*~*~*~* Official TMDSAS Questions Thread 2025-2026 *~*~*~*~*

[wysdoc]

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Hi all, I recently submitted by primary and am working on pre-writing secondaries. I'm currently freaking out a bit because I realized I did not mention the names of the physicians I worked under/shadowed. Am I done for? Can I do anything to rectify this? Please, any help would be appreciated.

It’s not essential to name them unless you listed them as a recommender or a contact number for verification of your hours.
Carry on working on those secondary essays

 

[mangoognam]

Thank you. I'm sending my letters through my school's HPAC. Also there were no places I saw on the application to put a contact number for verification?

 

[wysdoc]

Thank you. I'm sending my letters through my school's HPAC. Also there were no places I saw on the application to put a contact number for verification?

That’s a common part of the AMCAS app but not included on the TMDSAS activity section

 

[Worriedpremed427]

Hi everyone.
I am a TMDSAS applicant, and my primary was submitted end of May, and all of my applications were considered "complete" end of June around June 20-30. I have 0 interviews so far, and I am slightly worried as people that have submitted after me have been receiving them. Do you guys think I have a chance at matching to a Texas MD school as I did not apply DO. Here are my stats:

ORM
Recently graduated
Texas Public University
Chemistry Major
MCAT:509
GPA: 3.88, Graduated Magna Cum Laude

Awards/Scholarships
- 15+ academic scholarships
- PKP Honor society
- Top 10 Outstanding Graduating Senior in the College
- Several Departmental Awards

Extracurriculars:

Healthcare - 1000 Hours
- Shadowed in more than 12 specialties: total hours maybe around 500
- Scribe in the ED
- Hospital Volunteer
- Participated in an invitational program at Long SOM

Research - 1000-2000 Hours
Participated in research programs at McGovern, UT Health Houston Public Health
Stayed in the same research lab all 4 years -> Got 2 publications from it
3 Total publications that were published during application, and 2 that were recently accepted + 1 under review still
Won 1st place Oral presentation at a national conference

Community Service - 650 hrs
- Mentor/Teacher at an after-school program for underprivileged students

Leadership
- VP and several leadership positions in my fraternity
- TA for general chemistry
- RA
- Served on staff at a camp

What Sets me apart maybe?
I graduated as a Top 10 Outstanding Graduating Senior
Strong LORs
3 publications listed + 4 more that are in-review
- 1 is first author at a strong journal
- worked part-time all four years in college

I am very anxiety driven, and some assurance would help. Do interviews usually go out to the strongest applicants in the beginning? Any comments would help. Thanks!

 

[wysdoc]

Hi everyone.
I am a TMDSAS applicant, and my primary was submitted end of May, and all of my applications were considered "complete" end of June around June 20-30. I have 0 interviews so far, and I am slightly worried as people that have submitted after me have been receiving them. Do you guys think I have a chance at matching to a Texas MD school as I did not apply DO. Here are my stats:

ORM
Recently graduated
Texas Public University
Chemistry Major
MCAT:509
GPA: 3.88, Graduated Magna Cum Laude

Awards/Scholarships
- 15+ academic scholarships
- PKP Honor society
- Top 10 Outstanding Graduating Senior in the College
- Several Departmental Awards

Extracurriculars:

Healthcare - 1000 Hours
- Shadowed in more than 12 specialties: total hours maybe around 500
- Scribe in the ED
- Hospital Volunteer
- Participated in an invitational program at Long SOM

Research - 1000-2000 Hours
Participated in research programs at McGovern, UT Health Houston Public Health
Stayed in the same research lab all 4 years -> Got 2 publications from it
3 Total publications that were published during application, and 2 that were recently accepted + 1 under review still
Won 1st place Oral presentation at a national conference

Community Service - 650 hrs
- Mentor/Teacher at an after-school program for underprivileged students

Leadership
- VP and several leadership positions in my fraternity
- TA for general chemistry
- RA
- Served on staff at a camp

What Sets me apart maybe?
I graduated as a Top 10 Outstanding Graduating Senior
Strong LORs
3 publications listed + 4 more that are in-review
- 1 is first author at a strong journal
- worked part-time all four years in college

I am very anxiety driven, and some assurance would help. Do interviews usually go out to the strongest applicants in the beginning? Any comments would help. Thanks!

Interviews can come your way any time between now and December or even January for the Texas schools.
You are probably right that the higher MCAT applicants will be the first ones invited, but with the mean MCAT for matriculants at 511.4 you are definitely in admissions range.
Be confident that you have done your part and figure out how to cope peacefully with the long wait.

 

[hleehyan]

Hi everyone.
I am a TMDSAS applicant, and my primary was submitted end of May, and all of my applications were considered "complete" end of June around June 20-30. I have 0 interviews so far, and I am slightly worried as people that have submitted after me have been receiving them. Do you guys think I have a chance at matching to a Texas MD school as I did not apply DO. Here are my stats:

ORM
Recently graduated
Texas Public University
Chemistry Major
MCAT:509
GPA: 3.88, Graduated Magna Cum Laude

Awards/Scholarships
- 15+ academic scholarships
- PKP Honor society
- Top 10 Outstanding Graduating Senior in the College
- Several Departmental Awards

Extracurriculars:

Healthcare - 1000 Hours
- Shadowed in more than 12 specialties: total hours maybe around 500
- Scribe in the ED
- Hospital Volunteer
- Participated in an invitational program at Long SOM

Research - 1000-2000 Hours
Participated in research programs at McGovern, UT Health Houston Public Health
Stayed in the same research lab all 4 years -> Got 2 publications from it
3 Total publications that were published during application, and 2 that were recently accepted + 1 under review still
Won 1st place Oral presentation at a national conference

Community Service - 650 hrs
- Mentor/Teacher at an after-school program for underprivileged students

Leadership
- VP and several leadership positions in my fraternity
- TA for general chemistry
- RA
- Served on staff at a camp

What Sets me apart maybe?
I graduated as a Top 10 Outstanding Graduating Senior
Strong LORs
3 publications listed + 4 more that are in-review
- 1 is first author at a strong journal
- worked part-time all four years in college

I am very anxiety driven, and some assurance would help. Do interviews usually go out to the strongest applicants in the beginning? Any comments would help. Thanks!

im nontraditional and in the similar boat with a 514. no invites. just going to wait it out and focus on amcas.

 

[TofuCart]

Hey everyone.

I'm currently working through my secondaries and am mostly complete. However, I had a recent update for planned activities that I did not list in my primary application. I didn't know I would have these opportunities at the time of submitting my primary, as I was still applying for different opportunities.

The two updates are a new Medical Assistant position I am going to start as well as a position as a Volunteer Researcher at a Research Laboratory.

I know I can't edit the Planned Activities section of the primary application, which means I would most likely have to send in update letters to these schools. However, I also see some schools don't accept any update letters.

Is there a recommended time I should send these letters, or should I even send them at all? And for the schools that say they don't accept them, is there nothing I can do to inform them about these updates for my planned activities?

Thank you!

 

[wysdoc]

Hey everyone.

I'm currently working through my secondaries and am mostly complete. However, I had a recent update for planned activities that I did not list in my primary application. I didn't know I would have these opportunities at the time of submitting my primary, as I was still applying for different opportunities.

The two updates are a new Medical Assistant position I am going to start as well as a position as a Volunteer Researcher at a Research Laboratory.

I know I can't edit the Planned Activities section of the primary application, which means I would most likely have to send in update letters to these schools. However, I also see some schools don't accept any update letters.

Is there a recommended time I should send these letters, or should I even send them at all? And for the schools that say they don't accept them, is there nothing I can do to inform them about these updates for my planned activities?

Thank you!

If the secondary has a question like “anything else you would like us to know?” you can tell it there.
Otherwise save it to talk about in an interview

 

[TofuCart]

If the secondary has a question like “anything else you would like us to know?” you can tell it there.
Otherwise save it to talk about in an interview

Thank you! That makes a lot of sense.

 

[cfanugget22]

What is the typical rule of thumb for mentioning the same experience in both your primary and secondary essays? I originally had written my adversity secondary essay about being first gen but also wrote about it in my personal characteristics primary essay. The story in my PC is more about immigrating with a brief sentence in a later paragraph about being a first gen college student ("Navigating academic challenges without direction as a first-generation college student taught me the value of mentorship and instilled a commitment in me to help others facing similar struggles.") and my current adversity essay goes more in depth about applying to college and how I guided others after. I'm wondering if I should change my topic of the adversity essay if these stories/takeaways are too similar or if it's okay

 

[hleehyan]

Is it true that Texas applicants get disadvantaged applying outside of Texas? I am applying AMCAS as well. I don't want to stay in Texas but because I was already a resident

 

[wysdoc]

Is it true that Texas applicants get disadvantaged applying outside of Texas? I am applying AMCAS as well. I don't want to stay in Texas but because I was already a resident

About 15% of Texans end up going to out of state schools. Many choose to stay in Texas for the affordable tuition.
To be competitive, be sure your MCAT and GPA are above the median for the OOS schools you apply to, or have a significant connection to the state.

 

[chillstill]

I merged your question with the TMDSAS questions thread. Please ask this kind of thing there instead of starting a new thread.
Completion of all secondaries by end of July is quite early and interview invitations go out over the next 6 months.

thanks

 

[chillstill]

quick clarification

Complete by july 30th tmsdas (secondaries in, everything in) is not early but by no means super late. Just making sure, right?

 

[wysdoc]

quick clarification

Complete by july 30th tmsdas (secondaries in, everything in) is not early but by no means super late. Just making sure, right?

Your completion is timely
During the months of waiting now to see if you will get interviews, you MUST learn to chill.

For you, and others eagerly/anxiously waiting:
- don't send lots of emails to your schools asking whether they are going to interview you
- don't compare yourself to your peers on the basis of submission date and feel you have been "passed over"
- let the schools do their work during this busy processing time, only call them if there is an urgent error on your application information

 

[fishbonehole]

Might be jumping the gun a bit, but I have been lucky enough to receive an interview at UTSW on 07/18. I know that UTSW prematches a majority of their incoming class, but I was wondering if getting an earlier interview invite (and therefore early interview time) has any correlation to % to prematch? And if I don't prematch, are my chances at UTSW that much lower going into the match process?

Thanks.

 

[wysdoc]

Might be jumping the gun a bit, but I have been lucky enough to receive an interview at UTSW on 07/18. I know that UTSW prematches a majority of their incoming class, but I was wondering if getting an earlier interview invite (and therefore early interview time) has any correlation to % to prematch? And if I don't prematch, are my chances at UTSW that much lower going into the match process?

Thanks.

Congratulations on getting an early interview invitation: at UTSW that usually means you had very high stats and an adequately written application. Their interviews will be two one-on-one interviews, virtual. Be ready on time, dress up, and review your own app and secondaries before your interview day. The interviews is a chance for them to have a conversation with the person who looked good on paper.

It's too early to worry about Match and pre-match things at this point.
Another suggestion I have is to make notes after each of your interview days (not during the interview though!) because details will blur in your mind. Having some impressions jotted down will help you make your rank list in January.

 

[sousop]

Unrelated (or maybe related), but am unsure where it is appropriate to post. Are Premeds allowed to post in Medical Students Forums, asking what kind of ECs or activities people did, who matriculated into or are currently attending UT Austin - Dell, specifically?

I think I have a lot of overlap with their mission already, and will, but curious about other folk's paths for ideas too. I'd like to go there or a school with a similar mission.

 

[AnatomyAndAnonymity]

Unrelated (or maybe related), but am unsure where it is appropriate to post. Are Premeds allowed to post in Medical Students Forums, asking what kind of ECs or activities people did, who matriculated into or are currently attending UT Austin - Dell, specifically?

I think I have a lot of overlap with their mission already, and will, but curious about other folk's paths for ideas too. I'd like to go there or a school with a similar mission.

This could be a good question for the school-specific thread, or consider DMing students in the thread from last year to see if they'd be willing to chat : )

 

[wysdoc]

Unrelated (or maybe related), but am unsure where it is appropriate to post. Are Premeds allowed to post in Medical Students Forums, asking what kind of ECs or activities people did, who matriculated into or are currently attending UT Austin - Dell, specifically?

I think I have a lot of overlap with their mission already, and will, but curious about other folk's paths for ideas too. I'd like to go there or a school with a similar mission.

The premed forum is a lot more active and is organized by specific school, so you are a lot more likely to get an answer here. Scan the first couple of pages of the school thread, you will usually see a current student posting who is willing to answer questions

 

[chillstill]

Texas A and M states

In the interest of full disclosure, please expound on ANY felonies, misdemeanors and/or arrests. This includes all dismissed charges as they will appear on a Criminal Background Check. If in doubt as to whether an offense should be disclosed because you believe the charge to be irrelevant or expunged, it is better to disclose the offense on the application. Unless an order of expunction has been issued by the court and you have documents to that effect, an applicant may not claim expunction as an excuse for non-disclosure. Avoid some of the common excuses the committee has heard from people who fail to disclose, such as:

• My attorney told me I didn't have to disclose the criminal conduct or disciplinary actions.
• I didn't think the prior conduct had anything to do with the profession.
• I didn't think the disciplinary action, arrest, charges or convictions was still on my record.
• I didn't think it was subject to disclosure because I received a deferred sentence/judgment.
  
  do I talk about a speeding ticket I had dismissed a few years ago. I know texas technically considers all traffic tickets as class c misdemeanors.

 

[wysdoc]

Texas A and M states

In the interest of full disclosure, please expound on ANY felonies, misdemeanors and/or arrests. This includes all dismissed charges as they will appear on a Criminal Background Check. If in doubt as to whether an offense should be disclosed because you believe the charge to be irrelevant or expunged, it is better to disclose the offense on the application. Unless an order of expunction has been issued by the court and you have documents to that effect, an applicant may not claim expunction as an excuse for non-disclosure. Avoid some of the common excuses the committee has heard from people who fail to disclose, such as:

• My attorney told me I didn't have to disclose the criminal conduct or disciplinary actions.
• I didn't think the prior conduct had anything to do with the profession.
• I didn't think the disciplinary action, arrest, charges or convictions was still on my record.
• I didn't think it was subject to disclosure because I received a deferred sentence/judgment.
  
  do I talk about a speeding ticket I had dismissed a few years ago. I know texas technically considers all traffic tickets as class c misdemeanors.

Yes

 

[etxmedstudent36]

Are you even a real Texan if you haven't gotten a speeding ticket yet? Perhaps they're just checking to make sure you're not driving slow on the highways.

 

[chillstill]

For any question I can't answer, that's like optional, is it ok to put N/A. I did this for SHSCOM. I just feel so uncomfortable leaving it blank. Thank-you

 

[texasvandy]

For any question I can't answer, that's like optional, is it ok to put N/A. I did this for SHSCOM. I just feel so uncomfortable leaving it blank. Thank-you

Not all questions are applicable when optional, i.e., "did you face academic difficulties".

 

[karawara]

Hey everyone, I have been seeing interview invites for TMSDAS applicants already. Will be fully complete (done with secondaries and everything) end of July, lets say July 28-31st. Totally understand I am not early but this is still a good point where theres still like 50% on interviews rem

Your completion is timely
During the months of waiting now to see if you will get interviews, you MUST learn to chill.

For you, and others eagerly/anxiously waiting:
- don't send lots of emails to your schools asking whether they are going to interview you
- don't compare yourself to your peers on the basis of submission date and feel you have been "passed over"
- let the schools do their work during this busy processing time, only call them if there is an urgent error on your application information

What about complete, secondaries in and all 8/10-13? Is this considered late?

 

[wysdoc]

What about complete, secondaries in and all 8/10-13? Is this considered late?

Nope