*~*~*~*Official TMDSAS Questions Thread 2021-2022*~*~*~*

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Physics_Peasant said:
Is submitting my primary sometime later in the week going to be at a big disadvantage, will I miss the benefit of submitting early? I am still waiting on Spring grades to be posted.

Do I need casper before secondaries are sent? I am scheduled to take casper May 20th, and I believe scores come back in two weeks.
Click to expand...
You are fine and you can’t submit without those grades. Work on the CASPer after that.
 
Can someone explain to me how to calculate cGPA and undergraduate GPA through TMDSAS?
 
I'm starting a full-time clinical position in mid June. Should I wait to submit until after I gain some hours or submit ASAP? I have 150 clinical volunteer hours otherwise.
 
Garfield007 said:
Can someone explain to me how to calculate cGPA and undergraduate GPA through TMDSAS?
Click to expand...
TMDSAS will calculate it for you, but in general their calculations leave off all pluses and minuses.
a B-, a B, and a B+ are all worth 3 points.
A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1
 
premedchances2021 said:
I'm starting a full-time clinical position in mid June. Should I wait to submit until after I gain some hours or submit ASAP? I have 150 clinical volunteer hours otherwise.
Click to expand...
You can list this job as an activity with your start date of June and your estimated weekly work hours.
Even though you haven't actually started yet, it still goes under "current" activities.
"Current" activities encompass everything from Freshman year of college to November 1, 2021.
"Planned" activities cover things from Nov 2, 2021 to August 2022.

Submit when you have your spring term grades, you have proofread your app, and you are happy with it.
 
hello! I have one last question about work/activities section. I directed a civic engagement program, and I'm planning to put it under "Extracurricular" and "Leadership." I was wondering if I could also list out the research paper that I wrote (not published but written under mentorship of a assistant professor) as a research activity without mentioning its connection to the civic engagement program. Will I be double-dipping?
 
I am graduating end of this week and will receive my diploma in about 2 months. Should I answer this question as "no longer a full time student" ? If you are no longer a full time student, what percentage of your living expenses have been provided by:
(If you are still a student and have nothing to enter here, please mark the checkbox below)
I am still a full-time student
 
berrybluedd said:
I am graduating end of this week and will receive my diploma in about 2 months. Should I answer this question as "no longer a full time student" ? If you are no longer a full time student, what percentage of your living expenses have been provided by:
(If you are still a student and have nothing to enter here, please mark the checkbox below)
I am still a full-time student
Click to expand...
I think I would select full time student
 
june22 said:
hello! I have one last question about work/activities section. I directed a civic engagement program, and I'm planning to put it under "Extracurricular" and "Leadership." I was wondering if I could also list out the research paper that I wrote (not published but written under mentorship of a assistant professor) as a research activity without mentioning its connection to the civic engagement program. Will I be double-dipping?
Click to expand...
A research paper you wrote for a class isn't really a publication, so it would be best if you have space to mention it in conjunction with the activity. If you chose this as one of your 3 most meaningful activities, you would have space.
 
I have a question on the letters of recommendation. I requested letters from 2 science profs, 1 non-science prof, 1 physician that I worked for, and 1 volunteer coordinator.

Letters from non-science prof/physician/volunteer coordinator I believe are equal in strength. Other than the 2 science letters, which two additional letters would you recommend submitting? Is there any way to send a 5th letter?
 
berrybluedd said:
I have a question on the letters of recommendation. I requested letters from 2 science profs, 1 non-science prof, 1 physician that I worked for, and 1 volunteer coordinator.

Letters from non-science prof/physician/volunteer coordinator I believe are equal in strength. Other than the 2 science letters, which two additional letters would you recommend submitting? Is there any way to send a 5th letter?
Click to expand...
4 is the maximum, and with the TMDSAS app all your letters are sent to all your schools.

Which of the 3 do you feel can speak to your good qualities and suitability to study medicine?
Letters from physicians that you shadow are not usually helpful, but if you worked for this physician in some capacity that allowed them to get to know you, it is an option.
 
wysdoc said:
4 is the maximum, and with the TMDSAS app all your letters are sent to all your schools.

Which of the 3 do you feel can speak to your good qualities and suitability to study medicine?
Letters from physicians that you shadow are not usually helpful, but if you worked for this physician in some capacity that allowed them to get to know you, it is an option.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I have been working for the physician for about a year. Its tough to choose..
 
How should I enter my academic achievements if they are repetitive every year? For example: President's list, Dean's list ... something like that. Or I don't need to enter those info as all because they can look at my GPA and figure it out? Thanks!
 
I have a question about letters of recommendation, i have two from science professors, 2 from doctors I work with, and 1 doctor I do research with. I am a reapplicant and graduated 2018. I will be using the 2 letters from my 2 doctors I work with but I was wondering whether to use 1 science professor letter or both. When I discussed this with an applicant advisor from El paso and lubbock, they suggested the strongest letters. However, they weren’t sure if the other TMDSAS schools required 2 letters of rec from science professors. Please if anyone has any insight, let me know!
 
Garfield007 said:
How should I enter my academic achievements if they are repetitive every year? For example: President's list, Dean's list ... something like that. Or I don't need to enter those info as all because they can look at my GPA and figure it out? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Answered this earlier in this thread: #87
 
Super simple question! I know for AMCAS, you can still submit your app with "planned courses" (e.g. if I still have Organic Chemistry II to complete this summer) and they will still consider you satisfied for prerequisites. Does TMDSAS require that all of your prereqs are complete by the end of spring 2021 before applying? Or is it allowed to have a prereq outstanding (but planned) for summer 2021?
 
chicandtoughness said:
Super simple question! I know for AMCAS, you can still submit your app with "planned courses" (e.g. if I still have Organic Chemistry II to complete this summer) and they will still consider you satisfied for prerequisites. Does TMDSAS require that all of your prereqs are complete by the end of spring 2021 before applying? Or is it allowed to have a prereq outstanding (but planned) for summer 2021?
Click to expand...
Good question, @chicandtoughness

You can still be taking courses the year you are applying. Many students apply during spring of junior year and have the senior year of classes ahead to finish.

TMDSAS doesn't really check off prerequisites as they verify your application, though.
It's up to you as the applicant to look at each school's prerequisites to be sure you will meet them by the time of matriculation. (summer 2022)
 
wysdoc said:
Good question, @chicandtoughness
You can still be taking courses the year you are applying. Many students apply during spring of junior year and have the senior year of classes ahead to finish.
TMDSAS doesn't really check off prerequisites as they verify your application, though.
It's up to you as the applicant to look at each school's prerequisites to be sure you will meet them by the time of matriculation. (summer 2022)
Click to expand...
Short and succinct. Thank you!
 
wysdoc said:
Here's how TMDSAS suggests to handle this issue. You could list it as 2 job entries (fulltime MA in the summers, with your fulltime hours per week and start/end dates) and (Part time MA, with your other shorter hours per week)

4. Employment
☐ List all jobs (paid work experience) held since graduating from high school to the present, including military service. Paid healthcare activities may be listed here in addition to the healthcare activities section.
› Indicate the employer, job title, when the job was held, start date, end date, city, hours worked per week, country, state, and a brief description of the job (300 characters). Click on [Submit] to save the record.
› If you held a job every summer, enter each time period as a separate record.
› Additionally, if you held this job for consecutive terms, select “Other” for the question “When did you hold this job?” You will be able to provide more details if you wish.
› Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add an Employment Activity] link.
Click to expand...
I worked as a PCT full-time (summer and winter) and part-time (during the semester). When I include this in my activities I will end up having 8 entries for this same position. Should the description be the same for each entry? My duties did not change, I simply worked more or less depending on if I was in school or not.
 
Bored_Conscious said:
I worked as a PCT full-time (summer and winter) and part-time (during the semester). When I include this in my activities I will end up having 8 entries for this same position. Should the description be the same for each entry? My duties did not change, I simply worked more or less depending on if I was in school or not.
Click to expand...
You can make it a little briefer on the repeated entries if you like.
 
wysdoc said:
I think that refers more to applicants who haven't been elected or appointed to a leadership role, but feel they have had leadership responsibilities within a healthcare employment experience.
A lot of applicants seem to get hung up on this club leader / club member dichotomy so don't feel alone in this. Just use your judgement on which role you would like to emphasize, and don't worry too much about it.
Remember also that you have the "3 most meaningful activities" essays to expand on and, more importantly, lend insight to the meaningfulness of 3 of your activities.
Click to expand...
The wording was quite confusing on the handbook. I for sure thought I would be able to place my club membership in both leadership and community service. Would you be able to clarify the following please?

I would be able to place the following into both leadership and community service:
- An unpaid internship where my role resulted in a leadership experience. Didn't necessarily have leadership title.

I would NOT be able to place the following into both leadership and community service:
- An organization I was both the VP of and also a general member of. In this case, I would have to choose either leadership or community service?
 
Bored_Conscious said:
The wording was quite confusing on the handbook. I for sure thought I would be able to place my club membership in both leadership and community service. Would you be able to clarify the following please?

I would be able to place the following into both leadership and community service:
- An unpaid internship where my role resulted in a leadership experience. Didn't necessarily have leadership title.

I would NOT be able to place the following into both leadership and community service:
- An organization I was both the VP of and also a general member of. In this case, I would have to choose either leadership or community service?
Click to expand...
Yes, I think it’s confusing too. TMDSAS used to have a more clear and simple rule to list an activity in only one category.
The only exception was: a healthcare job could be listed in both healthcare and employment.
This year they introduced the more vague comment that if you had no elected leadership positions but felt you had showed leadership in some other activity, you could list that under leadership.
This still doesn’t mean that you can list it twice (under leadership and under another category.)

Welp, apparently TMDSAS says you now CAN list something like this in BOTH leadership and community service. See here
I’m not trying to be pedantic, just trying to explain it in a different way.
Put it in whatever category you want to fill out.
This issue is, for some reason, one that a lot of applicants ask about or fixate on.

Don’t let it bog you down, Texans! Make a choice and then move on!
 
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Hi @wysdoc - do you know how we can submit Interfolio letters within TMDSAS? What email address should we put in the contact information?
 
chicandtoughness said:
Hi @wysdoc - do you know how we can submit Interfolio letters within TMDSAS? What email address should we put in the contact information?
Click to expand...
Is there a checkbox on the portal asking whether you are sending individual letters or via Interfolio? You still have to enter your evaluator names on TMDSAS app, but then indicate they will come via Interfolio.

Page 45 of TMDSAS handbook explains it this way.

Method 2: You may deliver letters electronically through Interfolio:
› Applicant contacts evaluator and requests that they upload their letter of evaluation to appli-
cant's Interfolio account. Make sure your TMDSAS ID is on your Interfolio profile and that your
name is on your letter(s) so that they are matched to your application properly.

Applicant enters evaluator name in [Letters of Evaluation] section.

Applicant initiates letter delivery from Interfolio to TMDSAS.
NOTE: Letters submitted through Interfolio are not automatically uploaded into the TMDSAS portal. Please allow 7-10 business days for letters to be processed and approved; expect longer wait times during peak season.

› Review Interfolio’s help page on sending your letters to TMDSAS. How to: Use Dossier Deliver for a medical or dental school application | Help for Medical and Dental School Applicants | Support | Interfolio
 
[mention]wysdoc [/mention] hey wysdoc! I’m trying to figure out when to take Casper; I’m submitting my primary as soon as grades come it. Is it important to get it done super early? I’m debating between June 3 or June 17. I’d have to get a day of work which would be hard on the 3rd, so I was assuming the 17th would be fine since my committee letter isn’t coming until July 31st which means I won’t be complete anyways?
 
wysdoc said:
@medicallyblonde1010 Did you still need to enter the recommender names in TMDSAS or just indicate that your letters would be coming via Interfolio? Thanks for the detail.
Click to expand...
Yes, they ask for the recommender names and also their relation to you (ie: Professor, Lab/Employment Supervisor) and then once you click send via Interfolio they do not ask for anything beyond that. Of course!
 
TexasHopeful52 said:
[mention]wysdoc [/mention] hey wysdoc! I’m trying to figure out when to take Casper; I’m submitting my primary as soon as grades come it. Is it important to get it done super early? I’m debating between June 3 or June 17. I’d have to get a day of work which would be hard on the 3rd, so I was assuming the 17th would be fine since my committee letter isn’t coming until July 31st which means I won’t be complete anyways?
Click to expand...
The 17th will be early enough. TMDSAS will be processing your application for some time and after you have it submitted you can focus on the CASPer.
 
"Additionally, any activity that also results in a leadership role may be listed in both of those categories." - TMDSAS Handbook

I've been reading this thread and have become more confused about what this actually means. Does this mean I CAN list my leadership position in an organization or do I have to choose 1 or the other and stick with it. Most of my leadership has came through volunteering so I'm worried that my application will be very weak if I can't differentiate the two.
 
premedchances2021 said:
"Additionally, any activity that also results in a leadership role may be listed in both of those categories." - TMDSAS Handbook

I've been reading this thread and have become more confused about what this actually means. Does this mean I CAN list my leadership position in an organization or do I have to choose 1 or the other and stick with it. Most of my leadership has came through volunteering so I'm worried that my application will be very weak if I can't differentiate the two.
Click to expand...
If you see my post above I think TMDSAS has just made things more muddy with this new comment. #128
I think this comment will lead to lots of people posting the same activity in 2 categories, which supposedly is not what TMDSAS wants.

If you need some leadership activities, put one of your activities in leadership, and you can still describe the good works you did in the description.
My opinion is that this is a better choice than putting the same thing in 2 categories, which looks like padding the resume.
Still can't decide? Ask TMDSAS directly, they are super responsive.
 
Garfield007 said:
Can someone explain to me how to calculate cGPA and undergraduate GPA through TMDSAS?
Click to expand...
wysdoc said:
TMDSAS will calculate it for you, but in general their calculations leave off all pluses and minuses.
a B-, a B, and a B+ are all worth 3 points.
A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1
Click to expand...
Just another random question, does cGPA calculated by TMDSAS always match with overall GPA from the primary school?
 
Garfield007 said:
Just another random question, does cGPA calculated by TMDSAS always match with overall GPA from the primary school?
Click to expand...
It will be very close.
Does your college calculate pluses and minuses? Does your college include transfer grades in its GPA calculation?
These two things will change it slightly.
 
@wysdoc The answer I got from TMDSAS was that it was perfectly OK to make two separate entries if leadership was involved (i.e. community service and leadership).
 
premedchances2021 said:
@wysdoc The answer I got from TMDSAS was that it was perfectly OK to make two separate entries if leadership was involved (i.e. community service and leadership).
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing what you learned straight from the source.
Naturally you will write different descriptions for the two, to highlight the role you played.
 
Does TMDSAS separate out and calculate a GPA for all postbac classes like AMCAS does?
 
chicandtoughness said:
Does TMDSAS separate out and calculate a GPA for all postbac classes like AMCAS does?
Click to expand...
They calculate GPAs in a variety of ways, i'm sure they do separate out the postbac
But all the numbers will be seen by admissions officers.
 
Question #1341234 and #1341235 from me lol. Just to make sure I'm understanding correctly: although I'm starting a job in June I should estimate the hours until 11/1/21 (say 40/wk for 16 weeks)? So I could list 40 hrs per week on TMDSAS with ~600 hours cumulative and the continue those hours into planned activities?

Lastly, again to confirm my understanding and avoid confusion. An organization with a service and extracurricular component can be listed as different activities as long as the hours are not "double-dipped". Double-dipping on the TMDSAS handbook is so poorly defined I'm sure there has been so much confusion.
 
premedchances2021 said:
Question #1341234 and #1341235 from me lol. Just to make sure I'm understanding correctly: although I'm starting a job in June I should estimate the hours until 11/1/21 (say 40/wk for 16 weeks)? So I could list 40 hrs per week on TMDSAS with ~600 hours cumulative and the continue those hours into planned activities?

Lastly, again to confirm my understanding and avoid confusion. An organization with a service and extracurricular component can be listed as different activities as long as the hours are not "double-dipped". Double-dipping on the TMDSAS handbook is so poorly defined I'm sure there has been so much confusion.
Click to expand...
1. Yes estimate your work hours like that.
2. Let’s say your organization is a fraternity for example. You can list the hours spent at meeting, planning, and social activities as your EC for the club.
The same frat collects food for the food bank or some volunteer work. You could list that as a different activity, volunteer work.
There are 2 situations where you are allowed to list the exact SAME activity in 2 categories:
Paid employment and healthcare related (if your paid job involves healthcare)
And
Leadership and whatever activity in which you had to use significant leadership skills.
The last one is new in the instructions this year, and “in my opinion” it was added for those folks who never got elected to some office, but showed leadership elsewhere.
 
wysdoc said:
1. Yes estimate your work hours like that.
2. Let’s say your organization is a fraternity for example. You can list the hours spent at meeting, planning, and social activities as your EC for the club.
The same frat collects food for the food bank or some volunteer work. You could list that as a different activity, volunteer work.
There are 2 situations where you are allowed to list the exact SAME activity in 2 categories:
Paid employment and healthcare related (if your paid job involves healthcare)
And
Leadership and whatever activity in which you had to use significant leadership skills.
The last one is new in the instructions this year, and “in my opinion” it was added for those folks who never got elected to some office, but showed leadership elsewhere.
Click to expand...
So going off your example I could title my extracurricular: Fraternity Alphabet Soup and then for community service I could put: Alphabet Soup Member
 
wysdoc said:
For community service why not put citywide food drive
Click to expand...
We were involved in multiple service projects as well as weekly volunteering over the year I was in the organization so I'm thinking it would be better to chunk together the volunteer time so it doesn't seem like resume padding with 40 hrs food drive...25 service project...25 hrs etc. if that makes sense. It was only a year long organization meant for freshman to gain service and leadership experience.
 
Last edited:
premedchances2021 said:
We were involved in multiple service projects as well as weekly volunteering over the year I was in the organization so I'm thinking it would be better to chunk together the volunteer time so it doesn't seem like resume padding with 40 hrs food drive...25 service project...25 hrs etc. if that makes sense. It was only a year long organization meant for freshman to gain service and leadership experience.
Click to expand...
sure, use your judgement
 
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