TMS - Test for medical degree programmes

If you want to study medicine in Germany and apply for one of the highly competitive study places, but don't have the necessary Abitur average for the best Abitur quota, there is one thing you will have a hard time avoiding: the test for medical degree programmes - TMS for short. But what exactly is the TMS, what skills are required, when and how do you apply and how do you prepare properly? To help you get started, we have compiled the most important facts and some helpful tips about the infamous aptitude test!

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What is the TMS?

The TMS is an aptitude test for medical degree programmes in Germany. It is not only recognised in the application procedure for human medicine, but also for dentistry and veterinary medicine. Unlike other aptitude or entrance tests for medicine (e.g. HAM-Nat, MedAT), the test does not test factual knowledge, but tests the participants' visual skills, memory, basic mathematical and scientific understanding, spatial reasoning, concentration and diligence. The test can be taken independently of the Abitur (i.e. before, during or after) and may be repeated once within one year after the first participation - for candidates whose first attempt was before May 2022, however, the last possible retake date is in autumn 2023. In the event of a retake, both results are valid.

When does the TMS take place?

The TMS takes place every year in spring and autumn with two consecutive dates each at numerous locations throughout Germany. Registration takes place in January/February and July/August. You can find the next dates with the corresponding registration deadlines on the official website of the test coordination office: www.tms-info.org/fristen-und-termine.

How do I register for the TMS?

The application for the TMS is divided into three phases, with first-time participants applying in phase 1. Phase 2 and 3 are for repeaters, with priority given in phase 2 to those who did not receive a place for their second attempt in the previous round.

Registration takes place digitally via the registration portal of the test coordination office (www.tms-info.org/anmeldeportal ). The participation fee for the test is currently 100€ (as of spring 2023).

How is the TMS structured?

The TMS is divided into seven subtests, each of which tests different skills. The subtests take place directly one after the other and are only interrupted by a one-hour break after the fourth test.

The TMS starts with the task group "Assign pattern". Carefulness and visual skills are important here, as you have to recognise tiny differences among several, mostly histological images - and under time pressure! To complete all 24 tasks with 5 possible answers each in the given 30 minutes is a real challenge, but can be trained well with a lot of practice and some patience.

We continue with the second test: "Basic understanding of medicine and the natural sciences". In this test, one of five correct answer options must be selected for a total of 24 short medical texts in 60 minutes. Careful reading and a basic understanding of science are very helpful here - but don't worry, although some basic biological knowledge won't hurt, factual knowledge is not necessary. So don't focus your preparation on memorising the contents of the exercise texts. All the information needed to answer the question is given in the text!

In the third subtest "Tube figures", spatial thinking is required above all. Each of the 24 tasks shows two pictures of a transparent cube, in which there is a coiled tube or a knotted rope, from different perspectives. The difficulty lies in finding out from which side you have to look at the cube from the first picture in order to get to the second view. This test also has a very short time limit of 15 minutes, so as with "Matching Patterns": practise, practise, practise!

Behind subtest number four, "Quantitative and formal problems"is a group of tasks that primarily tests the mathematical skills of the participants. You have 60 minutes for 24 tasks and should be able to deal with formulas, conversions, quantities and units. A certain amount of preparation is also very useful here in order to familiarise oneself with the types of tasks.

After the exertions of the "morning part", the well-deserved one-hour lunch break takes place after the fourth test.

After that, it's intensive with the memorisation phase of the memory tests "Learn figures" and "Learning facts" more. As the names imply, these tests are mainly about memory capacity. While you have four minutes to memorise 20 complex figures in the "learning figures" test, you have six minutes to memorise the name, age, profession, a characteristic and a clinical picture of a total of 15 imaginary patients in the "learning facts" test that follows directly. After this memorisation phase, which lasts a total of ten minutes, you have to keep all the memorised information in your head for another whole hour before you have to reproduce it correctly in the reproduction phase. In addition, no notes may be taken during this test.

In the hour between the imprinting and reproduction phases, basic medical and reading comprehension is tested one more time. In the sixth subtest "Text comprehension"You have to prove that you can quickly comprehend even longer texts (approx. one A4 page) and correctly answer the subsequent questions about the text. As with the second subtest, "Basic understanding of medicine and the natural sciences", all the necessary information for answering the questions is given in the text and extensive factual knowledge is not required.

After the sixth subtest has been completed and the previously learned figures and facts have been asked in the reproduction phase of the memorisation tests, we move on to the seventh and final subtest "Diagrams and tables". Here, 24 diagrams and tables are to be analysed and evaluated in one hour. Although the sometimes very complex figures can seem daunting at first, similar patterns and traps can often be found in the questions, which is why, as with the "Quantitative and Formal Problems", it is also highly recommended in this test to familiarise yourself with the exact types of tasks.

During the test, one works in a test booklet in which the tasks and answer options are located. The selected answers must then be transferred to a separate answer sheet for each task, which may only be worked on with a pencil and eraser. IMPORTANTIf the time for a subtest has expired, you must immediately scroll to the next test, scrolling back is not possible. STRICTLY forbidden and will be punished with immediate test exclusion. Since each subtest is printed on coloured paper in different colours, such offences are bound to be noticed and cheating is therefore pointless. You should therefore always make sure that you tick the answers on the sheet at the same time as you complete the tasks. If you do not finish a subtest in time and there are still empty boxes left on the answer sheet, it is highly recommended to simply tick them randomly in order to at least have the chance of a lucky strike or two.

How do I prepare for the TMS?

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, there is no universal secret recipe for perfect preparation. Everyone knows themselves best and should prepare individually! The following tips can provide a framework for those who are unsure how to start, but any deviations from them are also good and correct!

You should not start preparing too early, but ideally not too late either. Depending on the time available and the type of learner, about two to three months should be planned. If you start learning too early, you risk a lack of motivation and a flattening learning curve, but starting too late can also mean stress and not fully exploiting your potential. The daily learning time should also not be exaggerated; practising about three to four subtests per day on 5-6 days a week is usually quite sufficient. A daily combination of visual, mathematical/scientific and memory tests makes sense.

Participants who want to prepare for the TMS can choose from a wide range of materials and preparation courses offered by various providers. While practice books with tips and simulations are highly recommended for preparation, the sometimes expensive courses can certainly be helpful, but are not absolutely necessary.

If you want to save money, you can also buy used materials at auctions, e.g. via Facebook groups or Ebay classifieds. However, you should make sure that the booklets have either only been edited in pencil and erased or that you have only worked with copies. Some publishers of test material also provide free practice material to print out.

The three original versions of the test by ITB Consulting (hogrefe Verlag) are also recommended, although their level of difficulty is significantly lower than the test level, as they are the only material published by the test manufacturer. They are particularly suitable for simulating a complete test under real-time conditions.

To get you started, the TMS Coordination Office also offers a brochure containing the exact rules, as well as examples for all task groups: https://www.tms-info.org/wp-content/uploads/informationsbroschuere_tms-1.pdf

Sometimes it can be helpful to exchange ideas with like-minded people during preparation and thus gather tips and motivation. It is also useful to get in touch with other TMS candidates via groups on Facebook or Telegram, for example, in order to discuss difficult tasks and solutions together. However, the constant input from outside can also promote stress and lead to comparing oneself too much with others. Depending on your type, you might want to look for smaller groups or only join up with individual participants.

Who should write the TMS?

Participation in the TMS is voluntary, but can increase your chances of getting a place at a medical school immensely. It is relevant for all those who want to apply via the additional aptitude quota (ZEQ) or the selection procedure of the universities (AdH). However, it is of no advantage for the Abitur best quota, as well as the preliminary quota, which is used by people from non-EU countries, second degree applicants and people with hardship applications, among others.

How does the test day work?

The test day starts in the morning between 8 and 9 am at the test location. Since it is not possible to enter after 9:45 a.m. and registration is still necessary beforehand, it is important to be on site in good time and to plan enough buffer for traffic jams, train delays and the like during the journey.

For registration you must absolutely the following items are brought along:

• the Test invitation (printed or digital)
• a valid, official Photo ID (identity card, passport or driving licence)
• for underage participants: the completed and signed Declaration of consent a legal representative (will be sent with the invitation to underage participants)

At the entrance control afterwards, there are strict rules about what can be taken into the room. Here too there are a few Mandatory itemsthat everyone must have with them:

• valid, official Photo ID (lies clearly visible on the table during the entire test)
• two pencils (hardness grade HB, B or 2B) and a Eraser
• TMS bracelet and TMS label strips (both will be distributed at registration)

Not absolutely necessary, but permitted items are:

• Marking pens (not for marking on the answer sheet, only as aids in the test booklet)
• Catering
• Wallet, medicines, handkerchiefs
• Alarm clocks, stopwatches (without computer function and without or with optical and acoustic signals that can be switched off)
• Disinfectant wipes, disinfectants
• Dress appropriately for indoors (no scarves, jackets, etc)
• Religious clothing and headgear
• Pencil sharpener

Attention: all permitted items may only be transported in transparent containers or in their original packaging (e.g. Tupperware boxes, zip bags for the freezer,...)!

In the test room explicitly prohibited articles are:

• Any electronic items apart from the timer (smartwatch, mobile phone, calculator, etc.)
• Cameras or camera-capable devices
• Wristwatches of all kinds
• Earplugs of all kinds

All other items such as jackets, backpacks, lunches etc. can be handed in at the cloakroom free of charge.

The test itself begins after admission with a detailed explanation of the test rules and the distribution of the test booklets for the morning part. When the booklet may be opened and turned to the next test after completion of each subtest is announced each time and must always be followed immediately. Notes, sketches and marks may be made anywhere in the test booklet - except for the two memory tests - but only the answers on the answer sheet will be assessed.

How is the TMS assessed?

In the TMS, unlike in school, for example, you don't get marks for how much you have done right on the bottom line, but rather depending on how well you have done in relation to the other candidates. A personal percentage value and a standard value (also called test value in the TMS) provide information about how far above or below the average one is. The standard score lies in a mathematical normal distribution between 70 and 130. While the average is at a value of 100, all those with a higher score are above average and all those with a lower score are below average. The percentage rank, on the other hand, indicates what percentage of the remaining participants scored worse or the same. A rank of 71% means, for example, that you were among the best 30%. A grade equivalent is then calculated from this result.

Under the conditions of the TMS, however, one should not over-interpret the result, after all, one is measuring oneself against thousands of other competitors, some of whom are well prepared and motivated, and being "only" average in a group of very good competitors is still very good!

In order to test new tasks for future test runs, there are so-called "scatter tasks" in all subtests of the TMS except for "Learning Figures" and "Learning Facts". These are individual questions that are indistinguishable from the others and must be worked on normally, but do not count towards the score. This ensures that new questions correspond to an appropriate level of difficulty. There are 4-6 questions per subtest.

What result do I need in the TMS?

Which percentage rank is sufficient for a place at medical school depends on several factors and varies from university to university. The respective selection criteria of the universities, the Abi average, completed voluntary services and training, professional experience and several other aspects play a role. If you don't want to go to the trouble of researching and calculating your own chances and the result you need for each university yourself, you can easily and conveniently use the free app "ncrechner". All you have to do is enter your Abitur score and all other selection criteria into the system, which then displays a complete overview of all German universities and your own rank in relation to last year's marginal ranks. By then entering various imaginary TMS results, you can see exactly what percentage value you would have needed for which universities in recent years.

When will I get my results?

The results can be viewed online in the application account from approx. 1.5 months after the test day. They can then be used directly for the next application or, in the case of an ongoing application, submitted later for the coming semester. If possible, the result document should be downloaded and saved directly, as it will only be available online for a few months.

Keeping a cool head - a guide:

For many, preparing for the TMS is associated with an incredible amount of stress, fear of the future and fear of failure. Especially at the beginning of the preparation, you can quickly feel overwhelmed and frustrated, and in the course of the test you often experience ups and downs. The closer you get to the test, the more test anxiety, time pressure and the ever-increasing excitement threaten you.
First things first: you are not alone! Almost all the other candidates are probably going through the same emotional chaos as you, because you all have the same goal in mind. Nevertheless, it is important to deal with the difficult feelings and negative thoughts and to discuss them with family and friends, if possible, or even in a professional setting, for example with a therapist. If in doubt, it is not a disgrace to decide against or in favour of taking the test later, despite registration and preparation, because no test or study in the world is worth putting your mental health at risk for! Maybe it can already help to look into possible alternatives to studying medicine (in Germany) in order to realise that there is not only one right path to medicine.