsas optional essay example 1:.

I arrived here as a refugee from Guatemala carrying the dream of becoming a doctor with me.

I grew up in a neighborhood where gang warfare is rife. A day would start with us kids kicking a ball around, skipping rope, and just running about. Without warning, we would be running for our homes screaming and terrified as guns blared and bullets were sprayed.

One day, in the mid of a gang firefight, I saw my friend get shot by a stray bullet. As I came running out to help him I noticed no one was coming to help us. I held him and although he was unresponsive, I knew he was passing away.

I never forgot that day and my friend stayed in my heart and mind to this day.

When we realized there was going to be no reprieve from the daily shootouts we decided to leave the country and head to America.

Once the decision was made, it wasn’t long before we slipped out into the night, got into a truck that we were sharing with two other families, and headed to the border. It would be a difficult journey from then on. There were jungles, rivers, and deserts to cross. We would be hungry, and thirsty, and some people would die on that voyage. I can still remember it all.

Three months later, we had crossed into Texas and had started life in Houston living as illegal immigrants in a one-bedroom apartment.

I graduated from high school with a full 4.0 GPA and went on to study Biology and also graduated with a full 4.0 GPA.

But, all this time, I never forgot my friend who died in my arms and how helpless I felt.

I have been asked what inspired me to work hard in high school and continue to do so through college. The answer was simple: I promised to never feel so helpless again in case of an emergency – whether or not it was someone I knew– needed medical attention. I wanted to become a doctor.

And even at a young age, I knew that it would be tough to become a doctor and made it my one goal in life to study as hard as I could until I achieved my dream.

I didn’t let anything get in my way. The fact that we were called DACA kids didn’t make me feel any less of a student. The fact that I had to work two shifts all through college didn’t deter me from squeezing every single minute of the remaining time to study hard. I found strength in aiming for that one target: a medical degree.

That day, when my friend was shot, gave birth to my dreams of saving lives. And that dream - it crossed borders, it grew up with me, and it led me to this very application. (2450 characters)

I have never dreamt I would pursue a career in medicine. As a child, whenever I was asked what I wanted to become when I grew up, my career of choice depended on the last movie I had seen or one that involved action figures – becoming a fireman, a police officer, or a soldier.

Growing up, and being on the skinny side, I realized I didn’t want to become one of those professions. The reason was mainly that I was too lazy to even think of bulking up or undergoing physical training and maintaining the fitness they needed. I also realized that jobs came with plenty of risks and even death.

Well, especially, death – neither mine nor that of another human’s.

Thoughts like this made me realize that I wouldn’t be able to help people in dangerous and explosive situations. But, I did realize that I could save people through medicine.

This realization made me work hard in school. I knew if I wanted to become a doctor, I needed to know more than just what was needed to pass my exams.

And yet, what sealed my belief in my wanting to become a doctor was what happened one night when my younger brother, who had a bad cold suddenly woke up coughing and gasping for breath. We shared a bedroom and his panicked gasps and writhing while he sat in bed staring big-eyed was something that will remain with me forever.

Although he was 10 and I was only 3 years older than him, I didn’t panic. It just felt like I knew what I was supposed to do.

I got out of bed, went behind him, and without hesitating, simply performed the Heimlich maneuver. It wasn’t something I had ever done before. I had seen it in first aid class in school, in a movie or two, and books.

After two or three heaves, the phlegm cleared from his throat and he slumped with relief against me as the air rushed back into his lungs.

That shared experience (our parents didn’t hear about it until years later), apart from bringing my brother and I closer, made me realize there was no greater joy than being able to help someone in need.

I joined every first aid class, started watching documentaries about biology, and just immersed myself in learning what it takes to become a doctor.

Today, I know that I am a doctor at heart. I just need the education to become one in real life. (2233 characters)

Check out this video for more tips about your TMDSAS optional essay:

Care to take when writing the TMDSAS Optional Essay

Here are some points to consider when it comes to writing your TMDSAS optional essay example:

1.   Although it is optional, don’t opt out

Don’t be fooled by the “optional” part of the essay. The US medical school acceptance rates are an indication that it isn’t easy to get a medical degree.

The optional essay is one of the tools that help you get a foot in the door. It is a way for the admissions committee to see whether you are a good fit for the medical profession as well as the schools you are applying to.

2.   Take your time – but start early

Although it might seem like a small project, writing an essay of any type – be it a TMDSAS Personal Statement or an optional essay – you need to give it your full attention and write it with care.

Also, don’t wait until the last minute before you complete the essay. You need to take time to read, and re-read it a few times before you decide it is the final draft.

If you find it a challenge, you will also have the time to work with a medical school admissions consultant to get help, not just with your essays, but the entire application process.

3.   Read the prompt – write for the prompt

Be careful with the prompt, always read it and make sure the essay addresses the question or request. Keep modifying it as needed to ensure it covers the topic fully.

4.   Spell check and grammar check

Although the gist of your essay matters a lot, it isn’t the only thing you should focus on. An important thing to do is make sure you have spell-checked your essay and that the grammar is correct.

Even when English isn’t your first language, you can use various tools. There are various AI tools you can use to make it as perfect as can be.

5.   Stick to the Instructions

The TMDSAS optional essay asks that you shouldn’t exceed 2,500 characters (with space). Of course, you can write an essay with a lower number of characters, but as a rule of thumb , do not cross the 10% margin (about 2,250 characters).

The TDMSAS optional essay example we have seen will help give you an idea about what you need to do when you apply to any of the participating medical schools in Texas. The main point to take from this article is that you shouldn’t skip it, you need to answer the prompt, and follow the instructions to the letter (or space).

The medical school acceptance rates by major hovers at around 47%. Physical Sciences majors have a higher chance of being accepted than Biological Science and Social Sciences.

The prompt asks what personal journey led you to apply for medical school. It is your chance to explain what your journey was like, what made you decide medicine was for you, and any obstacles you had to overcome to get to where you are today.

Open up about your dreams, your aspirations, and your passions. Avoid controversial topics and dramatic stories. You want to reach out to the admissions officers, not turn them off of your application.

You can touch on your special skill sets, personal achievements, and educational or professional milestones.

You can only submit one application per cycle, and select as many schools as you would like to apply to with one application. You cannot submit multiple applications.

If you had applied the previous year, then you do not need to create a new account. The account that you had is still available for you to use again. Although most of the information you had previously uploaded will be available and usable, you will also need to update some of it. For example, you will need to update your photo, essays, Photo, letters of evaluation, proof of residency, and more. More information can be found on the TMDSAS applicant history page .

Not all schools or programs that use TMDSAS will consider international applicants. Some will only review and consider applicants who are U.S. citizens or legal Permanent Residents. As well, whether or not you are a resident of the state of Texas will impact your application's consideration and the medical school tuition you will pay if accepted.

There are over 20 Texas medical schools that will only accept applicants through TMDSAS. These schools do not see them on AMCAS – except for Baylor – and this means this is your only chance of getting in. Therefore, if you’re looking to join one of these schools, you will need to go through TMDSAS.

Although the essay is “optional” you really shouldn’t consider skipping it. This essay allows you to address any issues that have not previously been able to include in your application so far. Therefore, use the unique opportunity to provide the review committee with a more complete picture of who you are and what you can bring to the medical program of your choice.

TMDSAS administers a matching process for facilitating the acceptance of medical applicants who are Texas residents. The TMDSAS Match is done to confirm the pre-match offers that some applicants may be holding and fill the remaining open slots for the medical schools. The TMDSAS matching process takes place on March 4th at 8 a.m. CST. Essentially, the TMDSAS Match is conducted to confirm the pre-match offers that some applicants may be holding and fill the remaining open slots for the medical schools.

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• Applicant Agreement
• Select Schools
• Applicant History
• Personal Information
• Education History
• Letters of Evaluation

Transcripts

• Test Scores
• Chronology of Activities
• Certification & Payment
• After Submitting

Next Steps After Submitting

It does not end when you submit your application. Read the information below to stay on track with your application status, communication with TMDSAS and the schools, secondaries, and more.

Check Your Messages

As a current applicant, the internal messaging system is the official mode of communication with TMDSAS, not email . Important messages will be sent to you directly through this feature in your TMDSAS Application Portal .

• Response times may be longer during peak season (May - July).

Quick Links

How long will it take to process my application, letters, and scores.

After you submit your application, TMDSAS will process and transmit your application to the schools you have selected on your application. You will receive an email notification when your application has been processed and transmitted to the schools. Missing l e tters and scores do not cause a delay to the primary application processing time .

TMDSAS Processing Times

• TMDSAS Application: Up to 4 weeks  
• Direct Uploads: Up to 10 business days
• Evaluation Form: Instant
• Interfolio: Up to 14 business days
• Test Scores: Up to 36 hours after the applicant releases their scores.

Monitor the TMDSAS Homepage for application and letter processing times.

*Business days refers to regular business hours of operation M-F from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. CT.

TMDSAS will only send an email transcript request to:

• Dental, medical, and podiatry applicants who have been accepted  
• Veterinary applicants who have been interviewed

How do I check the status of my letters and scores?

Step 1 : Sign into the TMDSAS Application Portal .

Step 2 : Click on the [Status] link from the menu on the right-hand side of the application.

How will I know if my courses have met the prerequisite requirements?

Once your application is transmitted, you will have access to your PCR (Prerequisite Coursework Report). The PCR will tell you if you have prerequisite hour deficiencies. Courses on this report will include courses that met the prerequisite requirements. However, this report will NOT include all courses that count towards your BCPM GPA.

For a full description of the PCR, see here .

Reviewing Your Prerequisite Coursework Report (PCR)

During processing, the information entered in the [College Coursework] section of the application is reviewed with the Coursework Definitions and/or corresponding course listing from the applicant’s college(s) attended. This ensures that all coursework is listed and properly coded.   Be aware that TMDSAS may make changes if courses are coded incorrectly . 

Now that your application has been transmitted, we recommend that you look through your Prerequisite Coursework Report (PCR) to see if there were any unexpected changes to your coursework that may have created a deficiency. You will also have the opportunity to review the GPAs calculated by TMDSAS.

WHAT IS THE PCR?  To view a sample PCR with explanation  Click Here!

Prerequisite coursework report (pcr).

The PCR is a document created upon the transmission of your application to the schools to which you have selected to apply. Your PCR only shows courses that are coded as pre-requisites. It does not include courses coded as other science, math, or non-science. The PCR is used by TMDSAS and its member institutions to easily show if an applicant is deficient in any of the prescribed coursework areas. It is important to also note that the PCR is calculated based on the general common education requirements for all TMDSAS member institutions. It does not change based on specific requirements one school may have. For example: the biochemistry coursework area will still appear on your PCR even if you only apply to one school and that school does not have a biochemistry requirement. It is important for applicants to know and understand the education requirements required by each school they are applying to.

(Veterinary applicants please note that since communications is a school specific requirement, it will not appear on your PCR) .

View your PCR

Your PCR can be downloaded as a PDF from your application homepage under “To view your Application or PCR in PDF form, click on the links below for the entry year.” It will appear as a blue hyperlink. Be aware that you may need to turn off your pop-up blockers in order to download the PDF.

How to read your PCR  

The PCR is comprised of the following sections:

• Applicant information: name, TMDSAS ID, and Entry Year
• Validation status and PCR date: the PCR date will update anytime your coursework is updated post-transmission, validation status is denoted by “Yes" or "No” and does not impact the review of your application since this is a process which occurs later in the application cycle.
• *Animal and Agriculture Sciences for Veterinary applicants only
• **Engineering is not a general education requirement or prerequisite. However, please refer to the individual programs at the schools to which you are applying for any additional coursework requirements. 

Courses that have been coded as prerequisites will populate under the corresponding coursework section. At the end of each coursework section is a shaded area that lists the PCR hours, GPA hours, GPA, hours deficient, lecture hours deficient, and lab hours deficient. This is the area you will want to check for deficiencies. If you are deficient in any of the coursework areas then you will see a number greater than zero next to “Hr Def”. Any deficiencies are broken down between lecture and lab hours.

Important!     Future/planned coursework that do not yet have grades are not calculated into your PCR hours until the course has been completed and your grade has been reported.

The prerequisites that I took during the pandemic aren't included on my PCR but my university implemented a pass/fail grading policy during the pandemic so I was only able to receive a pass/fail grade?

Courses taken for a pass/fail or credit/no credit grade will not appear on the PCR. However, as long as the course satisfies the pre-requisite they will be coded as such. Due to the pandemic, the schools have agreed to accept pre-requisites taken on a pass/fail basis for the Spring 2020 (including Winter 2020 term on a quarter system) and Summer 2020 terms. For more information about the schools' pandemic response, please visit:  TMDSAS Update: COVID-19 Impacts on EY 2021 (txhes.com) .

Some of my courses are not listed on my PCR?

If courses are not included on your PCR then it was determined that those courses did not satisfy the pre-requisites. Remember, your PCR only shows courses that are coded as pre-requisites. It does not include courses coded as Other Science, Math, or Non-Science. Your courses were coded according to the   official course listing   from your institution.

Important!   Keep in mind that the schools are able to view all of your coursework when reviewing your application.

If you have any questions about the way your coursework was coded, message your application liaison. They can help you work through the appeal process. Before submitting an appeal   please verify that all course numbers were entered correctly and ask if you have any questions   – liasons may be able to help you resolve your coursework concerns without going through the appeal process.

My application has been transmitted and when I reviewed my PCR it shows that I’m deficient in one or more pre-requisites, why is this?  

You could be deficient for a couple of reasons: 

• When processing your application, TMDSAS reviews your courses to verify that they meet the pre-requisite requirements. If something was changed it was because the course(s) did not meet the pre-requisite requirements and thus were coded incorrectly. You are welcome to appeal this decision, please follow the instructions listed in the   Submitting Appeals to TMDSAS   section. 
• Although future coursework is included in your PCR, the hours are not included in the calculation until a grade has been entered. There is nothing you need to do, as the schools are used to this and still take these courses into consideration. This is an important reason why you should update your grades with TMDSAS after each semester.

How does TMDSAS calculate my GPA and what is included in the GPA?

TMDSAS follows the guidelines set forth by The Texas Coordinating Board for Higher Education for calculating the GPA for students seeking admission to a graduate or professional school in the state of Texas. All institutions must follow these guidelines. You can view these guidelines in the   General Guidelines for Applicants section of the TMDSAS Policies .

When do I submit secondary applications?

Secondary applications should be completed as soon as you submit your TMDSAS application. Any questions relating to a secondary application, documents, and/or fees required should be sent directly to the school, NOT TMDSAS. 

Schools That Require A Secondary Application

Dental .

A secondary application is required by the following dental schools before the TMDSAS application is considered:

• There is no fee for this secondary application.

A secondary application is  required by the following medical schools:

• A Baylor College of Medicine Supplemental Application is required of all applicants. Applicants will receive an email invitation to complete the secondary application after submission of their TMDSAS application. 
• The BCM supplemental application fee is $100 for all applicants, accepted through electronic payments only. Mailed checks and money orders will not be accepted.
• Candidates will receive an email invitation from the medical school to complete the secondary application after an initial review of their TMDSAS application.   The school uses a unique video secondary application. If selected, the applicant receives an email invitation with details on how to prepare and submit the video through a free online portal.
• Candidates will receive an email invitation from the medical school to complete the secondary application after an initial review of their TMDSAS application. 
• The JSSOM supplemental application fee is $70.
• Candidates will receive an email invitation from the medical school to complete the secondary application after an initial review of their TMDSAS application.
• The secondary application fee is $80.
• Candidates will receive an email invitation from the medical school to complete the secondary application after an initial review of their TMDSAS application .
• The SHSU-COM accepts e-checks and all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and JCB Diner Club) for payment of the non-refundable application fee of $75. The supplemental application and fee are required for consideration.
• Invitations to submit the secondary application will be made available upon completion and verification of the medical school primary application by TMDSAS. All will receive an email invitation to submit the secondary, you will need your TMDSAS ID number before you can create an account to submit the secondary application.
• TAMU COM accepts only credit cards for payment of the non-refundable application fee of $60. The secondary application and fee are required for consideration. 
• Candidates will receive an email invitation from the medical school to complete the secondary application after an initial review of their TMDSAS application.  
• The secondary application fee is $60, and may be paid by credit card.
• Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine at University of Houston
• TMDSAS applications will be reviewed  beginning in June .
• Selected applicants will receive email instructions with a link to the secondary application.
• There is a $60 fee to submit this application.
• Applications will be considered complete and ready for further review once all MCAT scores and letters of recommendation are received along with the completed secondary application.
• In addition to the TMDSAS application, applicants are required to submit a secondary application directly to TCOM, available through the TCOM admissions portal. Applicants must create an account in the portal. Applicants will not receive an email invitation to complete the secondary application.
• The fee for the TCOM application is $50.
• Candidates will receive an email invitation from the school to complete the secondary application when your application is transmitted to the school.
• Deadline to complete the secondary application is November 15.

A secondary application is required by the following veterinary schools before the TMDSAS application is considered:

• Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine Secondary Application
• Candidates will receive an email invitation from the school to complete the secondary application once they complete the TMDSAS application and meet the School of Veterinary Medicine's admissions requirements.
• Deadline to complete the secondary application is September 30, 2024 at 5 PM CT.
• The secondary application fee is $75 at the time of submission.

Does my school require CASPer?

Some TMDSAS schools also require that you submit your CASPer test results to enhance fairness and objectivity in the selection process. Please direct any questions about the test to [email protected] NOT to TMDSAS. 

Go to www.takealtus.com to sign up and reserve a test using your TMDSAS ID and a piece of government-issued photo ID. CASPer test results are valid for one admissions cycle . Applicants who have already taken the test in previous years will therefore be expected to retake it.

Schools That Require CASPer

Medical Schools Requiring CASPer

Baylor College of Medicine

All BCM applicants to the Medical School and Medical Scientist Training Program are required to complete an online situational judgment test called CASPer (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics). A CASPer score is required in order to be considered for an interview. We do not require Duet or Snapshot.

John Sealy School of Medicine at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

• All applicants applying to the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston should complete both the CASPer and Duet assessments via the Altus Suite. Successful completion of CASPer is mandatory in order to maintain admission eligibility for screening. Duet is a pilot and only strongly encouraged. Applicants will not be penalized if they choose not to complete it.
• October 14, 2021 is the last CASPer test date that UTMB will accept

Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio

• All applicants applying to the Long School of Medicine should complete both the CASPer and Duet assessments via the Altus Suite. Successful completion of CASPer is mandatory in order to maintain admission eligibility. Duet is a pilot and only strongly encouraged. Applicants will not be penalized if they choose not to complete it.

McGovern Medical School

• A CASPer test score is required in order to be considered for an interview. This school does not require Duet or Snapshot.

Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

• All applicants applying to Sam Houston State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (SHSU-COM) should complete all the Altus Suite assessments (CASPer, Snapshot, and Duet). CASPer, Snapshot, and Duet are mandatory in order to move forward in the admissions process.

Texas A&M University College of Medicine

• All applicants applying to the College of Medicine at Texas A&M University are required to complete CASPer and Duet from the Altus Suite as part of their application.  The College of Medicine is piloting Duet in 2021 to determine how the additional information will assist us further in our review and selection of applicants.

Texas Tech University HSC School of Medicine

• Applicants to TTUHSC School of Medicine are only required to complete the Casper test. 
• Visit TTUHSC SOM website for more info.

Texas Tech University HSC,   Paul L. Foster School of Medicine

• All applicants to the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine are required to complete an online assessment (CASPer), to assist with our selection process. Successful completion of a current CASPer is mandatory in order to maintain admission eligibility and scores must be received before being considered for an interview.
• CASPer test results are valid for one admissions cycle. Applicants who have already taken the test in previous years will therefore be expected to re-take it.
• Paul L. Foster School of Medicine will not require Snapshot nor Duet.

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

• This school requires that the Casper score be reported/on file by an applicant’s interview date.
• This school does  not require Duet or Snapshot. Applicants are only required to complete Casper from the Altus Suite for application to UT Southwestern Medical School.
• For more information, visit: https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/education/medical-school/admissions/casper-information.html

The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine

• UT Tyler SOM requires applicants to complete CASPer and Duet from the Altus Suite.

Veterinary Schools Requiring CASPer

Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine

• Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine requires the CASPer situational judgment test for the Fall 2024 Admissions Cycle. The deadline to submit the CASPer is September 28, 8 pm EST.

Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine

• Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine no longer requires the CASPer situational judgment test.

Altus Suite

Some participating schools may require the CASPer, Duet, and/or Snapshot as part of the Altus Suite. These are available for the same cost as the base CASPer exam.

Here's What You Need to Know about CASPer and Altus Suite

Learn More about CASPer

Can I make changes after submitting?

After you submit, certain sections of the application will be locked and cannot be updated while other sections must be updated (as applicable) such as your courses and grades.

Updating Grades at the End of Each Term

Update your new grades/changes to planned coursework between the application deadline and your planned entry date to professional school. Updates will be made available to your designated schools.

• Log in to the TMDSAS Application Portal and update the [College Coursework] section. 
• Change course grades that have a 'NY - Not Yet Reported' grade to a letter grade.
• If you cannot make changes to a term, send a message to TMDSAS via the messaging feature in your TMDSAS Application Portal.

Below is a breakdown of your access to each section after you submit.

• Approved Changes after Submitting

Yes : TMDSAS will make the change. Send a message via your TMDSAS Application Portal Messaging System. No : TMDSAS will not make any changes. Update : Changes will not be made on the application. TMDSAS will provide an update uploaded to application file. Send a message via your TMDSAS Application Portal Messaging System. *Excluding Essay: TMDSAS will update the original answer selection, but will not update the essay. A generic template in the short-response will be provided.

*Last updated 04/15/2024

What is the TMDSAS Match?

Only Texas resident medical applicants who have been interviewed by at least one TMDSAS school by the School Rank Preference Deadline will participate in the TMDSAS Match.

The TMDSAS Match is conducted to confirm the pre-match offers that some applicants may be holding and fill the remaining open slots for the medical schools. Match Day is the day in which you find out where you’ll be going to medical school!

• TMDSAS Match

Non-Texas residents, MD/PhD, DO/PhD, MD/MBA and Assured Acceptance Program applicants are NOT included in the match process.

Learn about the tmdsas match .

TMDSAS administers a matching process for all Texas resident medical applicants. Essentially, the TMDSAS Match is conducted to confirm the pre-match offers that some applicants may be holding and fill the remaining open slots for the medical schools. Applicants that have not received pre-match offers can still match to a school where they have interviewed. Applicants holding a pre-match offer can match to a school that they ranked higher than their pre-match offer school even if they did not receive a pre-match from the higher ranked school. Any applicants holding multiple pre-match offers will come out of the match with one acceptance.

Eligible applicants rank all schools at which they interviewed according to their preference for attendance. The medical schools then submit to TMDSAS their ranked lists of the applicants they have interviewed. TMDSAS then matches applicants with their highest preference school in which they were also in the match range for the school's list. Refer to the Deadlines and Important Dates page for this year's Match timeline.

Applicants are still eligible to receive alternate offers from schools they ranked higher on their list than the match offer they received, if any. 

We've created this video to run through potential scenarios in the TMDSAS Match to provide examples on how to navigate through this process.

Pre-Match Offers 

• Prior to the match, medical schools may extend offers of acceptance to Texas residents for a period between October 15th and January 31st.  
• Applicants may accept offers from more than one medical school during the pre-match offer period without the risk of an offer being withdrawn by a medical school during the pre-match offer period.  
• An applicant who receives more than one offer should decline any offer from a school that he/she definitely does not plan to attend as soon as that decision is made. 
• Offers of acceptance should only be considered valid if an acceptance letter is received. Verbal offers of acceptance or ranking are not binding to either the applicant or medical schools. 

Match Process & Entering Your Match Preference 

The ability to enter your match preferences will be available on August 1 at 8:00 a.m. CST. This applies only to medical applicants who are Texas residents. 

To enter your match preferences, you must log in to the application. Once you are logged in, click on the [School Rank Preference] link under [Pending Actions] on the right-hand side of the page. You will only see this link once a school has updated your status to "Interviewed". If you do not see the link, your status has not yet been updated by the medical school.

• Applicants holding a pre-match offer who have interviewed at school(s) that did not extend an offer can rank one or more of those schools higher than the pre-match offer school without risk of losing the pre-match offer (as long as you do not match to a higher ranked school). 
• An applicant holding a pre-match offer who matches to a higher ranked school will automatically be withdrawn from that pre-match offer school.  They will be withdrawn from all other lower ranked schools. The applicant will remain open to be selected by schools ranked higher than the school matched to. 
• Applicants who have interviewed at only one school must still rank that one school before the deadline. 
• Following the match, the standard rolling admissions process will continue through the beginning of orientation at each medical school.
• If you are holding multiple pre-match offers, you will come out of the match holding only one offer . 
• After the rank preference date, applicants are no longer able to view your preferences in the application portal. You will want to keep a screen-shot of your preferences for your records.

How to View Match Results: 

To view your match results, log in to the application.  On the right-hand side of the screen, under [Pending Actions], click on [School Rank Preference]. If you matched to a school, the school name will be listed.   

If you did not match to a school, keep in mind that the standard rolling admissions will begin after the match process and continue through the beginning of orientation at each medical school.  You will be contacted directly by a medical school if you are moved to their alternate list or made an offer after the match process. 

For more additional information on how the Match is conducted please see the  policies on conducting the match .

Who participates in the match?  Texas resident medical applicants that have been interviewed by at least one TMDSAS school will participate in the match. 

Do I have to enter a preference rank if I interviewed at only one school?  Yes, a preference rank must be entered for all schools at which you interviewed even if you only interviewed at one school. 

I've been interviewed at a school but they are not showing on my [School Preference Rank] page.   If a school does not show on your [School Preference Rank] page then your status at that school has not yet been updated to "Interviewed." The medical schools are responsible for updating these statuses and have their own procedures for when the updates are made. Allow for a few weeks after your interview before contacting the school about updating your status. 

Can I match to a school even if I did not receive a pre-match offer?  Yes. Applicants that do not receive pre-match offers can still be matched during the match.

General Guidelines for Conduct of the Match

• SECTION I:  THE MATCH PROCESS
• SECTION II: RECRUITING AND SCHOLARSHIPS
• SECTION III:  COMMUNICATION TO APPLICANTS ABOUT THE MATCH
• SECTION IV:  VIOLATION OF THE MATCH
• SECTION V:  POST-MATCH APPLICANT REQUESTS

The Match is unique to the participating schools in the State of Texas.  No other group of medical schools in the U.S. has a comparable process for selecting their entering class that also includes a method for limiting the number of positions an applicant may hold at one time. The selections are made from lists of applicants considered acceptable by the respective schools as a result of an evaluation process. The process is conducted in a spirit of cooperation and trust among the participating schools and respect and consideration for the applicants and their choice of schools. The Match is the final step in the process of extending initial offers of acceptance for each participating medical school’s entering class.  The process for extending offers of acceptance is as follows: 

• Formal offers of acceptance to the restricted Early Decision Programs at UT Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, Texas Tech University HSC-Lubbock, and UNT Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine will be extended no later than October 1, 2023.  These applicants are not included in the match. 
• Formal offers of acceptance to non-Texas residents, MD/PhD, DO/PhD, MD/MBA and FMAT candidates may be extended on or after October 15, 2023.  These applicants are not included in the match and may receive offers from more than one school. 
• A participating institution may extend offers of acceptance into its combined MD/PhD, DO/PhD, and MD/MBA program at any time between October 15 and the beginning of orientation.  See policy below regarding offers extended after May 15.   
• An MD/PhD, DO/PhD, MD/MBA or FMAT applicant who receives dual degree offers of admission from more than one participating school must choose the one school that he/she prefers and withdraw from the other school(s) in accordance with the terms of the acceptance and AAMC Recommendations for Medical School and MD/PhD Applicants.  Failure to follow this policy may result in withdrawal of acceptance from any of the participating schools. 
• By April 30 of the matriculation year (April 15 for schools whose first day of class is before August 1), each applicant holding multiple dual degree offers of acceptance must choose the specific school or program in which he/she prefers to enroll and withdraw from all other schools or programs from which acceptance offers have been reviewed. 
• By April 30 of the matriculation year (April 15 for schools whose first day of class is before August 1), each non-Texas resident holding multiple offers of acceptance must choose the specific school in which he/she prefers to enroll and withdraw from all other schools from which acceptance offers have been received. 
• Formal offers of acceptance to participants in any special or assured admission program (excluding JAMP) may be extended on or after October 15.  Except for those programs that allow participants to apply to other schools, a school may withdraw an assured acceptance agreement from an applicant who applies to other participating schools.  Except as noted below, Special/Assured program participants may not apply to other schools.   

Special/Assured Admission Programs Include : 

• Texas A&M SOM Partnership for Primary Care Program (not included in match) 
• TTUHSC/TTU Austin College Early Acceptance to Med School (not included in match) 
• TTUHSC/TTU Honors College Early Acceptance Program (not included in match) 
• TTUHSC/TTU Undergraduate to Medical School Initiative (not included in match) 
• TTUHSC Angelo State University Early Acceptance to Medical School
• TTUHSC/LCU Early Acceptance to Medical School
• TTUHSC/TTU West TX A&M Early Acceptance to Med School (not included in match) 
• UNTHSC Medical Science Program  (may apply to other schools) 
• UNTHSC Primary Care Pathway Program, Midland (may apply to other schools; not included in match)
• UNTHSC BA/DO Combined Program (may apply to other schools; not included in match)
• John Sealy School of Medicine at The University of Texas Medical Branch Early Medical School Acceptance Program  (may apply to other schools) 
• MMS/Rice Humanities Facilitated Admission Program (may apply to other schools)
• UTSMSA Facilitated Admissions for South Texas Scholars  (may apply to other schools) 
• UT RGV/UT Houston Assured Acceptance Program (not included in match) 
• All medical schools - JAMP – Joint Admission Medical Program (participate in JAMP match) 
• Texas A&M SOM – Agriculture and Life Science to Medicine (A2M) (not included in match)
• Texas A&M SOM – Cadet to Medicine (C2M) (not included in match)
• Texas A&M SOM - The Engineering to Medicine Early Admissions Program (E2M) (not included in match) 
• Texas A&M SOM – Military to Medicine (M2M) (not included in match)
• Texas A&M SOM – Science to Medicine (S2M) (not included in match)
• Texas A&M SOM - The Premed Fellows Early Admission Program (not included in match) 
• University of Houston Assured Acceptance Program with UT Houston and John Sealy School of Medicine (may apply to other schools) 

Formal offers of acceptance to Texas residents may be extended prior to the match for a period between October 15, 2023 (12:01 a.m. CST) and January 31, 2024 (11:59 p.m. CST). 

• A medical school may extend an offer of acceptance to any Texas resident applicant during this period. 
• An applicant may receive offers of acceptance from more than one medical school during this period. 
• An applicant who receives more than one offer should withdraw his or her application from any school(s) that he/she definitely does not plan to attend, by declining the offer, as soon as that decision is made. 
• Applicants can decline pre-match offers via the [Pre-Match Offer Withdrawal] page between October 15 and February 18. Applicants are not required to decline any pre-match offers – this is purely optional and for their convenience.  Once they decline an offer via the application portal, the schools can track the withdrawal by a report in the School Portal. 
• By April 30 of the matriculation year (April 15 for schools whose first day of class is before August 1), each Texas resident holding multiple offers of acceptance must choose the specific school in which he/she prefers to enroll and withdraw from all other schools from which acceptance offers have been received. 

Medical schools may take reasonable actions to recruit applicants to whom offers have been made during the pre-match acceptance period. 

The regular match will be conducted to confirm the offers applicants are holding and to fill the remaining slots for the medical schools.   Individual match results will be posted on the TMDSAS website on February 16, 2024 at 8 am CT.

• Applicants must rank all schools where they interviewed except those schools where a pre-match offer was declined.  All schools must be ranked whether or not the applicant is holding a pre-match offer(s).  Match preference ranking must be entered by February 9, 2023. 
• Applicants holding a pre-match offer(s) who have interviewed at school(s) that did not extend an offer can rank one or more of those schools higher than the pre-match offer school(s) without risk of losing the pre-match offer(s). 
• An applicant holding a pre-match offer(s) who matches to a higher ranked school will automatically be withdrawn from the pre-match offer school(s).  They will also be withdrawn from all other lower ranked schools from which an offer was not received. The applicant will remain open to be selected by schools ranked higher than the school matched to. 
• Following the match, the standard rolling admissions will continue through the beginning of orientation at each medical school. 

The medical school matching process applies to admission into participating schools’ MD and DO programs only. 

Applicants to the combined MD/PhD, DO/PhD, or MD/MBA programs who have not received an offer of acceptance to a combined program before February 2, 2024 may participate in the matching process for acceptance into an MD or DO only program at participating medical schools at which they interviewed.  To participate in the match, the applicant must have submitted an application to TMDSAS, have been interviewed at the respective medical school, and have submitted a match preference before February 2, 2024, ranking all schools where interviewed. 

• These applicants, even if accepted into an MD or DO only program through the match, may still be accepted into a combined MD/PhD, DO/PhD, or MD/MBA program at any participating school should they be extended a dual degree offer before the beginning of orientation of the school extending the offer.  See policy below regarding offers extended after May 15. 

With the exception of offers received during the pre—match period, only the most unusual of circumstances justify an applicant’s holding a place in the entering class of more than one US school more than two weeks since this may adversely affect other applicants.  The schools therefore reserve the right to withdraw offers of acceptance to individuals who hold places for longer periods without specific authorization from the schools involved.  

After 5:00 p.m. CST on May 15, no medical school in Texas may offer a position to a Texas resident applicant already accepted by another medical school in Texas.  This is the result of an agreement among Baylor College of Medicine, John Sealy School of Medicine at The University of Texas Medical Branch, Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston, Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at El Paso, Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Medicine at Lubbock, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.

Only extraordinary circumstances warrant an exception to this policy.  If this should occur, the Dean/Director of Admissions at the school wishing to extend an offer must receive approval from the Dean/Director of Admissions at the school where the applicant is holding a position BEFORE the offer is extended. 

• After 5:00 p.m. CST on May 15, any offer of acceptance made to an applicant must be responded to within 5 business days. If an offer is made within 30 days of an institution’s date of orientation, the decision must be communicated within 48 hours. Member institutions will ensure communication of these deadlines to applicants.

The Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service was created by its participating schools to facilitate applications to medical, dental and veterinary schools.  It presupposes that each school will present to interested applicants its strengths and advantages of attending it.  Nothing in the guidelines below is designed to prohibit a school from presenting itself in the best light and encouraging interested applicants to select that school.  The applicants are best served by providing them with information and encouragement.  The following guidelines, adopted by representatives from the participating medical schools, are designed to address these issues and should be applied preceding and following the pre-match acceptance period.  

• All recruiting activities should be conducted in a manner preserving the integrity of the admissions process.  Integrity is defined as respect for the process that provides applicants the freedom to select the schools they wish to attend according to their preference. 
• No statements or inferences indicating “guaranteed admission” are to be made to a non-accepted applicant before the Match. 
• Scholarships may be offered only to applicants accepted by the school offering the scholarship.  No scholarship may be offered to an applicant before a formal offer of acceptance has been extended. Requiring that all other offers be declined cannot be a condition of accepting a scholarship. 
• Any communication to applicants who have interviewed but who have not yet been accepted should be sent from the Admissions Office and should clearly identify that it is a communication to all interviewed applicants.  
• All contacts and correspondence with interviewed applicants by interviewers and other school representatives should be conducted within these guidelines . 

SECTION III

• Participating schools do not have access to the applicants’ school preference rankings. 
• Admission decisions at the participating schools are independent of the applicants’ school preference rankings because the schools have no knowledge of the applicants’ rankings. 
• Two factors are involved in the matching process:  the applicants’ ranking of the schools and the schools’ ranking of the applicants.  An applicant must be ranked within a schools’ selection range to be matched into that school.  The schools’ ranking of the applicants determines who gets matched into a school through the process, not the applicants’ ranking of the school.  The applicants’ ranking of the school is used to match the applicant who is ranked high enough to be selected by more than one school into the school most preferred by the applicant. 
• Deans/Directors of Admission will distribute these guidelines to all people involved in the admissions process at their school including, but not limited to, admissions committee members, interviewers, alumni, recruiters and staff. 

SECTION IV  

• Violation is reported to TMDSAS Director when discovered. 
• TMDSAS Director will notify the Deans/Directors of Admission at all participating schools of the reported violation. 
• TMDSAS Director will appoint a four-member committee composed of Deans/Directors of Admission from two U. T. schools and two non-U. T. schools to evaluate the effect of the reported violation on the status of the current years’ Match and recommend action to be taken. 
• The Committee recommendation will be distributed to Deans/Directors of Admission at all participating schools for approval. A majority vote of participating schools is required for approval. 
• The violation report including the approved Committee recommendation will be distributed to Medical School Deans and Presidents of all participating schools.
• As soon as the medical school is contacted, the applicant should be referred directly to the TMDSAS director.  The medical school(s) should not provide counsel/advice to the applicant or make any special arrangements. 
• The TMDSAS director will immediately contact the applicant to determine what they are seeking and why and to ask the applicant to provide a written statement detailing their request. 
• TMDSAS will mediate between the applicant and the medical schools to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.  To protect the integrity of the match, it will be up to the matched medical school to release the student before any offer of acceptance to a lower ranked school can be issued. 

What is processing? 

The review of your application for completeness and accuracy. If errors or inconsistencies are found, your application will be placed in the "problem" queue until TMDSAS makes contact with you to resolve the issue. 

TMDSAS will make every attempt to process your application in a timely manner. During our busy season, this process can take up to six weeks. Remember that applications are transmitted to schools even if TMDSAS has not received all supporting documents. Schools are updated on a daily basis with supporting documents. 

What causes an application to be placed into the "problem" queue?   

An application may be placed in the problem section for a multitude of reasons, which will then delay the processing of your application (for various different reasons). 

TMDSAS immediately notifies those applicants who are placed in the problem section via an internal message in the application portal. It is crucial that you check your messages, and that you are able to receive emails from TMDSAS. (Please be sure you have entered a valid email address within your application.)

How does TMDSAS calculate my GPA and what is included in the GPA?  

You will be notified via instant message and email from TMDSAS once your application has been sent to the schools. It is crucial that you have an email address that will accept outside emails in order to receive this notification.

You will also be able to check your status from the [Status] page once you log in to your application.

What is validation?  

Validation is a process by which TMDSAS verifies the information you have entered in the [College Coursework] section against the information on your official transcripts-- but only for applicants who have been accepted or deposited into a TMDSAS school. 

TMDSAS will verify that the coursework you have entered in your application matches exactly to what is listed on your transcripts. All official transcripts must be received by TMDSAS before the validation process can be completed. 

I forgot to include something in my application! Can I go back in and add it after I've already submitted?  

Once you have submitted your application, you can only make edits/changes to the following sections: Contact Info, Colleges Attended, College Coursework, Terms Attended, Planned Enrollment, My Account, and Test Scores. 

Please see the  Making Changes to your Application page   for more information on changes to your application post-submission. 

Can I change my essays once I've submitted my application?   

No. No changes can be made to the essays once you have submitted your application. 

The evaluator I listed in my application is no longer able to write a letter of evaluation for me. What should I do?   

TMDSAS allows evaluator changes as long as a letter from that evaluator has not already been received and approved. You must inform TMDSAS immediately if you would like to change your evaluator. *

Once you have secured a different evaluator, please notify TMDSAS with the new evaluator's information by sending a message through the internal messages in the application portal. Include the name of the evaluator you need removed, and provide the following information for the evaluator you need to add: 

• Salutation (i.e. Dr, Prof, Mr., Mrs., etc.) 
• First and last name of the Evaluator 
• Suffix (i.e. MD, PhD, etc.) 
• Relationship to you (Academic Advisor, HP Advisor, Professor, Business Associate, Work/Volunteer Supervisor, Other) 
• Letter delivery method (upload directly to TMDSAS, Interfolio or regular mail) 
• Email address of evaluator if he/she will upload directly to TMDSAS 
• Whether or not you release your right of access to the letter

* TMDSAS cannot change your evaluator without all information listed above. Without this, your request will be delayed.

My application has already been submitted but I would like to add another school. How can I do this? 

If you would like to select another school for the application, you can send us an internal message via the application. 

My applicant liaison asked me to review my PCR for deficiencies, what does this mean?  

Applicant liaisons request that all applicants review the Prerequisite Coursework Report created for their application after their application has been processed . Learn more about your   PCR and how to read it .

I've reviewed my PCR and it says that I'm deficient, what does this mean?  

The most important part of reviewing your PCR is checking to make sure your prerequisite courses are listed accurately.  Please verify that all course numbers were entered correctly within the coursework section, and message your applicant liaison if you have any questions. They  may be able to help you resolve your coursework concerns without going through the appeal process.   Read through some of the   common reasons   an applicant may be deficient on their PCR.

How do I check the status of my supporting documents?   

To review the status of your supporting documents – letters of evaluation, transcripts, and test scores: 

• Log into your TMDSAS application 
• Click on the [Status] link under the [Application Info] heading from the menu on the right-hand side of the application 
• Scroll down until you reach the [Supporting Documents] heading 

How do I check the status of my application?  

To check your status, all you have to do is sign in to your application. Click on the [Status] link from the menu on the right-hand side of the application. The [Status] link is the first option under the [Application Info] heading.  

The top portion titled [Section Status] shows the date each section of the application was completed/last saved. To see the status of your supporting documents, scroll down towards the bottom of the page until you reach the [Supporting Documents] heading. If a document has been received, the receive date will appear next to the document name.

I had my supporting documents sent to TMDSAS before I submitted my application. Will the received dates show up on my status page?   

Yes, documents will show as received as soon as TMDSAS has processed them. We cannot mark transcripts or letters as received until you have completed the [Colleges Attended] and [Letters of Evaluation] sections. Once you have completed these sections, we will be able to mark your items as received.  

Please be patient and check your status page regularly. Given the number of applications TMDSAS receives, we regret we cannot verify receipt of materials by phone or email. Such inquiries significantly slow down the process.

What if I have a question about my secondary application?   

TMDSAS does not handle secondary applications. Any questions related to secondary applications should be directed to the individual school.

A change in my Felonies & Misdemeanors status has occurred since submitting my application.  

After the date of submission of your TMDSAS application, if you are charged, convicted of, plead guilty, or no contest to a felony or misdemeanor crime, you must inform TMDSAS as well as the admissions office of each school to which you have applied. 

You must notify TMDSAS and each school within ten business days of the occurrence of the criminal charge or conviction. Failure to disclose this information could result in the rejection of your application, withdrawal of any offer of acceptance, dismissal after enrollment, or rescission of any degrees granted. 

I've been the subject of a disciplinary action since submitting my application.   

After the date of submission of your TMDSAS application, if you become the subject of an institutional action or disciplinary action by a State Licensure Board, you must inform TMDSAS as well as the admissions office of each school to which you have applied. 

You must notify TMDSAS and each school within ten business days of the occurrence of the institutional action. Failure to disclose this information could result in the rejection of your application, withdrawal of any offer of acceptance, dismissal after enrollment, or rescission of any degrees granted.

How do I establish a proxy?   

If you will be unavailable (e.g. foreign travel) at any time during the application process, you should instruct and grant authority to a parent or other individual to act on your behalf. You must notify TMDSAS of this designation by sending a message through the application internal messaging system. 

How do I withdraw my application?  

If your application has not been transmitted (Status = TMDSAS Processing), then you must send a withdrawal request via internal messaging service by logging into your application and clicking on the “Send Message” button. 

If you choose to withdraw your application after transmission from one or more schools, you must notify each school via email and TMDSAS by logging into your application and clicking on the “Send Message” button. 

Once you have made a final decision on the school you plan to attend, you have the obligation to promptly withdraw your application from all other schools. 

Reinstating a withdrawn application: to reinstate an application, send an internal message and include the schools to which you would like to send your application.

Table of Contents

• Processing Times
• Status of Letters & Scores
• Reviewing Your PCR
• Secondary Applications

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Medical School Secondary Essay Prompts Database

Updating for 2023-2024 as Secondaries Come in!

ProspectiveDoctor has compiled a database of past and current medical school secondary essay prompts from past years to help you get a head start on your secondary applications. Select a school to discover their essay prompts.

Related posts:

• Baylor College of Medicine Secondary Questions
• East Tennessee State James H. Quillen College of Medicine Secondary Questions
• Florida International University College of Medicine Secondary Questions
• Wake Forest School of Medicine Secondary Questions

Texas A&M College of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

These are the secondary application essay prompts for Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page .

about Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine

Secondary Deadline : November 1, 2023 Secondary Fee : $60 FAP Waiver : Full Fee Waived CASPer Required : Yes Screens Applications : No Accepts Application Updates :

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of the people of Texas through excellence in education, research and health care delivery.

Our vision is to develop the innovators and leaders in medicine and biomedical research who will transform American medicine in the 21st century.

1. As a physician, you never know what type of patient you will serve. From your past experiences, please describe or highlight factors or situations that demonstrate your ability to work with individuals from multicultural communities. (3500 chars max)

2. The Texas A&M School of Medicine embraces the Aggie Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. Please elaborate on personal characteristics, values, accomplishments and/or any experiences that you feel will help to demonstrate your potential to contribute to the school and to the profession of medicine. (3500 chars max)

3. Describe any circumstances indicative of some hardship, such as, but not limited to, financial difficulties, personal or family illness, a medical condition, a death in the immediate family or educational disadvantage not mentioned in your primary application essays. What strategies have you used to address these circumstances? (3500 chars max)

4. OPTIONAL QUESTION: List the area (or areas) of medicine that appeals to you and briefly explain. (Limit your explanation to 50 words or 250 characters total) Do not leave blank. If not applicable, please so indicate.

EnMed All prompts are 250 words.

1. How did you hear about the EnMed program?

2. How will the Engineering Medicine program meet your career goals and aspirations in ways that a traditional MD program would not?

3. List the knowledge and skills you have participated in outside the classroom, then describe how these have prepared you to create innovative medical technologies.

4. List the knowledge and skills you have acquired inside the classroom, then describe how these have prepared you to create innovative medical technologies.

5. At the end of your career, what do you want to have accomplished in order to consider yourself successful?

1. Describe briefly any experiences and/or skills that have made you more sensitive or appreciative of other cultures or the human condition. (3500 character maximum).

2. The Texas A&M College of Medicine embraces the Aggie Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. Briefly discuss what activities demonstrate best that you would be a good custodian of these core values. (3500 character maximum).

3. Describe any circumstances indicative of some hardship, such as, but not limited to, financial difficulties, personal or family illness, a medical condition, a death in the immediate family or educational disadvantage not mentioned in your primary application essays;  OR  describe any key academic, personal, or financial barriers that COVID-19 may have posed on you or your immediate family. (Do not leave blank. If not applicable, please so indicate. The character limit on this essay is 3500).

4. OPTIONAL QUESTION: List the area (or areas) of medicine that appeals to you and briefly explain. (Limit your explanation to 50 words or 250 characters for each area of interest you list.) Do not leave blank. If not applicable, please so indicate.

1. How did you hear about the EnMed program? (100 words)

2. Explain your interest in the EnMed medical education program: (250 words)

3. How will the EnMed medical education meet your goals and interests in ways that a traditional MD-only program would not? (150 words)

4. What creative, engineering, innovation, or entrepreneurship related activities have you participated in outside the classroom? Describe how these have prepared you to create innovative medical technologies. (150 words)

5. What knowledge, skills, and experiences have you acquired inside the classroom during your education that are most relevant to EnMed? (150 words)

6. What role do you envision yourself taking in the process of creating and translating new medical technologies during your future medical career? (150 words)

7. Do you have an undergraduate or graduate degree in engineering or computer science? (Yes or No)

MD/PHD  (there is no word limit for this section)

1.List all other MD/PHD programs you will apply to this year.

2.List area(s) of research you are interested in studying for your Ph.D. (for example: Biochemistry and Cancer Biology)

3.List all of your research mentors including their titles and institutional affiliations.

4.Briefly describe any new research accomplishments. (Do not leave blank. If none, please indicate.)

5.Briefly discuss any other new information or experiences that you would want the MD/PhD program committee to know. (Do not leave blank. If none, please indicate.)

1. Describe briefly any experiences and/or skills that have made you more sensitive or appreciative of other cultures or the human condition. (3500 character maximum). 2. The Texas A&M College of Medicine embraces the Aggie Core Values of Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity and Selfless Service. Briefly discuss what activities demonstrate best that you would be a good custodian of these core values. (3500 character maximum). 3. Describe any circumstances indicative of some hardship, such as, but not limited to, financial difficulties, personal or family illness, a medical condition, a death in the immediate family or educational disadvantage not mentioned in your primary application essays;  OR  describe any key academic, personal, or financial barriers that COVID-19 may have posed on you or your immediate family. (Do not leave blank. If not applicable, please so indicate. The character limit on this essay is 3500). 4. OPTIONAL QUESTION: List the area (or areas) of medicine that appeals to you and briefly explain. (Limit your explanation to 50 words or 250 characters for each area of interest you list.) Do not leave blank. If not applicable, please so indicate.

First think about what attributes you have that will allow you to effectively deal with diverse people. Consider communication, empathy, leadership as possible traits to discuss. Next, think back to an experiences during which you interacted with cultures other than your own. Perhaps you worked with homeless or underprivileged communities during undergrad. Was there a time during which you had to stand up for someone whom you might not otherwise interact with? Perhaps you spent an extended time abroad and learned a new language or culture. Use an anecdote to discuss the physician role as educator and advocate for the patient. This is a large responsibility for a doctor, to use their knowledge and resources to empower their patients and help them better themselves. Be sure to reflect on how these experiences influenced your beliefs and values, and try to connect this to how you view the role of the physician. You might discuss the humanity of patients, and how they are people first.

2. The honor code for the Texas A&M College of Medicine is: “A Texas A&M medical student is a professional who exhibits leadership, honesty, integrity, compassion, respect and self-discipline.” Please briefly discuss what activities or personal attributes demonstrate best that you would be a good custodian of our honor code (3500 character maximum).

Brainstorm your personal attributes and experiences which fit with this honor code. Be sure to specifically address at least most if not all of the components: leadership, honesty, integrity, compassion, respect and self-discipline. The key is to not repeat your primary application. Consider choosing anecdotes from your experiences you have previously listed. Specific experiences will be stronger than general assertions about your strengths.

3. Describe any circumstances indicative of some hardship, such as, but not limited to, financial difficulties, personal or family illness, a medical condition, a death in the immediate family or educational disadvantage. (Do not leave blank. If not applicable, please so indicate. The character limit on this essay is 3500).

Choose this experience wisely. When discussing the hardship, be sure that the wording does not make you sound like a victim, as this can reflect poorly. If talking about personal or family hardship, describe how it was a challenge but focus on what it taught you and how you overcame it. If choosing an interpersonal dispute, be sure to paint it in an objective manner without maligning the other person or negatively depicting yourself. Focus on the positive outcome. The lesson learned is key.

Identify a few components of medical practice which specifically interest you and explain why they do. Consider adding in how you see yourself practicing that portion of medicine in the future. Here are some broad aspects of medicine which you can discuss: direct patient care, procedural practice (for example surgery), medical research (basic science and clinical), patient advocacy, medical education, global health.

The secondary application essay prompts from this medical school application cycle are the same as above.

Disclaimer: The information on this page was shared by students and/or can be found on the medical school’s website. Med School Insiders does not guarantee the accuracy of the information on this page.

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