*~*~*~*Official TMDSAS Questions Thread 2019-2020*~*~*~*

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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Man I feel so annoying asking so many questions but one more:

So one of my friends advisors told him that if he's applying through TMDSAS, he should submit the app to ALL the texas schools, even those he has no interest in. this was allegedly because each school can see where you've applied and leaving a certain school or area off your list can reflect negatively

sounds like BS to me but can anyone confirm or discredit?
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clutchtho said:
Man I feel so annoying asking so many questions but one more:

So one of my friends advisors told him that if he's applying through TMDSAS, he should submit the app to ALL the texas schools, even those he has no interest in. this was allegedly because each school can see where you've applied and leaving a certain school or area off your list can reflect negatively

sounds like BS to me but can anyone confirm or discredit?
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Sounds like bs to me too
 
clutchtho said:
Man I feel so annoying asking so many questions but one more:

So one of my friends advisors told him that if he's applying through TMDSAS, he should submit the app to ALL the texas schools, even those he has no interest in. this was allegedly because each school can see where you've applied and leaving a certain school or area off your list can reflect negatively

sounds like BS to me but can anyone confirm or discredit?
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They can see it
 
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clutchtho said:
Also, why is submitting primaries early "so important" for interviews if the secondaries come after and interviews dont go out till after seconadaries are read?

If i submit within the next week or so, prewrite secondaries, and basically have them turned in the same time someone who submitted in mid May submits it, would I be in the same boat as them?
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@clutchtho the recommendation to submit early (before the end of July) is based on TMDSAS statistics I link here. More applicants are taking the advice about being prompt with submission of the primary app. Last year 89% of the interviews went to those submitting in May, June, and July.
https://www.tmdsas.com/Forms/EY17,18-ApplyingEarlyTMDSAS.pdf
 
If I am currently enrolled in a masters program that I will graduate from during the fall semester of 2020, but do not plan on finishing if I get into medical school, will I still have to check yes on the "Do you plan to take any further coursework between now and August of 2020?*" part?
 
Thefrogsdidit said:
If I am currently enrolled in a masters program that I will graduate from during the fall semester of 2020, but do not plan on finishing if I get into medical school, will I still have to check yes on the "Do you plan to take any further coursework between now and August of 2020?*" part?
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Won't you be in the program during 2019 and spring 2020? That would probably be of interest to schools reading your app.
 
DracoDormiens said:
Thanks for that info! I'm at 11 days now (granted today was a holiday), so I was just curious because LORs are the main thing I'm waiting on to be marked as received at this point
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Mine are taking FOREVER too - starting to get worried I did something wrong...
 
wysdoc said:
@clutchtho the recommendation to submit early (before the end of July) is based on TMDSAS statistics I link here. More applicants are taking the advice about being prompt with submission of the primary app. Last year 89% of the interviews went to those submitting in May, June, and July.
https://www.tmdsas.com/Forms/EY17,18-ApplyingEarlyTMDSAS.pdf
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yeah i saw this too and that's why i was wondering why it mattered so much given its when you submit seconadaries that's most important at the end of the day, and those seem to be prewritten by most of us anyways
 
Reapplicant here now with Texas residency (wasn't previously when I first applied). Do I have to rewrite or reword previous entries that I originally put or can I leave them and focus on entries for my new activities?
 
WatashiSauce said:
Reapplicant here now with Texas residency (wasn't previously when I first applied). Do I have to rewrite or reword previous entries that I originally put or can I leave them and focus on entries for my new activities?
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I believe it is highly recommended you make some changes to your entries. Some of the adcoms on SDN say re-applying with the same essays shows lack of effort.
 
red_tangoes said:
I believe it is highly recommended you make some changes to your entries. Some of the adcoms on SDN say re-applying with the same essays shows lack of effort.
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Yeah I'm rewriting my personal statement, characteristic essay, and optional essay. I'm talking about the activity section entries that are 300 characters or so iirc.
 
I rewrote all of those too. I don’t want to risk it and have to apply a 3rd time because I didn’t want to re-write a short activity entry. We already have a bias against us as re-applicants.
 
hmcatlover said:
Not sure if this is where this question is supposed to go, but I'm a bit confused regarding the Bio lecture requirements (lab hours have been satisfied).

I have taken:
Intro to Bio 1 (3 cr)
Intro to Bio 2 (3 cr)
Biochem 1 (3 cr)
Microbio (3 cr)
Genetics (1 cr)

Some TX med schools say that Biochem can be counted towards Bio requirement but Long SOM does not explicitly state whether Biochem can be counted towards the Bio requirement as well.

Does anyone know if Biochem is counted towards the Biological Sciences requirement for Long, or if I'll need to take another upper-level Bio course next semester to satisfy?

(I have also taken several upper-level neuro classes and I had to classify them as Biol classes in my TMDSAS application. Would these count towards satisfying the Bio lecture requirements?)
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@hmcatlover
It looks like you have listed 13 credits of Bio lecture, including your biochem course. Here are Long's specific requirements (12 hours Bio lecture, 2 hours Bio lab), and their specifics. Long SOM prerequisites
What I don't know, and this may be something you need to email Long specifically and ask, is whether you can count that 3-hour BioChem class under your BioChem pre-requisite, and count it again under your BIO prerequisite. I kind of doubt it.

I think it is more likely you can use those upper-level neuro classes for BIO. Check the course numbers here: Course listings by college
 
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For those of you who used interfolio, how long did it take for your letters to be delivered?
 
wrd1205 said:
For those of you who used interfolio, how long did it take for your letters to be delivered?
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I sent mine 5/30 and TMDSAS hasn’t received them yet. But AMCAS and AACOMAS received them within 1-2 days.
 
wysdoc said:
TMDSAS says it takes up to 3 weeks for the transcripts to be logged in, and that this does NOT delay the verification of your application at all.
They will start processing as soon as you submit. The deadline for receiving supporting docs like letters, transcripts is October 15.
So as long as you have word that your college has sent it, don't worry that it will delay your app. If it doesn't show up on your TMDSAS portal after 3 weeks, then you can message them & ask.
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Anyone know if this is new? I was looking through reddit and people from last cycle were saying that TMDSAS "holds" your app until receiving all supporting docs but everything i see says they'll transmit it as soon as they process
 
Also question:

So I have 3 letters in and i sent them end of May to TMDSAS. I know it takes them a while to actually process, but hopefully gets done sometime before July.

Now I am still waiting for the fourth and optional letter. Say my prof sends it in by middle of this week and i send it to TMDSAS. Would it be in my benefit to just cancel it altogether?

Because until that letter is received my TMDSAS and sent to the med schools (which i'm assuming will take forever), the med school presumably will have my application marked as "incomplete" and not even open it right?

Versus if I just cancel that letter and do it with the 3 I have, they will have all the letters received and will be able to start looking at my app in July.

I was expecting the letter to be a strong one if that changes anything, but i really really really want to get done as early as possible.
 
clutchtho said:
Anyone know if this is new? I was looking through reddit and people from last cycle were saying that TMDSAS "holds" your app until receiving all supporting docs but everything i see says they'll transmit it as soon as they process
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Hey, we are more reliable than reddit!

TMDSAS starts processing your app and does not wait for the supporting docs.
 
clutchtho said:
Also question:

So I have 3 letters in and i sent them end of May to TMDSAS. I know it takes them a while to actually process, but hopefully gets done sometime before July.

Now I am still waiting for the fourth and optional letter. Say my prof sends it in by middle of this week and i send it to TMDSAS. Would it be in my benefit to just cancel it altogether?

Because until that letter is received my TMDSAS and sent to the med schools (which i'm assuming will take forever), the med school presumably will have my application marked as "incomplete" and not even open it right?

Versus if I just cancel that letter and do it with the 3 I have, they will have all the letters received and will be able to start looking at my app in July.

I was expecting the letter to be a strong one if that changes anything, but i really really really want to get done as early as possible.
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If you are in that big a hurry cancel the fourth letter and add it back later when you are sure it’s ready. Then the schools won’t consider your app incomplete without it.
All this info is in your application handbook by the way.
 
wysdoc said:
If you are in that big a hurry cancel the fourth letter and add it back later when you are sure it’s ready. Then the schools won’t consider your app incomplete without it.
All this info is in your application handbook by the way.
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Right, i read through the handbook's post submission stuff and i got this.

but where in the handbook does it talk about when individual schools begin reviewing/whether they would/wouldn't depending on rec letters?
Attach files
and oh man! thats a good idea, thanks!
 
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Hi all. I've googled this a bunch, read these question threads, and made a bunch of calls but i'm still unsure of this.

The Applicant Guide is very clear that you have to convert your units to semester hours. When I called my school about this, i've been told that 1 unit = 1 semester hour and that "one unit is equivalent to three hours of work".

So what did you guys do? If a took a 3 unit class at an American semester system school, would I be putting 3 credit hours or 9 credit hours?

Thanks a ton

Edit: It seems like there is only a conversion when you go to a school like Duke that only gives up to 1 unit per class. Is that correct?
 
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4AM123 said:
Hi all. I've googled this a bunch, read these question threads, and made a bunch of calls but i'm still unsure of this.

The Applicant Guide is very clear that you have to convert your units to semester hours. When I called my school about this, i've been told that 1 unit = 1 semester hour and that "one unit is equivalent to three hours of work".

So what did you guys do? If a took a 3 unit class at an American semester system school, would I be putting 3 credit hours or 9 credit hours?

Thanks a ton

Edit: It seems like there is only a conversion when you go to a school like Duke that only gives up to 1 unit per class. Is that correct?
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yes put the hours you got credit for. so a 3 unit class is 3 credits right? so you put 3.

i think the who one unit is 3 hours of work is the "rule of thumb" for how much you should study a week lol
 
So based off reading old posts on here, shadowing letters are for the large part unimportant to Adcoms. I know Texas does their own thing on a ton of factors, so do you guys think it would be important to have a shadowing letter as my fourth?

I should also have another letter from a nonscience prof i could use as my 4th who seemed eager to write it for me, but I did have a B+ in the class, so not sure if that one is worth it either
 
clutchtho said:
additionally, if i took a undergrad course (a prereq) after graduating, would i classify my standing as "graduate" or "senior" even if it is after i graduated
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It is listed in the handbook. I highly recommend you read it section by section as you’re filling out your app... there are some strange nuisances that you might miss if you don’t. If you obtained a degree and then took classes, you would be PB on TMDSAS. It’s on page 25
 
DarklingThrush said:
It is listed in the handbook. I highly recommend you read it section by section as you’re filling out your app... there are some strange nuisances that you might miss if you don’t. If you obtained a degree and then took classes, you would be PB on TMDSAS. It’s on page 25
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right that's what i had done but when I called the guy insisted since i was not enrolled in any program to put it as a graduate class and hung up on me lol

i messaged them within the system and they said PB as well so all good
 
clutchtho said:
right that's what i had done but when I called the guy insisted since i was not enrolled in any program to put it as a graduate class and hung up on me lol

i messaged them within the system and they said PB as well so all good
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It is my understanding that “PB” refers to any undergraduate course taken after you have obtained a degree. “GR” refers to any graduate level course not counting towards an undergraduate degree or to graduate courses taken after receiving a degree. What that guy on the phone said makes no sense. That’s an odd answer to give.
 
Do TMDSAS schools offer interviews to applicants who have not submitted their LORs? I recently contacted the person in charge of my committee letter because I was concerned that my letters not being submitted in the next two weeks and she stated that I will receive interviews without my composite letter being submitted. However, I am still concerned because the portals for the schools with secondaries don’t mark you as complete until your LORs are submitted.
 
LizardBoy said:
Do TMDSAS schools offer interviews to applicants who have not submitted their LORs? I recently contacted the person in charge of my committee letter because I was concerned that my letters not being submitted in the next two weeks and she stated that I will receive interviews without my composite letter being submitted. However, I am still concerned because the portals for the schools with secondaries don’t mark you as complete until your LORs are submitted.
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how i understand it is that TMDSAS will submit to schools, schools will screen/send secondaries, you submit those and then they "hold" your app until all the files they need are in.

So no, you wouldn't be offered interviews because your app wouldn't even be read until those items are in
 
LizardBoy said:
Do TMDSAS schools offer interviews to applicants who have not submitted their LORs? I recently contacted the person in charge of my committee letter because I was concerned that my letters not being submitted in the next two weeks and she stated that I will receive interviews without my composite letter being submitted. However, I am still concerned because the portals for the schools with secondaries don’t mark you as complete until your LORs are submitted.
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If you scan the threads from previous years, it seems like people got interviews from certain schools without having some of their declared letters in, or they were waiting on their committee packet. You'd have to look yourself, but if I remember correctly it was UTMB or Lubbock
 
wysdoc said:
TMDSAS says it takes up to 3 weeks for the transcripts to be logged in, and that this does NOT delay the verification of your application at all.
They will start processing as soon as you submit. The deadline for receiving supporting docs like letters, transcripts is October 15.
So as long as you have word that your college has sent it, don't worry that it will delay your app. If it doesn't show up on your TMDSAS portal after 3 weeks, then you can message them & ask.
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hi! i'm just quoting you to get your attention because you seem to know everything haha.

In essence, I think i misinterpreted the "Briefly discuss any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application which have not previously been presented. " question completely. I took from a few SDN and Reddit posts that its essentially a free topic where you want to broaden yourself as an applicant.

I was wondering if you or anyone else knows whether writing about a EXPERIENCE (in the prompt) like watching my parents create a free clinic in a poverty stricken area, visiting it and tying it into my goals in medicine and for my community would be a little out of bounds? Obviously, the experience isn't in my personal statement but there is bound to be some degree of connection as far as serving one's community goes.

my school's office says "It is also the place to write about special and rewarding experiences you did not have the opportunity to write about elsewhere" which this was but like all the stuff I'm reading rn seems to suggest that it is an essay to basically discuss problems on your app (lack of ECs, research, low GPA, etc etc)...

Should I go ahead and rewrite it?
 
clutchtho said:
hi! i'm just quoting you to get your attention because you seem to know everything haha.

In essence, I think i misinterpreted the "Briefly discuss any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application which have not previously been presented. " question completely. I took from a few SDN and Reddit posts that its essentially a free topic where you want to broaden yourself as an applicant.

I was wondering if you or anyone else knows whether writing about a EXPERIENCE (in the prompt) like watching my parents create a free clinic in a poverty stricken area, visiting it and tying it into my goals in medicine would be a little out of bounds?

All the stuff I'm reading rn seems to suggest that it is an essay to basically discuss problems on your app (lack of ECs, research, low GPA, etc etc)...

Should I go ahead and rewrite?
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To me, life experience meant just that. A unique experience that gives me an advantageous and unique outlook and how what I experienced will make me a good doctor. I chose to go the diversity route and wrote about being LGBTQ. I think you’re fine. It never occurred to me to address holes in my app in one of my three main essays
 
DarklingThrush said:
To me, life experience meant just that. A unique experience that gives me an advantageous and unique outlook and how what I experienced will make me a good doctor. I chose to go the diversity route and wrote about being LGBTQ. I think you’re fine. It never occurred to me to address holes in my app in one of my three main essays
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okay same. i'm still kinda freaking out cause one of my friends said to do the same and now i can't stop reading the prompt over and over again wondering if could be considered too similar to PS or whether its not relevant.

i think i just need to chill lol
 
clutchtho said:
okay same. i'm still kinda freaking out cause one of my friends said to do the same and now i can't stop reading the prompt over and over again wondering if could be considered too similar to PS or whether its not relevant.

i think i just need to chill lol
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I read through multiple TMDSAS essays for friends and none wrote about holes in their apps. Stop worrying and get that app submitted!
 
Hi! I saw on TMDSAS that they received my committee letter 6/6, but I have not received an email like I did with my transcripts saying it has been received and approved. I have been checking my school portals as well and my committee letter has not been transmitted to them either. Is this normal?

Thank you for the help!
 
appropriatepeanut said:
Hi! I saw on TMDSAS that they received my committee letter 6/6, but I have not received an email like I did with my transcripts saying it has been received and approved. I have been checking my school portals as well and my committee letter has not been transmitted to them either. Is this normal?

Thank you for the help!
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There is really nothing for them to double check on your committee letter the way there was on your transcripts, so I don’t think they will send you another notice about it.
Some schools “upload” the things they get from TMDSAS on certain days or times so it won’t show instantly on the portal that they have your info.
 
Transcript sent on 5/28, still has not been marked as received by TMDSAS even though AMCAS marked it as received 6/4. How much longer should I wait before contacting TMDSAS?
 
LizardBoy said:
Transcript sent on 5/28, still has not been marked as received by TMDSAS even though AMCAS marked it as received 6/4. How much longer should I wait before contacting TMDSAS?
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3weeks from your sent date send an internal message on your TMDSAS app if you haven’t seen it marked received by then.
 
I noticed a minor (?) error on one of my activities sections that lists that I did it summer 2019 rather than summer 2018. The chronology of activities is correct, but it's just this individual entry that has the wrong year. TMDSAS told me that all I can do is bring an addendum list to bring with me to interviews, but I'm not quite sure what this means. Like a physical list or...?

Is this something worth emailing individual schools about or should I just leave it as an addendum? Since I also reference this activity in my personal statement as something I did last summer, I'm assuming adcoms can put the pieces together and realize that the 2019 year is incorrect, but I'm not sure how big of a deal this is.
 
Constantius said:
I noticed a minor (?) error on one of my activities sections that lists that I did it summer 2019 rather than summer 2018. The chronology of activities is correct, but it's just this individual entry that has the wrong year. TMDSAS told me that all I can do is bring an addendum list to bring with me to interviews, but I'm not quite sure what this means. Like a physical list or...?

Is this something worth emailing individual schools about or should I just leave it as an addendum? Since I also reference this activity in my personal statement as something I did last summer, I'm assuming adcoms can put the pieces together and realize that the 2019 year is incorrect, but I'm not sure how big of a deal this is.
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Minor typo, and it's correct in the Chronology, don't worry about it.
 
Is it normal to submit a LOR via Interfolio and have it take more than two weeks to be marked as received? I know Interfolio does quality checks and the letter was fine. At what point should I contact them?
 
chelseatn said:
Is it normal to submit a LOR via Interfolio and have it take more than two weeks to be marked as received? I know Interfolio does quality checks and the letter was fine. At what point should I contact them?
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TMDSAS is suggesting it takes up to 3 weeks for them to log in your letters.
It doesn't mean they haven't been received, just that TMDSAS's staff is much smaller than AMCAS has and it's a mechanics/logistics thing.
 
Should I put clinical research under healthcare activities or research? Could I put it under both since it says to list ALL healthcare activities?
 
avenc17 said:
Should I put clinical research under healthcare activities or research? Could I put it under both since it says to list ALL healthcare activities?
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You may list a specific activity under only one category. Choose the one that fits best in your opinion, or the one where you would like to have more entries.
 
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