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How to write the tmdsas personal characteristics essay.

Reviewed by:

Jonathan Preminger

Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine

Reviewed: 6/23/23

Applying through the TMDSAS? Read on to learn more about personal characteristics essays for TMDSAS schools! 

If you’re preparing to apply to medical school, you’re probably familiar with AMCAS . However, if you’re planning to apply to medical, dental, or veterinary school in Texas, you’ll need to apply using the Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) .

On top of your personal statement, you’ll need to write a personal characteristics essay. We’ll highlight everything you need to know about the TMDSAS personal characteristics essay and how to craft a narrative that maximizes your chances of getting accepted into your dream Texas medical school .

Get The Ultimate Guide on Writing an Unforgettable Personal Statement

Purpose of the TMDSAS ‍

Texas is a large and populous state; the purpose of the TMDSAS is to provide a centralized application service for Texas-only medical, dental, and veterinary schools. 

In fact, the TMDSAS pre-dates the AMCAS! The following medical schools participate in the TMDSAS network:

• The Baylor College of Medicine
• The Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio
• The McGovern Medical School at UT Health Houston
• The Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• The Texas A&M College of Medicine
• The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at El Paso
• The Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Medicine at Lubbock
• The University of Houston College of Medicine
• The University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
• The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School
• The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
• The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

Two Texas medical schools don’t participate in the TMDSAS:

• The TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine requires applicants to use the AMCAS .
• The University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine requires applicants to use AACOMAS . 

Be sure to stay up-to-date with Texas medical school application procedures and visit the school websites to use the correct application portal.

TMDSAS Essay Overview ‍

Like AMCAS , the TMDSAS also requires a personal statement. The TMDSAS requires a personal characteristics essay and allows candidates to write an additional optional essay. 

The personal characteristics essay is unique to TMDSAS, so let’s highlight some key information, such as its purpose, tips on how to write a compelling narrative, and sample personal characteristics essays that thoroughly answer the prompt.

Purpose of the TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay

The TMDSAS personal characteristics essay must be 2,500 characters or fewer (including spaces). Applicants must respond to the following prompt:

“Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others.”

The way this prompt is worded might sound confusing and challenging, but we can simplify it – you can think of this as a diversity essay . Diversity has different contexts for this prompt. These may include your: 

• Unique background (ethnic, racial, socioeconomic, etc.) 
• Perspectives
• Ideas, talents, or skills
• Experiences
• Critical thinking

A strong personal characteristics essay connects your diverse background to medical school and illustrates how your peers, program, and the medical school can benefit from your diversity. 

Every entering class consists of diverse students with differing cultures, upbringings, socioeconomic statuses, birthplaces, educational experiences, and more. A diverse student body can expose students to new perspectives, insights, and information. 

This student body can challenge one another to grow, empathize with others, and foster a global mindset that is open, accepting, and critical in medicine. This is the heart of the personal characteristics essay, and what medical schools are looking for in future leaders – how will you add diversity and value to the class? 

How to Write the TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay

The TMDSAS personal characteristics essay is only 2,500 characters, including spaces, so every word must count. Here are tips for writing a strong and compelling personal characteristics essay:

1. Brainstorm Ideas That Demonstrate Your Diversity

Brainstorming is an effective technique to recall memories and experiences you can write about. You aren’t editing or revising your thoughts; don’t worry about grammar, structure, or spelling at this stage. 

You simply want to write down every idea that comes to you that may be relevant to your narrative. Here’s a list of questions to get started with thinking about diversity:

• Who are you at your core, and what experience(s) defined you?
• How do you identify yourself?
• Where did you grow up, and what was it like to live there?
• What was your family like?
• What have you done or experienced that shaped who you are today?
• Have you traveled abroad?
• Have you learned another language?
• Did you serve in the military?
• Have you volunteered in your community?
• Are you a part of any teams, groups, or organizations?
• Have you suffered or had to overcome disability, injury, or illness?
• Have you been a caregiver for someone with a disability or illness?
• Have you had to face and overcome rejection?
• Have you been bullied? How did you overcome it?

2. Pick Your Most Meaningful Anecdotes

After brainstorming, pick one to three stories that fulfill the prompt and are meaningful in your pursuit of medicine. Remember, you don’t want to choose similar experiences to those outlined in your personal statement! 

3. Outline the Structure of Your Essay

Create an outline to structure and organize your essay. Although the personal characteristics essay is relatively short, you want your narrative to flow. 

The essay should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion:

4. Write Your First Draft 

After completing your outline, begin writing your first draft. Your tone should be professional yet conversational – you don’t want to be too stiff or casual.

It’s important to show rather than tell; instead of writing “I am compassionate,” tell a story that conveys your compassion. Remember, your first draft doesn’t have to be perfect, and it may even exceed the word limit the first time – changes can be made in the next step. 

5. Edit Your Work 

Review your first draft for spelling, grammar, clarity, and sentence structure errors. If there are weak sentences, cross them out and rewrite them. You can also check for concision – does every word serve a purpose? Eliminate wordy phrases to leave more room for rich descriptions. 

The introduction should flow seamlessly to the body and the body to the conclusion. Another pair of eyes can help provide a fresh perspective on your work – consider an admissions counselor’s help to ensure your writing aligns with what Texan med schools seek! 

TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay Examples

Here are some personal characteristics essay samples to help inspire you as you write your own drafts:

TMDSAS Essay Example #1 

Here’s the first TMDSAS essay example: 

“Being South Asian, I have firsthand knowledge of what it means not to access basic healthcare. As a child, my mother took me to Pakistan every year, where I spent summers with my grandfather, a top pediatrician in the nation. He had a free clinic attached to his home in Faisalabad, and his practice was so renowned and respected that people from all over the country would travel great distances to have my grandfather treat their children.  Pakistan is a developing country where a significant part of the population remains illiterate and uneducated due to the lack of resources and opportunities. This population is the most vulnerable, with extremely high numbers of infectious disease and mortality rates. Yet, it is entirely underserved. With the lack of hospitals, clinics, and doctor’s offices in rural Pakistan, parents of ailing children must travel great distances and wait in long lines to receive proper healthcare.  Every summer at my grandfather’s clinic, from ages five to seventeen, my job was to open the doors to long lines of tired, hungry, and thirsty parents with their sick children. I would pass out bottled water and pieces of fruit. I would record names, where the patients came from, and reasons for their visit. I would scurry back inside with the information for my grandfather to assess, and then he’d send me running back out again to let the next family inside. I learned in my formative years how to communicate with diverse patient populations with special needs and lack of basic necessities. I learned to listen to every family’s unique reasons for their visit, and some of their desperation and pleading for the lives of their children will stay with me forever. When I get into medical school, I hope to share the story of how Gulzarah carried her dehydrated daughter for twelve miles in the Pakistani summer heat without rest (thanks to my grandfather, she later made a full recovery). I want to tell my peers that doctors like my grandfather are not only healers in biology but healers in spirit when he made up heroic songs for the children and sang the fear out of their hearts. I want to show my peers that patients are unique individuals who have suffered and sacrificed to trust us with their healthcare, so we must honor their trust by providing quality treatment and empathy. My formative experiences in pediatrics contributed to my globally conscious mindset, and I look forward to sharing these diverse insights in my medical career.”  This essay connects the writer’s ethnic background and experiences interacting with underserved patients.  The communication skills they learned, their experiences with diverse individuals, and the stories patients shared with them will allow them to add diversity to the incoming class while sharing new insights and perspectives with their peers.  

TMDSAS Essay Example #2

This diversity essay example was adapted from a personal statement but still checks the boxes to showcase the author’s experiences and interests:

“Hatha yoga emphasizes the ability to sculpt the human form into a fit, healthy, balanced vehicle for self-awareness and discovery…My instructor, John, encouraged me to push myself further until full splits and headstands could be achieved with ease. Yoga therapy and instruction became a way for me to connect to people in many aspects of my life…  I cherish the diversity I encounter. It is what excites and motivates me. My study of yoga grew from my interest in exploring the philosophies of Eastern cultures. Traveling, mostly independently, to over 20 countries and living in Germany challenged me to continuously learn more about the diverse world around me. Ordinary tasks such as getting water and preparing food can become unique challenges as different modes of operation and cultural differences come into play. Incorporating “sanuk,” the Thai description for playful contentment, became a key tool for overcoming the obstacles of traveling alone in Asia.  Living abroad afforded me the opportunity to learn a language in a shorter time than studying in an English-speaking environment. Having studied Spanish and German encouraged me to be precise in the messages I want to convey. As I continue to travel, I am touched by the sincere desire and efforts of people to improve their English speaking skills. This invigorated my desire, and I find myself jumping at the opportunity to practice my language skills. These experiences will be valuable resources in establishing trust and building thoughtful communication with patients… Since college, I have been committed to volunteer work as a means of improving social conditions and quality of life. As a therapist, I offered massages and yoga instruction to low-income individuals in exchange for donations to Habit for Humanity and Doctors Without Borders. I was able to raise hundreds of dollars for these organizations while providing massages to people who would ordinarily not be able to afford such services. …Observing work done in hospitals in India provided an insight into the ways in which I can incorporate a desire to work in underserved communities into my career as a physician… Though the path I have chosen may be arduous at times, my practice of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness will help keep my own physical and emotional health in balance. It is this integrated balance, along with a sincere desire to help people, that I have to share with my community and the medical profession.”  This diversity essay showcases the writer’s passion for yoga and how their pursuit of new experiences in new places invigorates them. While they connect their travels and other experiences to how it will help them become a better doctor, they could have been more direct about what they could teach their peers. 

TMDSAS Essay Example #3  

Here’s another TMDSAS personal characteristics essay sample : 

“I grew up in a household of six, and I am the youngest of four siblings, with two older brothers and one older sister. I spent the first eighteen years of my life living in Cedar Hill, a suburb of Dallas with a population of 50,000 and around 50% of that being Black. All of my siblings played sports, and everyone was very competitive, but in a good way…It was more about doing better than your previous best than being the other person. This was especially true after I became a swimmer in higher school. Before every race, my swim coaches always made sure to tell me that it was me against the clock, not against the people who were swimming around me. It instilled in me a very internally motivated hard work ethic. I want to improve myself because I know that my full potential has not been reached, not because other people are doing better. As a medical student, this will only make me a better doctor, as I will always be striving to become a better caregiver than I was before, whether that means learning more about the body and disease or learning how to become more compassionate so that I can serve my patients to the best of my ability. But hard work is not all that is necessary for success.  My life has been heavily affected by my Blackness. My dad used to give me lessons on what to do if I were stopped by the police. He said that because of the color of my skin, I would have to be as subservient as possible that there was less of a chance of my name becoming another hashtag. When I walked to school, I saw confederate flags flying on people’s houses. I was told, “You’re so lucky you’re black,” referring the the advantage in college admissions people thought I received because of my race, disregarding the struggles that come with growing up black, including the criminalization of Black people. The same criminalization that has a very negative impact on Black people, causing us to see things such as the color of our skin as negative…But because I had such a strong support system and grew up in a family full of Black role models, I did not see my Blackness as a detriment, but something to be celebrated.  It is important and uplifting to see people who look like you as successful. It is even more important that you have a connection with these people, and my Blackness taught me the value of mentorship. If I had not had powerful Black people pouring into me, things would be a lot different. Because mentorship influenced me so much, I became a mentor while at Vanderbilt, leading mentorship organizations such as Project I Am and After School Program. I want to continue to be a mentor and role model as I pursue my career as a doctor, being a positive example for aspiring Black doctors and communities of color in general. Yes, hard work is necessary to succeed, and you will accomplish much by being hard-working, but you need mentors and role models. Everyone needs someone to look up to who will guide, encourage and care for them.”  This essay showcases various aspects of the writer’s background, interests, and insights. They’ve seamlessly tied their home upbringing, racial identity, perspectives on competition, and appreciation for mentorship.  They clearly reference how they want to be a mentor and role model for other doctors who are Black or POC. 

Still have questions about the TMDSAS’ personal characteristics essay? Then check out these FAQs! 

1. What Does Diversity Mean in the TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay? 

For the TMDSAS essay, diversity doesn’t only mean racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, or gender diversity. You can broaden the definition and think of any unique event or experience that’s meaningful and shows how your acceptance would benefit your peers.

2. What’s the Difference Between the TMDSAS Personal Statement and Personal Characteristics Essay?

The personal statement addresses why you’re the right candidate for med school. The personal characteristics essay focuses on your diversity and the insights you can bring to the class to educate your peers and add value to the program.

3. What Do I Write About In My Personal Characteristics Essay? 

Ideally, one to three events or experiences are sufficient to answer the prompt. It’s better to have quality over quantity. The essay should be clear, well-organized, and professional. It’s easier to achieve a compelling, coherent essay by focusing on a couple of key ideas.

4. What Should I Avoid in My Personal Characteristics Essay?

Some things to avoid in your TMDSAS essay include rehashing your resume, writing controversial or alienating statements, being overly negative or critical, not editing, using filler words, and lying or embellishing. 

5. What Is the Character Limit of the TMDSAS Essays?

The TMDSAS personal statement is 5,000 characters (including spaces). The TMDSAS personal characteristics essay is 2,500 characters (including spaces). 

Final Thoughts 

The personal characteristics essay is a required TMDSAS component that shares your diversity and how it would enhance the entering class. With our guide, you’re well on your way to crafting a successful TMDSAS personal characteristics essay that showcases your diversity, fit, background, and experiences! 

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Your Guide To Writing A Great TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay

Featured Expert: Dr. Vincent Athanas, MD

The  TMDSAS  application system has several unique essay components, including the TMDSAS personal characteristics essay. While most students understand the meaning behind  TMDSAS personal statement , many of them find writing the TMDSAS personal characteristics essay more challenging. We are here to show you how to write an outstanding TMDSAS personal characteristics essay and provide examples that inspire you to write your own!

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free strategy call here . <<

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Article Contents 5 min read

What is the tmdsas personal characteristics essay.

The TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay is a required component of the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) that asks applicants to describe personal characteristics and experiences that will contribute to the diversity and educational benefits of the student body.

This essay provides an opportunity for applicants to highlight unique aspects of their background, experiences, and personal qualities that align with the values of the healthcare profession. In 2500 characters or less, including spaces, students must respond to the following prompt:

Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others. ","label":"TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay Prompt","title":"TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay Prompt"}]" code="tab1" template="BlogArticle">

Would You Like Our Help With Your TMDSAS Application? ","buttonText":"free strategy call","buttonColor":"#ffffff","addTrustpilot":"false","bannerUnderText":" Limited Spots Available ","belowButtonText1":null,"belowButtonText2":null,"trustpilot":false}" :url=""https:\/\/bemoacademicconsulting.com\/contact-schedule-free-strategy-call"" code="banner1" background-color="#000066" button-color="#ffffff" banner-image> Decoding the prompt and figuring out how to answer it appropriately can be challenging; so don’t stress if you aren’t sure where to start. We’re going to help you better understand the purpose of this essay. In fact, work with students on components of various applications (including TMDSAS ones) every single day; it’s what we do best! “Danielle Payne was so, so helpful during my brainstorming session for my TMDSAS essay. Before the session, I had been struggling to come up with ideas for the essay and had re-written it multiple times. However, now I feel confident with my first new draft!” – Anonymous, Former BeMo Student

Before we get into the details of this essay, we want to encourage you think of the task as one to emphasize your own diverse experiences and uniqueness. The admissions committee wants to know what form of diversity you can bring to your medical class that will benefit your peers.

Picture a class of 100 medical students who all grew up in the same city, and came from certain economic and personal backgrounds…this class would be sorely lacking in diverse and unique perspectives. Students coming from different cultural, ethnic, religious, or other backgrounds bring with them captivating and invaluable perspectives that will only help them, and those they interact with, in the medical field.

In this essay, it's your responsibility to demonstrate how you are unique as a candidate and how you can enrich other students in your class based on your own personal experiences in life. As one of our former students, Alison, a non-traditional applicant stated:

“It’s important to provide honest insights into your journey, challenges, and the lessons learned along the way”. By reflecting on my experiences and articulating how they have shaped my aspirations in medicine, I aimed to present herself as a thoughtful and introspective candidate.” – Alison Edwards, Former BeMo Student, Dell Medical School

The following  medical schools in Texas , both  MD and DO , as well as Dental schools in Texas and Vet schools, participate in the TMDSAS  medical school application  service and therefore require the submission of a personal characteristics essay. Take note of the  medical school GPA requirements  to help you decide which schools are ideal for you to apply to.

TMDSAS MD Schools

• Texas A&M University School of Medicine
• Baylor College of Medicine
• McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
• Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at El Paso
• Texas Tech University Health Science Center School of Medicine at Lubbock
• Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine at University of Houston
• John Sealy School of Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
• The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
• The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine
• The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School

The DO school rankings below contain schools that also participate in the TMDSAS service. However, keep in mind that many other osteopathic schools use the traditional DO school application , the AACOMAS, so be sure to verify which system you need to use beforehand.

• Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine
• University of North Texas Health Science Center Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine

TMDSAS Veterinary Schools

Check out the following best vet schools  that participate in the TMDSAS application service. If you’re considering applying to some of these schools, make sure to check out their veterinary school acceptance rates .

• Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine
• Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine

TMDSAS Dental Schools

And finally, check out  dental school acceptance rates among the schools that use the TMDSAS application service.

• Texas Tech University Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine
• The University of Texas Health San Antonio School of Dentistry
• The University of Texas Health School of Dentistry at Houston

Applying through TMDSAS? Watch this video to learn more!

How Can I Demonstrate Diversity in My TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay?

It’s common for students to feel as though they don’t bring any diverse qualities to the table, and thus, struggle with this essay. They may think that because they are not from a traditional “category of diversity” such as race, economic class, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, culture, language, immigration and disability, that they have nothing worth discussing. This couldn't be further from the truth and has to do with a misunderstanding of the meaning behind the word.

In the case of the TMDSAS personal characteristics essay, ‘diversity’ is broadly defined to encompass a wide range of personal experiences, backgrounds, and unique attributes that an applicant brings to the medical field. This includes, but is not limited to, cultural, socioeconomic, educational diversity, life experiences, and personal challenges overcome, which contribute to a richer, more diverse medical community.

If you feel you need assistance with crafting your diversity story for your characteristics essay, our academic advisors can help:

“Ashley was really helpful in finding ways for me to think about my experiences and how they might be incorporated into my diversity essays. I struggled writing those essays and left them for last because I was lost on how to start them, let alone what to write about.” – Anonymous, Former BeMo Student

Our former student Alison reflected on her unique experience with the AMCAS and TMDSAS essays. She understands the important of students drawing from their life experiences to showcase well-roundedness and abilities to contribute to the medical school community:

“It’s important to present diverse set of experiences in applications, not only those directly related to medicine. I was a music major and athlete. This approach helped to paint a more complete picture of who I was as a person. I also used [my third essay] to talk about an academic dishonesty incident, focusing not on excuses, but on what I learned from the experience and how it's going to make me a better physician."- Alison Edwards, Former BeMo Student

What's your story? Here're some questions for you to consider when you prepare your TMDSAS personal characteristics essay:

As previously mentioned, every student has something to contribute, you don't have to have climbed Mount Everest or traveled overseas for your experience to be worthwhile. Experiences don't have to be exotic or require travel, you just have to connect back to how that experience influenced you in your journey to become a physician.

You have problem heard the saying, \u2018show, don\u2019t tell\u2019 when it comes to writing essays. This is crucial. Make sure you use concrete examples and describe why you are more resilient, introspective, empathetic (or whatever qualities you decide to discuss) today. Listing items holds no value and isn't believable. Everyone can list an item, but not everyone can support their discussion through personal examples. ","label":"Show, don't tell","title":"Show, don't tell"}]" code="tab2" template="BlogArticle">

TMDSAS Medical School Application Timeline

Refer to the following important dates for you to navigate the application in a timely fashion:

Medical applicants must decide which program to accept "}]">

The personal characteristics essay is one of the required components of your TMDSAS application. Simply put, you can regard this essay’s prompt as a diversity prompt. You must demonstrate what new perspectives, knowledge, or skills you can contribute to the incoming medical class. Note that the term diversity is meant very broadly here. 

While you can write about traditional categories of diversity such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or immigration status, you are also encouraged to get creative with what you include in your essay. Every single person on the planet has unique experiences and events that shaped who they are – dig deep and brainstorm distinctive narratives that you can include in your personal characteristics essay.

As I already mentioned, you must get creative with your essay. Just because you have lived in the same town or city your entire life or never swam across Lake Ontario does not mean that you do not have a unique story to tell. There is no need to fabricate events or experiences, believe me. Ask yourself the following: 

• Have you ever faced a challenge? How did it shape your character? What did you do to overcome it? 
• Have you ever met a person whose worldview was completely different from yours? What did you learn? How did this impact you?
• What do you do in your free time? Do you have a passion outside of medicine? Do you play music, sports, or create art? 
• Reflect on your family circumstances and how they shaped you and your desire to become a physician. 

I can go on and on, but the point here is that your story is unique – share it with the admissions committee.

While the personal statement asks why you are the right candidate for medical school, the personal characteristics essay asks you to demonstrate your unique experiences and skills that can broaden the perspectives of your future medical school peers, and the optional essay is your chance to discuss any experiences or events that are relevant to your application which you have not previously discussed. I know it may be frustrating to prepare so many primary essays for your application, but all your essays must be of the highest quality – do not think the personal characteristics essay is any less important than the personal essay. 

Remember, the prompts are all different. To succeed, you must answer the prompt of the essay you are writing, whether it’s the personal statement, personal characteristics essay, optional essay, or the  medical school secondary essays . 

I strongly advise you to stick to 1-3 experiences or events. Remember, you must show rather than tell your story. Include concrete examples, describe your feelings and mental state, explain how certain experiences or events shaped you. Do not simply say, for example, “I served in the military. It was challenging.” – give the reader a vivid image of you in the military and how it shaped your character. What can your peers in medical school learn from you and your experience? Sticking to 1-3 experiences will allow you to speak of them in detail.

TMDSAS limits your personal characteristics essay to 2500 characters including spaces.

The composition of your personal characteristics essay will follow the academic essay structure: introduction, body, and conclusion. While this essay will be shorter than the personal statement, nevertheless, it must be well organized, clean, and easy to follow. 

Unfortunately, you can’t change your essay after you submit it. The only items in your application that you can change after you submit your application include the following: contact information, colleges attended, college coursework, terms attended, planned enrollment, My Account, and Test Scores.

While this application component is absolutely essential, it is not the sole reason for your acceptance or medical school rejection . You will need to have other strong elements, including transcripts, evaluators, and standardized test scores.

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TDMSAS personal characteristics essay

• Thread starter dentist432
• Start date Jun 26, 2018

Full Member

• Jun 26, 2018

Pearl E. White

D3 at lecom.

Well, what background, talents, and skills do you have?  

rebecca_chatul_tov

I struggled with the same thing back in May. It's an example of a diversity prompt. This article helped me organize my thoughts and write what I thought was a decent essay. Tips for Writing Your TMDSAS Application Essays For me I grew up in a family that owned and operated a small, struggling business and I learned a lot of resiliency from watching mom and dad find creative ways to make payroll twice a month. I related how resourcefulness being ingrained at a young age could help others around me be better students by being having a mindset that a problem can have more than one correct solution, and how that applies to dentistry. There is something in your background that will be value added to a classroom. Maybe it was that you learned how to be a good team member and support your peers because you did Math Olympics for 8 years. Whatever it is that was a valuable experience, relate it back to why you will make their program a better environment. If you have a professor or teacher you can talk to ask them what traits their students have that add to the classroom experience and then write about the ones that you have.  

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September 14, 2023

Writing Your Essays for the TMDSAS (Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service)

The Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) has its own application process. You can begin filling out the organization’s electronic application on May 1, similar to the AMCAS application . On the TMDSAS application, there are two required essays and one optional essay. 

Ready to get to work on your TMDSAS application? Read on. 

TMDSAS application essay tips

Tmdsas medical application deadlines and important dates, personal characteristics essay (required of all applicants).

Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others.

The personal characteristics essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

The Accepted consultants recently had a productive discussion about the Personal Characteristics Essay from this year’s TMDSAS application.

Is this primarily a diversity question ? A question about one’s unique educational experiences? A combination?

Here’s what Dr. Herman (Flash) Gordon , one of our expert med school consultants, had to say:

“As a med school educator and former chair of admissions, I see this as a purposeful question. Medical education is changing from the old didactic style to peer-peer education (a subset of “interactive learning”). Typical models are case-based instruction, team learning, and [think-]pair-share. For this to be most effective, there needs to be something to learn from your peers. In general, the more diverse your peers, the more you will learn.

“So I see this prompt as trying to elicit how well the candidate will fit into the new model of med ed. It would be good for applicants to describe experience with such educational models and to reflect on what they got out of the experience, as well as what they were able to contribute to others.”

In other words, this is both a diversity essay and something more than that. The prompt is asking you to think through the ways that your unique background and experiences will help you contribute to an evolving peer-to-peer education model. Being able to discuss previous experiences in a meaningful way will help you here.

A diversity essay, like any personal essay, can be anxiety producing for applicants: some people get caught up in telling the stories they think the committee wants to hear (without putting their own unique imprint on them) or block their writing process by convincing themselves they don’t have an experience worth sharing .

The best essays will also reveal the outcomes of each activity. Because this essay is only a half page in length, be strategic in selecting your characteristics – the best examples will show how well you work with others . Be honest! Have fun with this one.

Medical applicant personal statement

Explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. Be sure to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician. (max 5000 characters)

The length of this essay equals roughly one page. If you have already written a personal statement for the AMCAS application, you can adapt that essay to this purpose. If not, we recommend creating a timeline of your life that includes all the important events that have encouraged you to become a doctor. You can begin with your childhood, if relevant. This might be the only place in your application that you can discuss your activities or volunteer work from middle and/or high school. Make sure you cover the most important details of your preparation for a career in medicine.

Optional essay (all applicants)

There is one optional essay available for all applicants. This essay is an opportunity to provide the admissions committee(s) with a broader picture of who you are as an applicant. The essay is optional; however, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.

Briefly discuss any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application, which have not previously been presented. Optional Essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

Even though this is labeled an “optional” essay, it’s not really optional . It will hurt your application if you do not write it. Looking through what you have already covered in your other essays, are there any challenges or unique circumstances that you have overcome? If you struggled academically or with the MCAT, this section would be the most appropriate place to address any concerns that the selection committee might have about your application. Do you speak any other languages? Have you completed a medical mission in another country? Or do you have a unique approach to leadership that you would like to discuss in more depth? This section will allow you to go into detail about anything you feel would be important for the selection committee to know about you.

**Disclaimer: Information is subject to change. Please check with TMDSAS directly to verify its essay questions, instructions, and deadlines.***

Source: The TMDSAS website

If you get stuck on any of these essays, it can be helpful to have the guidance of an expert. We recommend that you start your essays early to avoid the stress of an impending deadline. Most students do their best work when they are not under the pressure of a deadline.

You need to work hard if you want to submit a winning TMDSAS application – and we can help! Check out , which provide complete application guidance, from conceptualization to final review. Your experienced consultant will guide you through your entire application, ensuring that you make the best use of your time to create a compelling portrait of yourself as a future leader in the medical field.

For 25 years, Accepted has helped applicants gain acceptance to their dream healthcare programs. Our outstanding team of admissions consultants features former admissions directors, admissions committee members, pre-health advisors, postbac program directors, and doctors. Our staff has guided applicants to acceptance at allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) medical schools, residencies and fellowships, dental schools, veterinarian schools, and physician assistant programs at top schools, including Harvard, Stanford, Penn, UCSF, Johns Hopkins, and Columbia. Want an admissions expert to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• The Quick Guide to Acing Your TMDSAS Application , a free guide
• Do’s and Don’ts of Medical School Recommendation Letters
• Teamwork in Medical School Admissions: How to Show You’ve Got It

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• Applicant Agreement
• Select Schools
• Applicant History
• Personal Information
• Education History
• Letters of Evaluation
• Transcripts
• Test Scores
• Chronology of Activities
• Certification & Payment
• After Submitting

The time has come for you to complete the essay portion of the application. This is your opportunity to shine in a way that is less driven by data and more driven by your personal experiences and your unique perspective.

4 Things to Remember About Essays

• Timing - The application can time out on you, especially when completing this lengthy portion. Avoid losing your essays or other data by saving frequently!
• Spacing - Watch your spacing! Remember that the character count includes spaces.
• Abbreviations - Spell out all words. Do not use shorthand or abbreviations.
• Formatting - Avoid formatting issues by typing your essay directly into the TMDSAS application, rather than copying and pasting your essay from word processor programs. Copying formatted text into the application may result in issues that cannot be edited once your application has been submitted.

Dental Applicant Personal Statement  

The personal essay asks you to explain your motivation to seek a career in dentistry. You are asked to discuss your philosophy of the dental profession and indicate your goals relevant to the profession.

The essay is limited to 5000 characters, including spaces.

Medical Applicant Personal Statement  

The personal essay asks you to explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. You are asked to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician.

Podiatry Applicant Personal Statement 

The personal essay asks you to explain your motivation to seek a career in podiatry. You are asked to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician.

Veterinary Applicant Personal Statement 

The personal essay asks you to describe opportunities and challenges (veterinary-related and non-veterinary-related) you have experienced and how these have helped to prepare you to enter the veterinary profession.

Personal Characteristics 

Required of all applicants - new prompt for ey 2025.

A key aspect of holistic review includes the consideration of applicants' attributes within the context of their experiences and academic metrics. 

Describe any personal qualities, characteristics, and/or lived experiences that could enrich the educational experience of others. (5000 Characters)

Optional Essay 

There is one optional essay available for all applicants. This essay is an opportunity to provide the admissions committee(s) with a broader picture of who you are as an applicant. The essay is optional; however, you are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.

Optional Essay:

Briefly discuss any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application, which have not previously been presented. Optional Essay is limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

• Additional Essays

DO/PhD & MD/PhD Program Essays

• Explain your motivation to seek a MD/PhD or DO/PhD dual Discuss your research interests and career goals as an applicant to a dual degree program.
• Describe your significant research Include the name and title of your research mentor as well as your contributions to the project. List any publications that have resulted from your work.

Each essay is limited to 5000 characters, including spaces.

DDS/PhD Program Essays

• Explain your motivation to seek a DDS/PhD dual
• Describe your significant research experiences, research interests and career goals as appropriate for an applicant to the DDS/PhD dual degree program.

Table of Contents

• Dental - Personal Statement
• Medical - Personal Statement
• Podiatry - Personal Statement
• Veterinary - Personal Statement
• Personal Characteristics
• Optional Essay

↑ Back to top ↑

2024 TMDSAS Definitive Guide (Requirements, Sample Essays)

Definitive Guide to TMDSAS (2024)

Introduction.

We understand that applying to Texas medical schools can seem like an overwhelming process. However, by understanding more about the application systems, you will realize that applying successfully is not as difficult as it seems. The majority of medical schools in Texas participate in TMDSAS (Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service) which is the common medical school application for all state funded medical schools in Texas. However, if you plan on applying to medical schools in Texas, it is likely that you will also apply through at least one other medical school application system depending on how many medical schools you plan on applying to. One Texas allopathic medical school and one Texas osteopathic medical school participates in AMCAS (American Medical College Application Service) and one Texas osteopathic medical school participates in AACOMAS (American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service). The focus of this article will be on TMDSAS.

Which medical school participate in TMDSAS? Below are medical schools listed by type (allopathic or osteopathic) and the application service in which the schools participate.

Table of Contents

Allopathic Medical Schools in Texas that participate in TMDSAS

• Baylor College of Medicine  
• McGovern Medical School (UT Houston)
• University of Houston – Fertitta Family College of Medicine
• Texas A&M University College of Medicine (also uses AMCAS for MD/Phd and non-resident EnMed Applicants)
• Foster School of Medicine Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso
• Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine Lubbock
• Long Medical School (San Antonio)
• University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School
• John Sealy School of Medicine University of Texas Medical Branch School of Medicine at Galveston
• University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
• University of Texas Southwestern Medical School
• University of Texas Tyler

Related Article:   Medical Schools In Texas

Osteopathic medical school in texas that participates in tmdsas.

• Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine – University of North Texas
• Sam Houston State University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Allopathic Medical School in Texas that participate in AMCAS

• Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas Health Science Center (Burnett School of Medicine at TCU)

Osteopathic Medical School in Texas that participates in AACOMAS

University of Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine

Applying to Medical Schools in Texas through TMDSAS

The cost to apply to all Texas medical schools through TMDSAS is a flat rate of $215. Nine TMDSAS medical schools require a secondary application with costs varying from $0-$60.

TMDSAS Acceptance Rate, Average MCAT, Average GPA

Entering year 2022 (the most recent data available):

• 6,833 applicants applied via TMDSAS
• 3,483 applicants INTERVIEWED via TMDSAS (85% TEXAS RESIDENTS)
• 2,544 applicants ACCEPTED (89% TEXAS RESIDENTS)
• 37% of TMDSAS applicants ACCEPTED 
• 2143 accepted applicants MATRICULATED to TMDSAS medical schools (93% TEXAS RESIDENTS)

It is important to keep in mind, however, that some applicants accepted to Texas medical schools using TMDSAS ultimately choose to attend AMCAS medical schools.

• Average TMDSAS MCAT for matriculants: 511.7
• Average overall TMDSAS GPA for matriculants: 3.82
• Average TMDSAS BCPM GPA matriculants: 3.77

To complete the TMDSAS application, you will need to compose a personal statement, employment and activities entries, as well as two additional essays.

TMDSAS Application Components and Character Limits

What are the written components of the TMDSAS application with characters limits?

• TMDSAS Personal statement (5000 characters with spaces)
• TMDSAS Personal characteristics essay (2500 characters with spaces)
• TMDSAS “optional” essay (2500 characters with spaces)
• TMDSAS employment and activities entries (300 characters with spaces)
• TMDSAS three top meaningful activities entries (500 characters with spaces each)

TMDSAS Personal Statement

The TMDSAS personal statement is one of the most important pieces of your medical school application.

The TMDSAS personal statement prompt is as follows:

Explain your motivation to seek a career in medicine. Be sure to include the value of your experiences that prepare you to be a physician.

This TMDSAS prompt is very similar to the AMCAS personal statement prompt. The TMDSAS personal statement character limit is 5000 characters with spaces whereas the limit for AMCAS is 5300 characters with spaces. Most students use the same essay (with very minor modifications, if necessary) for both application systems.

Relate Article:   Successful Med School Personal Statement Examples

Tmdsas additional essays.

In addition, Texas has two additional essays one of which is required and the other which is optional, but, applicants are encouraged to complete. The TMDSAS personal characteristics essay character limit is 2500 characters with spaces as is the “optional” essay.

TMDSAS Personal Characteristics Essay

Essay Prompt: Learning from others is enhanced in educational settings that include individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please describe your personal characteristics (background, talents, skills, etc.) or experiences that would add to the educational experience of others.

The personal characteristics essay is a required essay and limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

When writing this essay have an open mind about what defines diversity. You might have a distinctive interest, background, path, or viewpoint. Try to think outside the box when writing this essay.

TMDSAS Optional Essay

Essay Prompt: Briefly discuss any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to your application which have not previously been presented. This is not an area to continue your essay or reiterate what you have previously stated; this area is provided for you to address any issues that have not previously been addressed.

The optional essay and limited to 2500 characters, including spaces.

Again, we encourage all applicants to complete this optional TMDSAS essay. Like the personal characteristics essay, think outside the box when writing this essay trying to highlight experiences or circumstances that have been influential to you.

TMDSAS Work and Activities / TMDSAS Employment and Activities Entries

The final part of the TMDSAS application is the employment and activities section. Here you will write about all of your experiences, from between high school to August of the application year. “Healthcare and employment activities may be listed in each category if the experience was a paid position; otherwise, do not list experiences in more than one section.” For example, a scribing job would be listed in both Healthcare Activities and Employment.

For each experience entry you are only allowed 300 characters with spaces. The TMDSAS system list your activities in chronological order automatically.

TMDSAS will also generate a “chronology of activities” document automatically that serves as a resume or CV for medical schools. This document contains only the first 50 characters of each description. We do not recommend going overboard to try and make these 50 characters suit the purpose of the chronology.

TMDSAS also asks you to identify  three top meaningful activities  for which you are allowed 500 characters each.

The Employment and Activities categories are as follows:

• Academic Recognition
• Non-Academic Recognition
• Research Activities
• Healthcare Activities
• Community Service
• Extracurricular & Leisure Activities
• Planned Activities
• Identifying Top Meaningful Activities

For University of Incarnate osteopathic medical school, you will complete the AACOMAS application. (the cost for AACOMAS is $196 for one school and $46 for each additional school. Secondary applications are extra and in the same range as AMCAS).

TMDSAS Medical Schools that Require a Secondary Application

Texas Medical Schools with Secondary Applications (cost $60 – $100 per school):

• Baylor College of Medicine
• UT Southwestern Medical Center
• Dell Medical School
• John Sealy School of Medicine at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
• UT Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine
• McGovern Medical School
• Sam Houston State University
• Texas A&M University College of Medicine
• Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine at University of Houston
• Texas Tech University HSC School of Medicine
• The University of North Texas HSC – Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Texas Tech University HSC El Paso Paul L. Foster SOM

TMDSAS Medical Schools that Require Casper

• Long School of Medicine, UT Health San Antonio
• Texas A&M University College of Medicine
• University of Texas Southwestern
• The University of Texas at Tyler

Texas Medical Schools that Use AMCAS

• Texas A&M University School of Medicine (for MD/PhD and non-resident EnMed Applicants)
• Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU

Texas Medical Schools that Use AACOMAS

• University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine

• May 1, 2023: TMDSAS opens for submission
• May 15, 2023: TMDSAS applications submitted to medical schools
• Mid-July: Interviews begin
• August 1st: Early decision deadline
• August 15th: All supporting material must be received (transcripts, letters, score for Early Decision applicants)
• October 1st: Early decision results announced.
• October 15th: Medical schools begin extending offers.
• November 1st: Submission deadline for applications.
• November 15th – January 31st: Prematch offers can be extended to Texas residents only
• February 2nd: Submission deadline for  RANKING of SCHOOL PREFERENCE  for the TMDSAS admissions match; must be entered online by  5 p.m. CST
• February 16th: Match results announced
• March 3rd:  Medical applicants  with multiple offers must decide which program to attend and withdraw from other schools
• April 30th: Medical applicants with multiple offers must decide which program to attend and withdraw from other schools
• May 15th:  Medical schools  can no longer make offers to Texas resident applicants holding another seat

Ideally applicants should submit the TMDSAS application as early as possible. TMDSAS application processing takes two to four weeks, and, even though the application system opens May 2nd, the majority of applications are submitted in June (33% of applicants last year).

How does the Texas Medical School Match Work?

Only Texas residents are eligible for the Texas medical school match.

Between November 15th and December 31st of the application year, medical schools can extend prematch offers to Texas residents. If a student receives multiple offers, he or she can hold those multiple acceptances. Even if a student receives a prematch offer, she must still participate in the Texas match and can match at a higher ranked medical school.

By February 17th, each applicant ranks all of the medical schools at which he or she interviewed. The medical schools then rank the applicants according to preference.

On March 3rd, match results are released. If a student is accepted to a lower ranked school, that student will still remain active at any higher ranked school and can gain admission to those higher ranked medical schools during the rolling admissions process. However, the student will not remain active at any medical school ranked lower than the one to which he matched. This is indeed confusing and TMDSAS has a published video that clarifies the process:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeoLLjkKvng

TMDSAS Letters of Recommendation

TMDSAS applicants are required to submit either three individual letters of evaluation or a health professions committee letter packet. A letter packet can have more than three letters of evaluation so, if you have more than three letters to send, ideally you should send a letter packet. For individual letters, TMDSAS recommends the following: “It is recommended that your evaluators be current/former professors that can speak to your academic ability in the sciences.”

TMDSAS will also allow you to submit one additional letter of evaluation which you can indicate on the application.

Some Texas medical schools will also allow you to send additional letters directly to the medical schools.

RELATED ARTICLE:  Medical School Letters of Recommendation

Tmdsas mcat.

MCAT scores, which must be sent directly to TMDSAS, can be up to five years old!

Are you Competitive for Medical School Admissions in Texas?

When applying to Texas medical schools, it is important to determine if your application is competitive. While researching medical schools, pay attention to the average MCAT scores and GPAs of accepted students, and acceptance rates. If you are considering medical schools in Texas as an out-of-state applicant, it is imperative that you also research what percentage of each entering class is comprised of in-state students. Most medical schools in Texas prioritize in-state applicants, which can make it especially competitive for out-of-state applicants..

So, how difficult is it to get accepted to a Texas medical school? To determine your competitiveness you must consider the average metrics for matriculated students.

• The average MCAT score for all TMDSAS matriculants was 510.8.
• The average overall GPA for TMDSAS matriculants was 3.8.
• The average BCPM GPA for TMDSAS matriculants was 3.73.

As mentioned earlier in this article, only 7% of TMDSAS matriculants were from outside the state. However, when reviewing this data please keep in mind that many students who apply to Texas medical schools opt to attend medical school out of the state.

See the article  Medical Schools in Texas  for the average MCAT scores and GPAs, interview rates for in state and out of state applicants, acceptance rates, percent of entering class that is in state, and tuition for all medical schools in Texas.

If you want help figuring out how to distinguish yourself, contact MedEdits. We have been working with medical school applicants for more than ten years. This year, our students enjoyed a 93% medical school acceptance rate!

JESSICA FREEDMAN, M.D. , is president and founder of MedEdits Medical Admissions and author of the MedEdits Guide to Medical Admissions and The Medical School Interview. Follow MedEdits on  YouTube.

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