I'm not sure if this helps you any further, but 3dS is the format you can import into MED, which is the truespace format, not the 3d studio max format.

If you are infact trying to import the truespace format but can't get a skin texture on it, then there's something wrong with the program you use, because it works with my models. I'm using Wings3D and can export textures in the 3dS format into MED.

Cheers