Are you struggling with your TMDSAS Optional Essay?
In less than 2500 characters, including spaces, you are required to create a well-structured,
in-depth narrative that covers unique circumstances or life experiences that
are relevant to your application, but which have not previously been mentioned in the
rest of your application components. Not to worry! We are here to guide
you through the process of writing a stellar TMDSAS optional essay!
Hi! My name is Darcy Mehta and I'm an admissions associate here at BeMo. Before we
get started, be sure to subscribe on whatever social media channel you're watching this from
now, so you don't miss any of our upcoming videos. If you would like us to help you with your TMDSAS
application, click on the link above or below this video to schedule your free initial consultation.
As a quick tip, check out the time stamps in the description of this video to navigate to specific
sections of the video that you are interested in. Here's what we are going to cover:
What is TMDSAS Optional Essay? Address Problems Within your Application
Personal Stories Family Circumstances
Diversity & Cultural Competence Unique Achievements
TMDSAS optional essay is not easy to write, but there are strategies that will significantly
increase your chances of acing this challenging application component - I'll explain towards the
end, so keep watching to find out. By the way we're giving away $50 Amazon gift cards every
week to best comments and questions, so comment below for a chance to win.
It is important to know that the optional essay
is not truly optional. Your choice to dismiss this portion of the application may be used against
you in the applicant selection process. Many students do not know how to approach this essay,
as the prompt is very open-ended and lacks a specific question. Here's the exact prompt:
Briefly discuss any unique circumstances or life experiences that are relevant to
your application which have not previously been presented.
The beauty and difficulty of this prompt is that the essay can be about anything.
Consider this your chance to be creative and impress the admissions committee.
Your optional essay cannot be just a continuation of your personal statement or other application
essays. Do not reiterate what you have written already. This is a chance for you to address
any topics that have not been previously covered. Your TMDSAS personal statement and TMDSAS personal
characteristics essay have already covered a large portion of your journey to becoming a doctor,
so you might be wondering what kind of skills and experiences you can
bring up in your optional essay. Let's examine what kind of content
your TMDSAS optional essay could include.
Many students choose to address problem areas of their application. A well-written
optional essay can explain and compensate for the shortcomings of your candidacy. For example,
if you have a limited number of extracurricular activities, perhaps you could describe the
circumstances that prevented you from getting involved in more extracurricular opportunities.
Maybe your financial situation forced you to spend the majority of your time working in a job that
did not have anything to do with medicine, so you could not commit enough time to extracurriculars.
Or maybe you have gaps in your educational journey?
Explain the reasons for these interruptions. Maybe you had to take academic leave because of family
circumstances? Did you switch programs or institutions during your undergrad?
Provide your motivations for this decision. It is important to understand that if you
choose to address weaknesses or gaps in your application, you must take responsibility for
your choices and actions. The circumstances may have been out of your control, but
focus on demonstrating how you overcame those circumstances - show your strength and maturity
to the admissions committee by sharing what strategies helped you overcome your challenges.
A good writer can create a compelling
and convincing essay based on any life experience that indicates a unique personality and a creative
mind. The reason the optional essay's prompt is so vague is because the admissions committee wants to
see how creative and inventive applicants can be. For example, if you are involved in the arts,
your TMDSAS optional essay could be the space to discuss your artistic endeavors and experiences.
What have they taught you? How has singing, painting, or playing an instrument impacted
your journey to medical school? Sports and athletics can be another source of inspiration.
How has your involvement in sports affected your motivation to become a physician?
Activities like these are also good ways to show, rather than tell, your personality traits
and skills, such as dedication, perseverance, reliability, time management, and leadership.
Your family has a great influence
on your life and choices. You may have the chance to incorporate certain family circumstances into
other application components. Perhaps you have already mentioned your socio-economic status,
your parents education and profession, your background, and other personal circumstances.
Your optional essay can also touch on these topics. For example, if a family member has
struggled with an illness or disease that impacted you, this could be a source of inspiration for
your optional essay. The essay should not be about describing their condition, but about what
you learned from the experience, how it changed your perspective, and how it's made you a better,
more resilient person moving forward.
Diversity can come from many facets: gender, age, educational background, race or ethnicity,
immigration status, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, or your
work with different populations. Medical schools value students who bring unique experiences to the
new cohort. Perhaps you have traveled a lot and learned to connect with other cultures.
Or you are an immigrant and your journey has shaped you into the person you are today?
Maybe you have unique experiences working with rural or remote communities and have learned
about the challenges they face. Reflect on your life experiences and discuss how
these could contribute to the diversity of thought and experiences of your peers.
If you have achieved success in a particular
field at a very high level, take the opportunity to talk about it in your TMDSAS optional essay.
For example, were you a national-level athlete or performed on stage to a large audience?
These are very unique activities that you may not have thought to include in the
rest of your application, but achievements at this level are rare and you should definitely
mention these in your application. Make sure to talk about all of the training
and preparation you did over the years and how that influenced your personality and abilities.
You can even talk about how you will translate those skills to the practice of medicine.
Your optional essay is meant to exercise your creativity and make a memorable
statement about your candidacy. And even though it is an open prompt,
don't forget that your essay should be well-written, succinct, and have a purpose.
Check out our blog to learn more about TMDSAS Optional Essay. I have included a link in the
description of this video so you can find the blog easily. If you would like us to help you with your
TMDSAS application, click on the link either above or below this video to schedule your free initial
consultation. Hopefully you enjoyed the video so please subscribe, like and leave a comment.
If you have any questions about TMDSAS Optional Essay that I didn't cover in this video,
let me know in the comment section and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Don't forget that
we're giving away $50 Amazon gift cards every week to best comments and questions - comment
below for a chance to win. Thanks so much for watching this video, see you next time.