Personal Biography & Activities

Activities CANNOT be changed or updated after submitting under any circumstances. Please be sure that you review all activity entries prior to submitting.

There is no limit to the amount of activities you can enter in your application.

Quick Links

How far back can I list my activities? Can I enter activities under multiple categories? How should I write the activity descriptions? How do I enter activities that had breaks in between?

How do I enter current activities? How do I enter planned activities? How do I enter the hours I have completed and projected hours? What about activities I started and will continue after the application deadline?

 

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When Is An Activity Current vs. Planned?

Current Activities are activities you are engaged in up to the application deadline.

• Activities with a start date before October 1, 2025 must be entered under current activities, even if you have not started the activity by the time you plan to submit your application.
• Hours: include the hours you have completed AND the estimated hours you plan to complete by Sep. 30th.
  • For example: See below!

• Use the following dates to enter current activities:
  • Activity Start Date – September 30, 2025

 

Planned Activities are activities you plan to engage in after the application deadline and through the point of matriculation (August 2026).

• Activities with a start date after October 1, 2025 must be entered under Planned Activities because the start date is after October 2025.
• Hours: Estimate (but don't overinflate) the hours you expect to complete from October 1st until your end date.

• Use the following dates to enter your planned activities:
  • October 1, 2025 – Activity End Date in 2026

 

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What about activities I have already started and will continue after the application deadline?

If you currently participate in any activities that you plan to continue after the application deadline, you should enter these activities under both Current Activities and Planned Activities. These are also known as "ongoing" activities, so you must use the date breakdowns shown above to indicate that your activity is continuous.

• Estimate your expected hours. Be careful not to overinflate your total hours.
• Don't copy and paste from your current activity descriptions.
  • Wondering what to enter for the description? Check out the info here as well as in the EY 2024 School Panels!

 

How to Enter "Ongoing" Activities in the Application:

 

3 Things to Remember About Activities

1. Trust Your Judgement - You know your activities best. You are the only one in the position to categorize your activities based on what you would like to highlight from each activity. TMDSAS does not provide advising to applicants on activity category selection.
2. Category Selection is Flexible - There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to categorize an activity, as long as the chosen category makes sense within the context of your application narrative.
   • Use the guidance found within each link on the right-hand side to understand the rationale behind each category, and choose the one that best aligns with what you want to communicate to the schools and your overall narrative.
3. Focus On the Narrative  - What do you want to convey to the schools? Activity categorization should support the overall story (narrative) you want to tell the schools about your skills, experience, and personal growth. Review the AAMC Core Competencies for a list of skills that the schools look for in an applicant.

 

Looking for pointers about your activity entries? Find your questions outlined in the time stamps listed under the video description to receive guidance from the TMDSAS Director.

 

How far back can I list my activities?

• Dental, Medical, and Podiatry Applicants: Enter all activities since you graduated from high school (or received a high school diploma equivalent).
• Veterinary Applicants: You may include activities prior to graduating from high school.

 

Can I enter activities in multiple categories?

Each activity should be listed in only one activity category of the Personal Biography section of the application. The exceptions below ONLY apply to dental, medical, and podiatry applicants:

Veterinary Applicants: The vet schools do NOT encourage veterinary applicants to enter activities in multiple sections. Please see the Veterinary Supervised Experience section first to determine if your activity falls in this category.

• Healthcare and Employment: An activity may be listed in both categories if the experience was a paid position and fits under BOTH Healthcare and Employment.
  • Dental Applicants may also list an activity in both Dental Experience and Employment for activities that meet these criteria. 
• Leadership: Any activity that results in a leadership role may be entered in both categories.

 

Need help writing your activity descriptions?

Dr. Kellaway, the Associate Dean of Admissions and Outreach at the Long School of Medicine recommends the following strategy to help you reflect on your activities and come up with your descriptions:

1. What did I learn?
2. What was valuable about this activity?
3. What was meaningful to me (your personal connection)?

You can write descriptions either as a story format, paragraph, or in bullet points. Unlike other application services, you do not need to enter the contact information in the activity descriptions.

You can also create an outline of your response and then narrow it down to either the 300 or 500 character count (Please refer to specific sections below for character count information). This way, you won't lose the meaning of the message you are trying to convey to the schools. Make sure you convey personal attributes and what you learned from the activity within that limit.

Need real life examples of activity descriptions?

Watch from minute 8:03 - 11:03 to hear 3 description examples shared by Dr. Kellaway from previous application submissions!

 

The Anatomy of an Applicant from the AAMC shows how activities reflect the core competencies expected of aspiring health professionals.   Advisors/Pre-Dent/Pre-Health Experiences/Pre-Med/Pre-Vet/TMDSAS Categorizing Your Activities in the TMDSAS Application TMDSAS asks that each of your activities be entered in one category - here's how to do that.

 

 

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Entering Asynchronous Activities

In some instances, you may have engaged in an activity for short periods of time but over a long time span (e.g., volunteering at a summer camp). You may enter these activities in one of two ways:

1. Enter each instance individually. This is the best option if your role, or the activity, changed over time. Make sure the description reflects the changes in your role.
2. Enter it once as a single activity. This option may be best if the breaks in the activity were short, such as having a winter or summer break as a peer tutor.  Be careful not to overinflate your total hours.

 

22:35 - How to enter long-term activities in the application with visuals 23:37 - How to enter short-term or sporadic activities in the application with visuals (e.g., dean's list) 32:22 - How would I list an activity that was long-term but seasonal (e.g., shadowing every summer/winter) and how it would appear on your application.

 

 

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Academic Recognition

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List academic honors, awards, and other recognitions received since graduating from high school. (Veterinary applicants should list academic recognitions since beginning high school.)

• Indicate the award title, date received, city, country, state, and a brief description of the award (300 character limit). Click on [Submit] to save the record. Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add an Award] link.

 

Examples of activities that you can list, but not limited to the following:

Dean's List, President's List, Academic Scholarships, Alpha Epsilon Delta, etc.

Non-Academic Recognition

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List non-academic honors, awards, and other recognitions received since graduating from high school. (Veterinary applicants should list non-academic recognition since beginning high school.)

• Indicate the award title, date received, city, country, state, and a brief description of the award (300 character limit). Click on [Submit] to save the record. Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add an Award] link.

 

Examples of activities that you can list, but not limited to the following:

Intramural Volleyball MVP, Miss America 2021, Athletic Track Star, Lead in a play, etc.

Leadership

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List any leadership roles or positions of responsibility held since graduating from high school. (Veterinary applicants should list activities since beginning high school.) Examples may include leadership roles in clubs/organizations, supervisory roles, etc. In the absence of these roles, you may list leadership qualities you have learned from other opportunities.

• Indicate the role title, start date, end date, city, country, state, and a brief description of the position (500 character limit). Click on [Submit] to save the record.
• Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add a Leadership Role] link.

 

Examples of activities that you can list, but not limited to the following:

Formal leadership roles: President of SNMA, Student Government - Student Senator, Nursing Home Program Manager AND/OR activities that helped you hone in on your leadership skills: taking initiative to lead a project, listening to a podcast on leadership, attending a leadership conference, reading leadership books and implementing those skills in your activities, etc.

Employment

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List all jobs (paid work experience) held since graduating from high school, including military. Paid healthcare activities may be listed here in addition to the healthcare activities section.

Veterinary Applicants: You cannot list an activity twice under employment and veterinary supervised experience. Please see the Veterinary Supervised Experience section first to determine if your activity falls in employment or veterinary supervised experience.

• 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 character limit). You will also identify whether the employment was contingent on your status as a student (e.g. Work-Study, Research, etc.). 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.

 

Examples of activities that you can list, but not limited to the following:

Scribe, CNA (Certified Nurse Assistant), RDA (Registered Dental Assistant)*, Server at restaurant, YMCA Lifeguard, Military Service, etc.

Research Activities

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List any significant research activities (paid or volunteer) you have participated in since graduating high school. (Veterinary applicants should list activities since beginning high school.)

• Include any publications (submitted as well as published), abstracts, presentations, and posters.
• Indicate the research activity name, start date, end date, city, approximate hours worked per week, total cumulative hours, country, state, and a brief description of the research (500 character limit). Click on [Submit] to save the record.
• If research culminated in any publications, abstracts, presentations, or posters, you will have the opportunity to provide details. (500 character limit)
• Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add a Research Activity] link.

Examples of activities that you can list, but not limited to the following:

Chem 1 Lab Assistant, NIH Summer Internship, etc.

Healthcare Activities

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List all direct healthcare-related activities you have participated in since graduating high school. For example, these may include: shadowing, scribing, clinical research, serving or working as a patient care tech, a nurse, and any direct observation or participation in patient care in a clinic, hospital, or with a physician or podiatrist in a formal way.

• Reminder: Both paid and unpaid healthcare activities may be listed here.
• Multiple doctors, same location: If you shadowed multiple doctors at the same location DO NOT create multiple entries. Instead, create ONE entry per location and list each doctor in the description. If each doctor you shadowed had a different specialty, you may make a separate entry per specialty.
• Indicate the activity name, start date, end date, city, hours worked per week, total cumulative hours, country, state, and a brief description of the activity (500 character limit). Click on [Submit] to save the record.
• Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add a Healthcare Activity] link.

 

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Dental Experience  

Dental Only

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List all experiences where >50% of your time was spent interacting with, or under the direct supervision of a dentist. Dental experiences should relate to dental clinical, shadowing, or health science experiences you have had with dentists. Include all relevant experiences, whether voluntary, paid, or academic experiences.

• The experiences reported in this section should be different from those entered for Healthcare Experiences. 
• Indicate the activity name, whether it is volunteer experience or paid experience, location, dentist name, start date, end date, city, total cumulative hours worked, country, state, and a brief description of the experience (300 character limit). Click on [Submit] to save the record.
• Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add a Dental Experience] link.

 

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Veterinary Supervised Experience  

Veterinary Only

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List all experiences where over 50% of your time was spent interacting with, or under the direct supervision of, a veterinarian. Qualifying employment goes here.

When is an activity employment v.s. vet supervised experience? Or healthcare v.s. veterinary supervised experience?  WATCH THE VET APPLICATION OFFICE HOURS TO FIND OUT.

• Veterinary experiences should relate to veterinary clinical, agribusiness, or health science experiences you have had with veterinarians. Include all relevant experiences, whether voluntary, paid, or academic experiences.
• The experiences reported in this section should be different from those entered for Animal and Employment experience. Experiences gained in high school may be included. DO NOT include future expected hours of experience.
• Indicate the activity name, whether it is volunteer experience or paid experience, location, veterinarian name, start date, end date, city, total cumulative hours worked, country, state, and a brief description of the experience (500 character limit). Click on [Submit] to save the record.
• Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add a Veterinary Supervised Activity] link.

Animal Experience 

Veterinary Only

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List any animal experiences that were not supervised by a veterinarian, or list any other general animal experiences.

• Include all relevant experiences, whether they are voluntary, paid, or academic experiences.
• Only 100 hours of pet ownership per species (with a maximum of 2 species) will count towards overall animal experience.
• Include farm and ranch experiences, 4-H membership, animal training, agility, working in a boarding kennel or other similar activities, and only if NOT under the supervision of a veterinarian.
• The experiences you report in this section should be different from those entered for Veterinary and Employment experience. Experiences gained in high school may be included. DO NOT include future hours.
• Indicate the activity name, whether it is volunteer experience or paid experience, location, supervisor name, start date, end date, city, total cumulative hours worked, country, state, and a brief description of the experience (500 character limit). Click on [Submit] to save the record.
• Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add an Animal Experience Activity] link.

 

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Community Engagement

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List any non-healthcare-related community service or volunteer activities you have participated in since graduating from high school. (Veterinary applicants should list activities since beginning high school.)

• Indicate the activity name, start date, end date, city, approximate hours per week, total cumulative hours, country, state, and a brief description of the activity (500 character limit.) Click on [Submit] to save the record.
• Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add a Community Service Activity] link.

 

Examples of activities that you can list, but not limited to the following:

Hosting a bake sale to raise funds for a local organization and with these funds, here is what my team can accomplish (I will engage with the organization to make sure the funds are going to be used appropriately). Areas can include: Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross. Central Texas Food Bank, Nursing Home Program Manager, Wildflower Center Garden Tender, etc.

Extracurricular Activities

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List any significant extracurricular, leisure activities, or hobbies you have participated in since graduating from high school. (Veterinary applicants should list activities since beginning high school.)

• Indicate the type of activity, start date, end date, city, approximate hours per month, total cumulative hours, country, state, and a brief description of the activity (500 character limit). Click on [Submit] to save the record.
• Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add an Extracurricular/Leisure Activity] link.

 

Examples of activities that you can list, but not limited to the following:

Intramural Volleyball, photography, etc.

Manual Dexterity

Dental Only

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

List any significant extracurricular, leisure activities, or hobbies you have participated in since graduating from high school involving the development and attunement of manual dexterity in small workspaces.

• The experiences reported in this section should be different from those entered for Extracurricular Activities. 
• Indicate the type of activity, start date, end date, city, approximate hours per month, total cumulative hours, country, state, and a brief description of the activity (500 character limit). Click on [Submit] to save the record.
• Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add a Manual Dexterity Activity] link.

 

Examples of activities that you can list, but not limited to the following:

Knitting, Crocheting, nail tech, jewelry making, playing video games on different systems, wood work, etc.

TMDSAS does not provide advising on activity inclusion nor does TMDSAS provide advising on activity category selection.

 

Top Meaningful Activities

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

Select 3 of your previously listed activities from any of your activity categories to expand upon (from each of the [Activities] sections) You are to pick the ones that are the most meaningful and why.

• You are required to identify the most meaningful activity and may list up to three total (500 character limit, each entry).
• Add an identifier so the schools know which activity you are referring to.
• These should only be activities that have been completed or are on-going. Do not include activities with a future start date.

 

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Planned Activities

Use the guidance outlined below to understand the rationale behind this category. Reflect on your activities, focusing not only on what you did, but also on the skills you developed and the impact of your work to create meaningful descriptions that support your overall narrative.

Indicate future activities that you plan on participating in between the application deadline (November 1st) and matriculation (August 2026). The schools are aware that planned activities are plans and they might change between the time you submit your application, and the time you matriculate. Do your best to fill out this section.

• This includes any future employment as well as any future research, healthcare, community service, or extracurricular activities.
• Indicate the Activity Type, start date, planned end date, city, total projected hours, country, state, and a brief description of the activity (500 characters). Click on [Submit] to save the record.
• Additional records can be added by clicking the [Add a Planned Activity] link. Do not include activities past the point of matriculation.
• Planned activities are just that - plans. If anything changes, you can maintain a log of activities to share with the schools during your interviews.