Tip for the Activities Section of the TMDSAS Application
All applicants to Texas medical schools must submit the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) application. Candidates applying to one of the 14 medical school programs that use the TMDSAS application need to complete an Activities section similar to, yet different from, the one in the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) application.
The TMDSAS Activities section for medical school applicants contains ten subsections: Academic Recognition, Non-Academic Recognition, Leadership, Employment, Research Activities, Healthcare Activities, Community Engagement, Extracurricular Activities, Top Meaningful Activities, and Planned Activities.
Unlike in the AMCAS application, applicants to TMDSAS are expected to include activities more than once if they are both employment and healthcare related. For example, if you worked at a clinic, this activity should appear in both the “Employment” section and the “Healthcare Activities” section. The good news is that there is a 300-character limit, including spaces, for each activity description, so each one will only be about two to three sentences long. There is no limit to the number of activities that you can include. For this reason, it is important to list everything relevant you have ever done after graduating from high school—everything!
Table of Contents
- 1. Update your CV/resume.
- 2. Print a copy of your CV/resume.
- 3. Label each activity according to the section or sections that are most appropriate.
- 4. Write a two- or three-sentence description for each activity.
- 5. Build a cohesive narrative.
Here are some steps to get you started:
1. Update your CV/resume.
Make it a habit to update your CV/resume every time you complete a new activity. It’s easy to forget the details, so make sure you capture each award, publication, experience, etc., as it occurs. This practice will save you time and keep your credentials as accurate and up-to-date as possible. When preparing for application season, make sure that you have updated your CV/resume.
2. Print a copy of your CV/resume.
After you have updated and have double- and triple-checked your CV/resume for accuracy, print a copy. Read through it slowly and carefully. Start thinking about where each activity belongs in the experience section of your resume.
3. Label each activity according to the section or sections that are most appropriate.
After reading through all of your activities carefully, assign each one to the most relevant section(s) from this list:
- Academic Recognition
- Non-Academic Recognition
- Leadership
- Employment
- Research Activities
- Healthcare Activities
- Community Engagement
- Extracurricular Activities
- Planned Activities
If you’re not sure which section is most appropriate for a particular activity, ask a friend or advisor for their input. After you’ve assigned labels to all your activities, take a break. Review these labels at a later date to see if they still make sense to you. At that time, add edits, if necessary. Start this process early to ensure you can schedule enough time so that you can take breaks like these throughout the application process to double-check the logic of your work. The best Activity sections have balance, meaning they have some activities in each category – and not too many in one versus another.
4. Write a two- or three-sentence description for each activity.
Applicants are allowed 300 characters for each activity description, and therefore the writing must be clear and concise. An additional 500 characters are given to the three activities designated as “most meaningful” by the applicant, offering them the opportunity to expand on a particular narrative that reinforces the concepts of impact and reflection. Strong writing quantifies results, accomplishments, and outcomes. Examples include sharing with the adcom the amount of money raised for a certain philanthropic endeavor, the number of patients seen in a day, or the statistical significance of a research project.
5. Build a cohesive narrative.
Final thought: as you write your TMDSAS Activities section, continually reflect on your overall narrative. What picture are you hoping to paint for the adcom? For example, do you have strong clinical experience? Maybe you have both volunteer and paid work with a certain population, such as pediatrics or geriatrics. Are you a research-strong candidate, hoping to eventually go into academic medicine? As you cultivate your activities, try to create a portfolio that demonstrates growth, honesty about your passions, and continued interest in your pursuit of medicine.
You need to work hard if you want to submit a winning TMDSAS application, and we can help! Schedule a free consultation with an experienced Accepted admissions consultant.
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