TMDSAS Application Guide: Every Section Explained

Table of Contents

If you’re preparing to apply to medical school in Texas, this post will walk you through the TMDSAS application section by section so you know exactly what to expect before you start filling it out.

When I was applying, I had no idea how many different sections there were or what information I would need to gather ahead of time. Hopefully this overview makes the process a little less overwhelming.

Basic Information

The TMDSAS application starts with a basic information section.

This includes things like:

• Name
• Contact information
• Address
• Other personal details

Nothing too complicated here, but make sure all of your information is accurate.

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Schools Applying To

The next section asks which schools you are applying to.

If you are applying through TMDSAS, I highly recommend applying to all of the Texas schools listed. TMDSAS has a flat application fee (it was $235 when I applied), and you can apply to all participating Texas medical schools.

My thought process was simple:

If you’re already paying the application fee, why not maximize your chances?

The application will also ask whether you intend to apply to non-TMDSAS schools, such as:

• AMCAS schools (most MD schools outside of Texas)
• AACOMAS schools (DO schools)

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Application History

This section asks whether you have previously applied to:

• TMDSAS schools
• Non-TMDSAS schools

If this is your first application cycle, this section is straightforward.

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High School Information

Next, you’ll enter information about your high school, including:

• High school attended
• Graduation year
• SAT scores (if applicable)

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College Information

The college section asks about:

• Colleges attended
• Location
• Degree
• Major
• Minor
• Enrollment plans

For example, if you are applying during your junior year and plan to go directly into medical school without taking a gap year, you would indicate that you plan to continue enrollment for another year.

If you are taking a gap year, your answer may be different.

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Educational History

This section includes information about:

• Non-traditional student status
• Academic interruptions
• Disciplinary actions

Make sure to answer honestly and carefully.

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Demographics and Background Information

TMDSAS also asks about:

• Place of birth
• Gender identity
• Hometown
• Primary language spoken at home

There are additional questions regarding:

• First-generation status
• Languages spoken
• Family background
• Household environment
• Financial situation
• Employment status

The application also asks about:

• Military service
• Felonies
• Seminars attended

You’ll provide information about your parents or legal guardians, including their educational background, as well as information about siblings.

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Essays

Now we get to the essays.

Most applicants are familiar with the Personal Statement, which focuses on your journey to medicine and your reasons for pursuing a medical career.

However, TMDSAS also includes additional essays beyond the personal statement.

There is also an optional essay (which is not really optional in my opinion).

I have dedicated an entire blog series to the essay portion of the application, so I won’t go into too much detail here. Be sure to check out those posts for a deeper breakdown.

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Personal Biography and Activities

The next major section is where you begin listing your activities and experiences.

This includes:

• Leadership positions
• Awards
• Honors
• Extracurricular activities

The activities section is divided into multiple categories and subsections.

Don’t feel overwhelmed when you first see it. I plan to make a separate blog post that walks through each category and provides templates and examples.

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Chronological Activities List

After entering your activities, TMDSAS will ask you to list experiences in chronological order.

Fortunately, much of this information auto-populates based on what you’ve already entered.

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Residency Status

The application will then ask about your residency status.

If you are a Texas resident, please take advantage of TMDSAS.

Texas residency provides major benefits, including lower tuition and access to a dedicated application system for Texas medical schools.

I believe most seats at Texas medical schools are reserved for Texas residents, although you should always check the most current TMDSAS policies.

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Transcript Entry

This is one of the most important sections of the entire application.

Unlike many applications, TMDSAS does not simply let you upload a transcript and call it a day.

You must manually enter every course from your transcript.

For each course, you’ll enter:

• Course name
• Course title
• Semester hours
• Course type
• Science vs. non-science designation
• Grade earned
• Academic level

Yes—it is a lot of administrative work.

TMDSAS provides guidelines on how courses should be classified, so make sure you follow those instructions carefully.

Even though you submit an official transcript, TMDSAS compares your manual entries against the transcript you send.

If there are discrepancies, your application can be flagged for review.

Because TMDSAS operates on a rolling admissions process, mistakes can slow down verification and potentially move your application further back in line.

This is one of the biggest reasons I recommend submitting early and double-checking everything before submission.

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MCAT Section

Next, you’ll enter your MCAT information.

The good news is that you do not need to upload your MCAT score report yourself.

Instead, TMDSAS asks for your AAMC ID and retrieves the score directly.

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Letters of Recommendation

The final major section is the letters of recommendation section.

I plan to write a separate blog post discussing:

• Which professors I asked
• How I approached them
• What worked well
• What I would do differently

So be sure to check that out as well.

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Final Thoughts

That is a general overview of the TMDSAS application.

I will also be making another post specifically focused on TMDSAS tips and things I wish I knew before applying. There are definitely small details that can make the process much smoother, such as correctly entering your transcript information and avoiding common mistakes that delay verification.

Applying to medical school can feel overwhelming at first, but once you understand the structure of the application, the process becomes much more manageable. My goal with this series is to help you prepare ahead of time so there are no surprises when application season arrives.