The 3 Main Medical School Applications Every Premed Must Know

Mar 31, 2021

medical school applications

There are three stages to the medical school application process: primary applications, secondary applications, and interviews. The primary application is the initial application a medical school receives. Secondary applications (a.k.a. supplemental applications) are school-specific applications sent to an applicant after the primary application has been approved. Finally, the interview is when you visit the school and get the chance to talk to the faculty directly. 

All U.S. medical schools use 1 of 3 application services: AMCAS, TMDSAS, and AAMCOMAS. Each medical school program only uses one application service. Knowing the difference between these three main medical school application services prior to applying can help you prepare for the different components of each application. In this article, we will discuss each of these medical school application services and the differences between them. 

American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS)

Used by: U.S. allopathic (M.D.) medical schools
Application Cost: $170 for first medical school. Additional medical schools cost $41 each.
Application opening date: AMCAS opens May 4, 2021.

AMCAS is the AAMC’s centralized medical school application service. Most M.D. medical schools located in the United States use AMCAS as their primary application method. 

Official AMCAS Website
AMCAS Application
List of medical schools that use AMCAS

Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS)

Used by: Texas allopathic and osteopathic medical schools
Application Cost: $185 flat rate regardless of how many schools you apply to.
Application opening date: TMDSAS opens May 1, 2021

TMDSAS is the medical school application service for medical schools, dental schools and veterinarian schools in Texas. Medical school applicants can use TMDSAS to apply to medical schools in the state of Texas. 

Official TMDSAS Website
TMDSAS Application
List of medical schools that use TMDSAS

American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine Application Service (AACOMAS) 

Used by: U.S. osteopathic (D.O) medical schools
Application Cost: $196 for first medical school. Additional medical schools cost $46 each.
Application opening date: AACOMAS opens May 5th, 2021.

AACOMAS is the centralized online application service for the US osteopathic medical schools. 

Official AACOMAS Website
AACOMAS Application
List of medical schools that use AACOMAS

15 White Coat Ceremony Gift Guide – [2023 edition]

If you were invited to a white coat ceremony, congratulations! This is a momentous occasion for your loved one to receive his/her/their first white coat and commit to a lifelong career in medicine. Even if you just attended your loved one’s graduation from a...
Read More

Useful Websites for Premeds

The advent of technology has changed nearly every industry. From smart cars to smart phones, our world will never be the same. As we navigate our new modern world, we can’t help but feel nostalgia for the past. Our ancestors were intelligent and they read physical...
Read More

How to Get Shadowing Experience as a Premed

If you want to gain exposure to medicine but don’t have the time commitment to take on a full-time job, shadowing is a great way to show admissions boards that you are invested in medicine. In addition, you can give yourself the chance to determine whether the...
Read More

67 Undergraduate Premed Scholarships – 2023 Updated List

Are you a premed student that needs help paying for college? Check out our list of 67 undergraduate premed scholarships! Read on. College is expensive and it's hard to find ways to pay for it. Every day, students like you have to make tough decisions about how to pay...
Read More

Premed 4 Year Plan: How to Make Your Timeline

Developing a premed 4 year plan early in your academic career is one of the best preparation tasks you can do. Having a solid plan will ensure you are on track for medical school admissions. This guide will show you how to efficiently create a premed 4 year plan for...
Read More

Medical School Prerequisites in 2023: The Ultimate Guide

Applying to medical school can be a stressful and lengthy process. Before working on your application, it is important to become familiarized with the various requirements and expectations from the schools that you plan on applying to. Depending on the specific...
Read More

The MCAT Score You Need to Get Into Medical School

Everyone asks the question: “What MCAT score do I need to get into medical school?” But, there isn’t a definitive answer. To be a competitive applicant into your school of interest, your MCAT score must be above the average percentile of admitted students. However, a...
Read More

Med School Letters of Recommendation (LORs) | The Ultimate Guide 2023

Letters of recommendation (LORs), also known as letters of evaluation or reference letters, are a huge part of your medical school applications. These letters serve as an opportunity for others to vouch for your future as a physician. Great reference letters give...
Read More

How to form effective study groups

With the advent of social media and smart phones, connecting with other students and studying in groups is easier than ever. Effective study groups allow students to learn the course material at a deeper level.  But not all study groups are useful. If students...
Read More

7 Ways to Force Yourself to Stay In and Study When You Have Zero Motivation

Exam season is coming up. Consequently, you have to dedicate the next few days to studying. The only problem is you’d rather do anything but study. Maybe the class you are studying for is not particularly interesting. Maybe you rather be socializing with...
Read More
Download a printable list of M.D. medical schools in the United States
do med school list