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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 33% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 706 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional8–8.9 Very Good7–7.9 Good6–6.9 Mixed< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about ethical dilemmas, experiences with diversity and inclusion, stress management, reasons for pursuing medicine, views on current healthcare issues, and personal qualities that make a good physician. Responses revealed a mix of standard questions, scenario-based inquiries, and discussions on applicants' backgrounds, volunteer work, and research experiences. Some respondents mentioned being subject to a nondisclosure agreement, indicating an MMI format interview with questions tailored to assess various competencies and qualities.
All very general questions mostly asked just to get to know you. SDN questions is helpful but DO NOT memorize your response. Be natural, be yourself and you'll do great!
The first interviewer basically asked me how I would fair against Ivy League Students. He questioned my GPA (3.96overall 3.92sci) because I go to a small, private and relatively obscure OOS university.
Describe your best friend. How would your best friend describe you? If you could interview anyone in the news, who would it be and what you would you ask?
Seriously there's a whole big list of questions if you just read through the other feedbacks. They're all on a list (including the infamous "how many gas stations" question, which I didn't get even though I prepared for it!)
Students said most interesting question asked at SUNY - University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences discussed a variety of topics including ethical dilemmas, personal experiences, and social issues such as vaccination refusal. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on references to nondisclosure agreements and a range of scenario-based questions.
Well, nothing interesting, but basically got ALL questions asked down a whole list of questions (which is basically a compilation of ALL questions collected from interview feedback questions listed from SDN) Questions I thought were not relevant in determining candidacy as a med student or fit for school.
I don't really think there were any "interesting questions". Buffalo asks questions from a sheet of standardized questions that the committee expects the interviewer to ask during the interview. The standardized quesions are behavioral type questions. The purpose of the questions are to guage how you react to specific situations. Some quesions were: What was the most stressful event in your life and how did you handle it?, What did you like to do as a child for fun?, Have you ever had to do something that you knew was wrong, but was necessary?, Who is someone from the past or present that you would like to interview/meet?, What are your best qualities; your worst?, etc... I was not asked any ethical questions during my interview, but that is not the norm at Buffalo. Every person who was interviewed the day that I interviewed was bombarded with ethical questions (one person was asked what would you do if an old person came to the emergency room and you knew there was no hope for them, but the family insisted on prolonging the life of this person.). So, I would definitely brush up on current events and how to deal with questions where you will be given a scenario where you have to make life or death type decisions. Don't stress out to much, they are not asking for the right answer; they are looking to see how you reason through stressful situations. Know yourself, your personal statement, be up to date with current events- if you adhere to these, you should be fine. SUNY Buffalo asks you to write a short essay in 10 minutes on a selected topic. They change the topic often. Don't stress out, they don't expect you to write an award winning essay.
Was asked a lot of questions about my faith since I had that I was Catholic in my application: Can people be good without believing in God, How can you believe in evolution if you believe in God, etc...
how do you think a student could prepare for being a doctor without having been a performer (I have, and throughout my application emphasize how much it helped me)
nothing interesting. interview #1 was more conversational, interview #2 was almost nothing more than going through the ENTIRE laundry list of Buffalo's questions (see prior feedbacks)
If I were running a medical practice with John and Jane and I heard a rumor that John was giving out too many scripts for drug X and also female patients were uncomfortable with him behind closed doors, what would i do?
I told him I worked in developmental biology and he asked if we did experiments with fetuses and moved cells around....WHAT? I explained that we didn't do experiments with humans.....
One of my interviewers had several articles from the newspaper describing current events with moral/ethical implications (most were not medically related). He described the situations and then asked me to discuss my thoughts on them.
Describe your best friend. Hint, they are really asking you to describe your own qualities, it's just disguised in this format. So don't say something silly like, "Well, my best friend is great but she like, is ALWAYS late and really lazy." I think they might give you a rejection if you answer like that. Think of qualities they might like YOU to have.
I had no interesting questions. You get interviewed by a student then another interview with a Professor. The student came off arrogant (like he had some other place to be) and had a case of the "short-man" complex. The questions the student asked came from the standardized list. I did not have any of those crazy questions like "how many Mcdonalds are there in the US". It wasn't a conversational interview at all, just question, my answer, then another question etc... My Professor interview was eh. He didnt bring my file or the list of questions (probably the reason for not having the crazy questions). He was one of those "brillant" unorganized people with no social skills. So it was a big waste of time and I knew it wouldnt be good when they came to present me to the committee. I did get in off the wait-list but with my experience decided not to attend.
What did you have to give up to get to this point in your career path? Do NOT say "partying". My interviewer said that is a common answer that kills an interview.
Tell me about your best friend. Now, tell me about the traits in your best friend you would most like to emulate. Oh, and there was this one, too: Tell me about a time you've accidentally insulted someone. What did you do/say? How did you react when you realized you had offended the person?
You are very different from any of the other applicants i've encountered. You're sweet and gentle while they tend to be aggressive. Do you think that you will have trouble keeping up with them in med school?
Lots of situation questions "Can you tell me about a time when" you were under stress, you had to share bad news, reacted to someone who was nervous or anxious, compromised, dealt with an unethical situation...and on and on
Questions that were most interesting to me had to do with my background. For example, one interviewer asked me to clarify some of the chronological events that happened in my life.
1) How would I vaccinate the US population in the event of a smallpox attack? 2) Do you think McDonald's is responsible for much of the country's obesity problem?
Students said most difficult question asked at SUNY - University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences discussed a wide range of challenging scenarios, including ethical dilemmas, social issues, and personal reflections. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on responses referencing nondisclosure agreements, with questions covering topics like handling unethical situations, addressing social problems, and assessing qualities of a good physician.
What else would you like me to take with me to present to the admissions committee?
Who is the dean of your school? (Doesn't sound difficult, but our dean had very little interaction with the student body and I had no idea. I probably sounded like an idiot. This question really threw me off)
If you had to design an experiment looking at physicians who smoked tell me how you would design it, what your methodology would be, and what you would hope the outcomes were.
"If you had to interview one contemporary or one person from history, I'll let you choose, but choose one of each, who would it be and why? What would you ask him/her? What else? What else? What else?" Lots of fun.
No particular question was difficult, since most were pretty straightforward and off the SDN website. It was standard and streamlined; very easygoing and refreshing.
Nothing too difficult - they focus more on getting to know you and where you come from rather than typical questions about why you'd be a good physician or why do you want to be a doctor, etc
Why do I consider my form of research a legitimate form of research? And how does it compare to other forms?
(I worked in a marine biology lab, as well as a psych lab. He argued that psychology research was not equal)
Not difficult because I knew about the question from SDN, but I thought was ridiculous: ''Write down and rank 12 most important traits as a physician''
A pregnant 11-year old comes into your office requesting an abortion. What do you do? I found out later that the interviewer works for Planned Parenthood -- a blatantly unprofessional question.
Describe your worst roommate experience. It was hard in that I wasn't sure what about me he was expecting to get out of the question, and it assumes I had a bad roommate experience.
what is the biggest problem in healthcare today? about how many people would you say are uninsured in the US? (after i stated the large # of uninsured is the problem)
I was asked if I could interview anyone from modern day, who would it be. I said Condoleezza Rice because of her intelligence and diverse accomplishments. The interview got very upset and said that my answer was inconsistent with everything else I had said in my interview and inconsistent with my file. He said she was a liar for a pack of wolves and had turned her back on her own people. He talked about his dislike for her for about 15 minutes. I was extremely surprised by his reaction. Note to self: Don’t mention anyone who is even potentially controversial in an interview.
give an example of when an oppertunity arrived that you could step up to the plate, and you dropped the bat (it was really hard because the interviewer didn't word it well
Same as "most interesting question". It was tough having to think on my feet like that, but when I got stuck my interviewer guided me through my thought process, which was nice.
Define the role of the physician in care of a terminally ill patient. (This was the pop essay and my student interviewer grilled me on this one for about 30 min.)
If you were to chose a new doctor, what qualities would you look for in him/her?
Follow up question was: Give me examples of how you have proven that you possess those qualities).
Nothing really too crazy, just be prepared for a TON of situational questions (tell me about a time when...). I also got the "why are manhole covers round" question.
I was given newspaper clippings on complex and controversial topics, and was asked to discuss them (with only about 30 seconds to read and process the article).
If you had to do a study on how many people quit smoking over the past month, how would you conduct the study? Where would you get your information and what sources would you use to help you?
Questions about newspaper clippings that have to deal with human ethical issues. Such as drug testing high school athletes, or giving prisoners air conditioning.
"Tell me about a time you changed your opinion about something." and, when I answered to the question "Tell me about one good and bad characteristic about your best friend" he wanted to know why I believed my friend's negative resulted from.
there's a pop essay, as i'm sure most of you know. mine was - "if you could eliminate three events from world history, what would they be?" (10 munutes)
If an unknown patient arrives in the emergency room and is ventilated and stabilized, but then a valid hospital DNR is found in the chart - what would you do?
The most difficult question was, "If you were in a group of people and someone said something offensive, how would you handle it?" The ethical questions they tend to ask are ones that are realistic situations, rather than euthanasia or anything, and they want to 'see you think on your feet'.
Relate to me a time when you feel as though you didn't act as you necessarily should have, or that you let someone down. Tell me a time when you had to deliver bad news. Why do you think the number of male applicants to med school are declining (what?!)?
2) After I told the doctor why i wanted to go into medicine, he ask why wouldn't I want to go into teaching, or clergy, or counciling. 2) What was my greatest failure?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Many applicants prepared for their interviews by conducting mock interviews, practicing common questions, researching the school, and reading through resources like Student Doctor Network (SDN). Suggestions included reviewing personal statements, staying up-to-date on current events, and practicing with friends or current students to feel more comfortable during the interview process.
I didn’t. I find knowing a few basic questions and largely going in blind is much more effective at conveying who you are.
I talked to current medical students at the school, prepared answers about my own weaknesses, why I want to be a doctor. By learning more about the school and interview process I was able to relax and be myself. The interviews are very conversational, and though I remained professional, I think they were impressed by my being myself and enjoying the time I had learning more about the school.
Mock interview, read about school and the surrounding city, prepared as many practice interview questions as I could find, talked to current med students & admissions advisers, watched pre-med videos on YouTube
Reread PS, AMCAS application, NY Times and news magazines (for current news), SDN website (SAVED MY BUTT), and took a mental health day before the interview at Niagara Falls :D
Read questions on SDN (most of them seem much harder than anything I was asked), read about the school, etc. This was my 2nd interview so I had some practice beforehand.
SDN, MSAR, school website, went out with 2nd yrs the night before, made extensive notes based on SDN interview feedback and memorized my responses to popularly-asked questions
Read SDN interview feedback. They really do have a list of questions that they go off of, so if you prepare for all of the questions that other students have listed in this feedback section (Have you had to deliver bad news to someone, Tell me about your best friend, Have you ever done something unethical, Have you ever had to deal with someone who had a dissenting opinion in a group....) you will be fine.
Read my AMCAS, UB's website, SDN feedback, thought of answers to questions in the feedback section (the interviewers are aware that these questions are posted online and still ask them).
I visited this site and jotted down answers for the most popular questions, and also considered possible essay topics (there is always an interview during lunch).
Interview feedback on SDN--almost ALL of the questions are here, people, read and take notes and you'll be fine! I also looked through the website and talked to an alum.
SDN. Knew myself well so that I felt comfortable answering any question pertaining to who I am. Also, I am well read with health policy and current events.
newspapers, SDN, went over my personal statement; I didn't think it was really the kind of thing you could 'prepare' for per se. **They do indeed administer a 10 min. essay on a topic; ours was on our favorite family vacation.**
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and welcoming nature of the student body, faculty, and admissions staff at the school. They appreciated the non-competitive atmosphere, the emphasis on collaboration, the modern facilities, the early clinical exposure, and the transparency in the admissions process. Many applicants highlighted the supportive environment, the integrated curriculum, the involvement of faculty in student success, and the efficiency of the admissions process as key positive aspects of their experience.
The student body at the school is composed of some of the friendliest people I have ever met.
They emphasized the collaborative, non-competitive atmosphere and they showed respect for applicants throughout the interview process. They actually told us the exact day (2 weeks later) when the decision would be ready.
The relaxing atmosphere of the whole interview day. I have interviewed at other schools where the entire day felt stiff and rigid. Prospective students very seldom talked to each other and
Everyone seemed very happy to be in buffalo and proud to be a part of the program at UB. The admissions process is handled very differently at UB: you interview on a wednesday, as soon as interviews are done the committee meets and decides where you fit in the applicant group. At 12:00 the next day you find out where you stand whether it is an acceptance, rejection, or wait list (and if so what third you are in on the wait list). I was totally nervous from 9-12 but by 12 I knew the answer. It just seems like a great and better way of handling this process and the admissions dean, who seemed like a no-nonsense kind of guy, fully explains the things they do differently and why. Students were very down to earth, friendly, and non-competitive.
The integrated curriculum sounds like a get fit for me. Also, they decide on your acceptance/waitlist/rejection status the day you interview and post your outcome the next day to the website.
The staff, the enthusiastic tour and legendary Mr. Rosso and deans, the integrated curriculum and early clinical studies beginning first year, a campus environment (I come from NYC), patient contact and learning to deliver bad news by freshman year, cooperative learning and the extermination of any form of pre-med brutality... And decisions come out as early as 10/15!! I love how Buffalo really sits down to evaluate each individual candidate (they use humans instead of computers and weird formulas to weed out students). Buffalo is really fair with that, allowing students in the later applicant pool to have a shot at interviews. Within days of the interview (like 2-3) they will have a decision, and notify you soon, so they are really efficient with their admissions.
Rosso and Severin and all the faculty I encountered are really motivated to provide the best and most useful experience possible to students. We got to go into the gross anatomy lab and to see the dummy they use for simulations which was pretty cool.
I really liked how much they emphasized the non-competitive nature of the school. UB seems to do whatever it can to minimize competition between students. At UB, we were able to go into the Gross Anatomy Lab even though cadavers were out. I was surprised that they let us do that. We had a lot of chances to talk to students, and most of them were very friendly. They are building a new student lounge, since a large amount of money was donated recently. There is a neuroanatomy museum, which I think they said was one of four in the world. One of my interviewers kept emphasizing that it doesn't get THAT snowy in Buffalo, and they do a good job of plowing the roads.
Buffalo seems to be ranked well under what they should be by most with whom I have spoken. The people are honest and friendly, and there is a strong emphasis on handling the admissions process ethically and efficiently. The committee decides your fate from the interviews the same day that you have them. After October 15, when AAMC allows applicant notification, the school updates your status the very next day. That, in my opinion, is very cool. There are many positives about this school that I believe are overlooked far too often (CHEAP tuition, great cultural life, and amazing resources for those willing to seek them out).
I was really impressed by Buffalo. The schools emphasis on teamwork struck a chord with me, at one point i believe Dean Severin said 'selfishness/cutthroat attitudes arent tolerated here.' It also was evident that Dean Severin not only knew all of his students but how they were doing and many of their aspirations (it sounded like UB does a good job of actively helping you land your desired residency/research gig). Lastly both interviewers were very prepared for my interview and it was obvious that they both had read and reviewed my entire file (which to be honet should be the norm at all schools)
admissions staff was really nice. students were very enthusiastic. many students were available to us and we spent the day in the student lounge where we could interact with tons of students.
Organ-based curriculum, strong focus on patient interaction throughout 1st and 2nd years, reputation for strong clinical training in years 3 and 4, friendly students who help one another.
Friendliness of the administration/faculty, friendliness of fellow interviewees (though this is variable, of course), current students were happy, everything was FRIENDLY! Limited time spent in lectures per day.
200/day b/w and 20/day color print outs that are free, non competitive environment (>90=honors, 85-90=high satisfactory, >65=satisfactory, <65=unsatisfactory....so, there is no reason to compete with your fellow students).
The tour of the campus was the best that I have received throughout my interview process. Mr. Rosso was enthusiastic about the school and students. There seems to be a cooperative rather than competitive attitude among the students.
Clinical experience starting the first week of the first year, new intergrated curriculum, research facilities, tour guide incredibly informative and enthusiastic, the technology (simulated patients, etc)... loved the school.
the dean's speech before our interviews. Dr. Severin is a super nice, genuine, witty guy. he told we would know our status in a week. the faculty wants you to match well, they will try to prep you early on for whatever residencies you want. students seemed happy
The faculty is really impressive. They were exceptionally nice and helpful. My interviewers really left me with the impression that they do all in their power to help students succeed at what they want to do (ie career path) I liked how current med students came and answered questions. That was really helpful. Also, nice anatomy lab with windows and student lounge.
student enthusiam, Buffalo nightlife, friendlier (almost mid-western) attitude compared to NYC, tuition for in-staters, new adult patient simulator, computer network resources for med school class
Faculty/Staff, Student interviewer, that we didn't have the Buffalo standard of "pizza and wings" for lunch... also that the other interviewees were generally people I wouldn't mind being in class with.
The people. They are cool, down-to-earth...not trying to talk their school "up." They have a solid reputation and they don't talk about it. They let the work they do speak for itself!
The students were so so so so friendly. You can tell that the administration really takes good care of their students. Cost of living is really cheap. I heard you could get a nice apt for 300/mo! That's insane.
integrated curriculum, that the school encourages cooperation among students, that the faculty members were enthusiastic,9 clinical affiliates, and the research opportunities - -really great place for research
The enthusiasm of the admissions committee, students, and interviewers gave me the impression that they really cared about people - not just the reputation. This would be a great place to find community. There isn't an air of competition.
the tour was great. Mr. Rosso was very enthusiastic and we saw some brain collection, the anatomy lab, computer lab, historical library collection, etc.
buffalo has some counter-culture, seems like its got some hidden goodness, it was beautiful, my host was really sweet and so many people wrote back to me offering to host when i emailed those on the host list, the tour guide was really enthusiastic albeit a bit too thorough, with info we really didnt need to know - like practical stuff that we only need to know if we end up there (what software is on the computers etc). the students seemed pretty happy and the boys were really cute (seriously, it's like the midwest or the south boyswise), the library was beautiful and the facilities in general were nice, most of all i was impressed by my first interviewer, who was the sweetest old man who seemed to somehow love me before he even interviewed me. the interview was like a heart-to-heart more than anything else, less class time.
The library was much nicer than I thought it would be based on what I read on SDN. They have a huge reading room with identical set up (even the lamps looked the same) to the famous reading room at the NY Public Library, and an extensive and interesting history of medicine collection. Every student I met seemed to love the school, which is a plus. The admissions office was friendly and tried to make the day as low stress as possible.
The students seemed very happy and there was little competition. It seemed like a place I could go and fit in well. The new curriculum was nice, students seemed to like it and getting out at noon is awesome! I liked the students a lot, they seemed down to earth and people I could be friends with.
The staff and admissions committee were amazing! Extremely personable, both interviewers were extremely nice women physicians, both really great. All of the med students seemed to LOVE IT, despite the location of Buffalo NY. One even offered to give me a ride to the airport! All very helpful and enthusiastic, even if they didn't have to be.
Cheap in-state tuition, admissions staff very nice, according to current 1st and 2nd year student the faculty seems VERY approachable, students are more collaborative than competitive
I did like the setup of the scheduling for classes. The research opportunities. The anatomy lab had windows but is 8 people to a cadaver. The student lounge was nice. Cheap living expenses. Definitely a college town, which I liked. The students seemed cool. The library was really nice. Impressive residency list.
Pretty much everything- staff is very enthusiastic and encouraging. Students are the obvious focus of the school, and all of the students I interacted with were very happy at UB. I also liked how they tailor your education to your future interests, especially if you would like to pursue a specialty.
The enthusiasm and friendliness of professors, staff, and students, the quality of the campus and facilities, and the explanation of the new curriculum.
The faculty and students really are so open and friendly. The faculty is extremely supportive of their students from day one. The students are really relaxed and collaborative. If there were any reason I decide to come to this school, it would be for the people.
I really enjoyed how happy the students seemed, the organized day, the candidness of Dr. Severin (the acting Dean) and Mr. Rosso's dramatics (seriously, he's a really funny, animated guy).
everything. i was shocked by how much i LOVED this school. the facilities were amazing, the school's philosophy, the students we met [though few] were awesome and really enthusiastic, the faculty, the program -- esp their whole thing about how if you want to go into a particularly difficult specialty they start you towards that on day 1
Computer facilities were great, and the university goes to great lengths to ensure that all the students are equipped with software (XP and Office for like 8 dollars), and hardware (wireless PDA required) to access their network.
The Gross Anatomy lab was cool. (the first years were working on their cadavers, so I got to see one for the first time). The smell of the Gross lab is totally tolerable. The library is modeled after the library of a castle in England. The school stresses Focus on Group work and Hard work!
They really try to sell how they are a school that caters to students. Very friendly atmosphere, both from faculty and students, a couple of lecturers came and talked to us about what classes are like.
Gross Anatomy lab was really cool. Everyone was really friendly. Also, it was nice having lunch with current med students so you could get their perspective.
The beauty of the area (bear in mind I interviewed in August, i.e. no snow). The curriculum seems great, the clinical experience in the first 2 years is cool too. They seem to have a nice respect for the history of medicine. It is very cheap to live well in Buffalo.
The student body is extremely friendly and sincere. I went to undergrad. school with a lot of the med. students, so I know that my perception of UB's student body is accurate. In-state tuition is hard to beat. Cost of living is much less than bigger cities that have med. schools. Off-campus housing is very close to the school. Students are in lecture from 8:00 to 12:00 each day.
Cirriculum - looks like they've put a lot of work into it and the students seemed really happy with it, the dean of admissions (who does a million other things too!) was really great, facilities were okay, the sun actually came out
the medical students that were around to talk with us during lunch and after, all seemed very friendly and positive about ub, the students seemed to have a good relationship with the faculty
Their requirement of having all students have PDAs, their integrated curriculum. The classes usually just go from 8-12, with a few exception for review sessions and time at the hospital, and even from 8-12 they always make sure that you don't have 4 straight hours of lecture, placing a lab or a case study discussion in the middle.
The facilities were decent... nice people... nothing stood out in particular tho... it seems their new curriculum is geared towards preparting you for primary care
The school has nice facilities. Everything is at least adequate if not excellent. The people are very nice, both at the school and in the city. WINDOWS in the anatomy lab! The new curriculum seems quite good. Numerous affiliated clinical sites provide a wide range of 3rd/4th year opportunities. The students all seemed very happy.
My interviewers went out of the way to make me feel like I had a personal connection to the school after our conversation, everyone seems so down home friendly and proud to be at the school and a citizen of Buffalo
The facilities at Buffalo are abundant and modern. Very nice. The people at Buffalo are also very nice. The counter person at Burger King even wished me good luck!
Applicants commonly expressed negative feedback about the outdated facilities, long and unorganized tours, unfavorable weather in Buffalo, unengaged interviewers, high student-to-cadaver ratios, lack of personalization in interviews, and the remote location of the school. Suggestions included improving facilities, streamlining the interview process, enhancing student engagement, and considering the impact of location and weather on applicant experience.
My second interviewer was a retired physician and seemed very unprepared for the interview (i.e. didn't bring my physical application with him and didn't prepare questions ahead of time/kept admitting that he didn't know what to ask me). He also had some off-putting things to say about my essays regarding DEI and disparities/inequities in healthcare. Overall, a very bad impression that didn't seem to align at all with the values and mission of the school.
One of my interviewers was a tab bit sexist during my interview. I don't think he was trying to be though, it just came off to me that way. Be prepared for experiences like these that will turn you off during your interview. Always stay positive and smiling :).
The length and itinerary for the day. The tour was too long and was held before we were interviewed. I was told to be there at 8:30 and didn't get released from the final interview until after 4:30.
The pop quiz was still stressful even though i knew it was coming. 10 mins to answer "what do you want your patients to say about you to their friends when you are a doctor?"
Obv. it was a cold day (not as cold as those of you who interviewed in Dec or Jan.) but, I didn't like having to carry my coat the whole tour so that we could go outside to walk across campus.
Nothing really. There are 8 students to a cadaver in Anatomy, but no one seemed very bothered by it. You still get to see everything, even if you do less of the dissection yourself. The one thing I would possibly worry about is the weather, since I'm from CA.
The building were out of date and the area of the school lacks charm (to say the least), but there is much construction going on at this point and the school has plans for new facilities in the next few years. Yes, 8 people to a cadaver, but who cares? You'll get all the time you want later in your career.
8 ppl to a cadaver, not a lot of study space (the library was small and there was only one main computer lab with 70 computers and another smaller one with ~20). The buildings looked old. My view might be biased since I'm from a school of 40,000.
seemed like the students were enthusiastic because they were at A med school and not because of this school specifically. It basically seemed like the students there had no other choice but to go to Buffalo. The facilities were dingy and run down. The city is basically a sh*thole. Anatomy lab was very poorly lit and felt like a dungeon.
I probably took the first question the wrong way, but I was highly offended by it. However, they invited me for an interview as an OOS so my school must not have influenced them too much.
My interviewers. He was an a**, was not interested in interviewing. Was SUPPOSED to be open-file, but it was closed-file for him. Didn't bother to respond to my answers and just moved from one Q to next by reading down a list. When asked something, gave very tert answers. No wonder he's in the specialty he's in.
One of my interviewers had made what I thought was an inappropriate statemtent during my interview. It bothered me a lot at the time, but now in retrospect, I think it was said just to see how I would react. There was honestly nothing that was said/seen that gave me a bad opinion about the school.
My second interviewer who wasn't attentive.....looked like it was past his bedtime....rubbing of his eyes, wandering eyes....I must have not been interesting enough or he just was too tired......of the two interview, this one only lasted 15 min while the first one lasted 30-35 min.
Bitter students too eager to share gripe stories -- scratch the surface and the bile gushes forth on classes, students who make up blood pressure numbers in charts b/c they forget how to read the settings, etc.
Location. I have a friend who attends who gave me certain insights. Buffalo is 8-9 hours drive from NYC. Very bad weather (cold and lots of snow)most of the year. Parking and shoveling snow can be a hassle. The city reminds me of a lonely midwestern town with friendly older people, but not so good for the single life.
quality/caliber of students, curriculum changes frequent and confusing, interview format, 8 students/cadaver in anatomy, match list history unimpressive in my specialty interests, no chance to sit in on classes
How fast the interviews went. I didn't feel my interviewers had time to really ask what they wanted. I was also very negatively impressed with the ranting of my interviewer.
All they had was regular soda during lunch. Some people are diabetic...not even regular water was there. I have had a number of interviews and this was by far and away my least favourite
the weather. very very cold and a lot of snow. nonmedical local told me the weather is harsh at least 6 months out of the year. u absolutely need a car. no university hospital, so you will have to make a drive to go to your rotations. could be a pain after long hours at a hospital. facilities seemed run down.
The students were unhappy. One student I encountered in the hallway asked me if I was applying to the school, and then told me not even so much so as to think about it! That to me was a major turn-off. The lunch food was by far the worst I've ever had in all my interviews (and I've had eight interviews). They serve nasty cold Turkey or ham sandwich and a 1-L Coca-Cola for 20+ applicants, with ice taken from the lab. The facilities were very poor and the place seemed gloomy. The interviewer were NOT interested to get to know you, but only concerned with how well you can answer standardized questions compared to other applicants. The curriculum is in very bad shape. The interviews after lunch were unpredictable: we waited to be called in a big room without knowing who our inteviewers were or what time the interviews were to take place. Some finished both interviews while others were still waiting for their first interview for hours. As for the interviews themselves, both the student and the MD took me into a dimly lit classroom and then proceeded to ask me the list of questions on their sheets. It was highly unprofessional and discouraging.
I found it odd that although the students praise the new curriculum, which gives first and second year students the entire afternoon free almost every day, no one seemed to have time to do anything outside of studying. When I asked if there was a student center or a place where students gathered, they answered, "We have places where we hang out and study?" When I asked about clubs, students said there were some, but that they didn't have time to participate.
I felt a little tricked into thinking that Buffalo would have nice weather - it was BEAUTIFUL out! The library was nice, but compared to my undergrad it was pretty disappointing. 8 students to a body in Gross is, seems like a lot, but the students didn't seem to mind.
8 students per cadaver. Also, the library is going to start charging a printing fee (but your first 650 pages will be free of charge). No campus housing!
Besides my interviewers, the weather isnt the greatest, but I expected that. Since it was Jan they had some "flurries" (6 in of snow), but I dont mind snow and they take care of it. The pop quiz was pointless. They dont read it. The decision to waitlist (most likely unless you have super stats)/accept/reject gets made that day. The Dean Severin kinda came off a-holey. He said something to the effect of "I see alot of you smiling, I know some are fake", which kinda erked me. Its like why would we be here? Also, he says that they give everyone a fair chance that spots are open all the way through the interviewing process and noone will be interviewing for the waitlist, however with that LOTS get waitlisted to "preserve" those spots. The lunch was rushed, you get 20 minutes to eat while the students talk to you at the same time.
8 students per cadaver seemed a little high, and the wait for print time seemed a little absurd. Really the only thing I didnt like was the fact that one interviewer played the "bad cop" routine and role-played throughout the whole interview. He was very nice at the end but during the interview he grilled me on every single one of my answers.
The weather - it snowed. A lot. My flight was delayed back home. Although, we were told that it doesn't ALWAYS snow in Buffalo and that Buffalo, comparatively, receives fewer inches of snow than towns to the north and south. Hmm. Liars! I liked hanging in the lounge while waiting for the interviews, but it would have been nice to just have a general time when we could expect to be interviewed - I don't understand the reason for all of the suspense. Oh, and the writing sample question - what's the point? It's not stressful, it's just silly.
hm. the tour was SO long - which was great because i saw more of buffalo than any other school i've visited, but was really really bad on my feet. wished i was in sneakers, not heels.
Some of the staff members aren't very friendly compared to other schools i've visited. The pop-essay, im not sure how to interpret it. Is it a way for them to determine if you actually wrote your personal statement? Because i think that undermines trust between student and faculty, or is it just another way for them to know you? Either case, i wrote really tiny and it took them forever to read my essay.
How my interviewers pressed me abt my college's grading system instead of contacting my college about their questions and concerns. That made me a little uncomfortable. Also, when my interviewers quoted from the package that my college had sent them, that also made me a little uncomfortable. Finally, 8 people per cadaver seems like a lot.
No on-campus housing near the med. school (there is on-campus housing, but it's on the north campus). For people without a car: You will definitely need one to get to class and travel around the city since public transportation leaves much to be desired.
The questions were so standard, although one interviewer did ask me to read newspaper clippings & give my opinion on ethical issues. I felt that gave me a chance to be more personable than the standard questions. I dont think anyone else had that type of experience during their interviews on the same day.
The students I talked to said, "don't go here. you'll hate it." I kept an open mind, but honestly, I'm just not a Buffalo weather kind of guy... =/
the list of standardized questions that each interviewer was required to ask of the applicants, although my interviewer was very up-front about the fact that he was required to use the list
Both of the two interviewers were visibly upset that I said answers that could have been construed as liberl. One question was *tell me a situation were you observed someone saying something obnoxious and how did you respond to it*. I said when I was a resident advisor someone said that celebrating three kings day in the dorm was just politically correctness. The interviewer said *well isn:t it?* The second one was worse. When she asked who would I talk to in the media and why?, I answered, Tom Daschle because he is running a poor opposition and it is important in a democracy to run a strong opposition (you have to remember that the dems just lost big then). THe interviewer then went into a diatrabe about how Sen. Wellstone:s memorial was just a fundraiser, blah blah. Turn off the Fox News lady. Incidentally I didn:t get in. My hindu friend, was given an interview three days before the date because he knew someone. I should have known better talking politics in an conservative town that spawned McVeigh and anitabortion rallys, as well as talking so soon after september 11.
the tour was dominated by two very boring and at that point unimportant museums that the school has... i can see how they would be useful during school but right before my interview i really didn't care
Nothing obvious....I work for the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences so I already knew some of the flaws. The whole 8 students to a cadaver seems a little high, but oh well
The first interviewer appeared to be uninterested. Again, I believe that he was role playing. Perhaps he was the patient and I the physician and my role was to spark some interest.
Long and tedious talks during tour by admission staff, informative but boring presentation on the new curriculum.
DId not have a set interview schedule of who should go at what time, had to wait around for interviewers to call us --kind of nerve wrecking. 2 separate interviews, so some people had to wait till after 4pm.
Buffalo isn't the biggest of towns. Students from big cities may have a hard time adjusting to the lack of entertainment. All the students recommended going to Toronto for the big city stuff.
Although it wasn't bad when I was there, it supposedly does get quite cold. I like snow, but if you don't, if might be rough for you.
My interviewer received a cell phone call mid-interview and actually answered it. UB doesn't have a medical center on campus- (just academics until you go 'downtown')
The anatomy lab was really crowded; the campus is small; UB does not have its own 'medical center', but a network of hospitals in which students complete their rotations.
The structure of the interview. I understand the reason behind having everyone on an even playing field but didn't feel as though I was able to answer all of the questions without sitting down and thinking about some of them for a long period of time.
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the relaxed nature of the interview, the focus on personal experiences rather than academic metrics, the need for comfortable shoes for the lengthy tour, and the unexpected pop essay during lunch. Additionally, many suggested being mentally prepared for waiting periods, ensuring a good breakfast, and researching current healthcare issues for discussions during the interview.
Wish I knew how friendly and laid back the interviewers would be, and also that they cannot see grades or test scores. I prepared for all the tough questions, when I should have just been ready for a good conversation about my interests, the school, and life in Buffalo.
The interviewers came while some people were still eating lunch and talking to the students. I wish they said ok now you can keep taking but the interviews are going to start and they will come get you when its your turn.
To read my primary application thoroughly and to expect the unexpected (the weird questions that people reported being asked in the interview feedback page did come out several times so you might want to give those some thought).
Pop 10 minute essay at "lunch" where they let other med students come in, be loud, move furniture, sit down and eat while you're writing. It's hard to fill the page in 10 min's with all these distractions.
They don't provide breakfast, and the lunch is weak. Get there really early if you need to leave early, since you're assigned interviews first come, first serve.
Don't stay at the Boulevard Inn! It's a total dive. My power cut out repeatedly, it wasn't clean, I think there was a prostitute next door, I'm surprised I didn't get bedbugs.
Where the entrance to the Biomedical Education Building is from the parking lot. I still don't know how to get in from the right entrance, I still end up making loops the long way.
To eat a bigger breakfast. I was starving by the end of the day.
They also give a 10 minute essay before lunch.
I didn't one of the weird questions that I had heard about on SDN about how many pizza places there are in the US or something like that.
The fact that the first interview matters more than the second. During my second he informed me that he did not want to know any of the same material I had spoken about. During the second interview we spoke more about me as a person, and less about what I had done in college.
you have to write a mini essay before the interview! interviewers basically stick to the script. i didn't think the interview questions would be THAT scripted but they are. Come up with an answer to every single question on SDN.
How long and boring the tour is. How I had to wait for over 2 hours just sitting in a room for my first interviewer to come by and get me. How depressing Buffalo is.
Every time the school gets in trouble for its ancient curriculum, it just ADDS something -- never takes outdated stuff out. Enough students told me about this to make me nervous.
that it really is a good idea to do your research as far as health care issues and news etc. my interviewers were a good combination of nice but also kind of critical..they can tell if you're fibbing. you can't get away with the cliche ''the biggest health problem is the uninsured'' without having an idea of how many uninsured there are. luckily i knew the number because i had read an article the night before, but that was miraculous. two days ago, i would not have known that answer.
I won't be able to really talk and ask questions from the students becasue they had a test or something ( but had time to play pool when the came to our room!).
opportunity existed to skip library tour - while no one availed of the option, good that it was there for us (in hindsight, wish i did skip the library tour); there were 22 of us interviewees, and my showing up at 9:15 on the dot made me the LAST person in line to interview (i left the school after 4 p.m.)
1. that you could stay with a med student
2 that the school has a connection with the holiday inn to pick you up from the airport bring you to the hotel, take you to the school in the morning and take you back to the airport... would have saved me a ton in taxi fees
I knew about the pop essay, but still something to mention. it's weird. Also, as much as people here post lots and lots of odd questions, the interviews were actually extremely conversational.
I could have stayed for free with one of the current med students. Check with the admissions committee before you go! There's always med students available so you don't have to stay in a hotel and pay lots of $$.
That a med student and a physician would interview me for my first interview, and that there is cheap bus service to UB from the airport (I think it's the M30 bus).
I prepared way too much for my interviewers, however some of the other interviewees got grilled. The parking lot in 6in of snow isnt fun to get out and it takes forever to get out of the school and off the main street onto the highway. My interviews were done by 3pm. The tour was so boring and since it was before the interviews we all were like "ok enough with the dumb brain lab and lets do the interview already". They should do the interviews first then the tour so we could enjoy it. Also, on their website they say they interview thru Feb, thats a lie. They interview thru April (I know for a fact they interviewed in April last year and thru April 20th of this year), so they should update the website. Also, it says they interview 450-550. In my interview they say they interview around 500, which is another lie. I had 20 total interviewees with me. So if you do the math that they interview every wed (late aug-late april), its more than the number they say (believe me they interview 20 each time).
That this interview was not that stressful. Even my actor/interviewer didn't stress me out all that much, and all of the faculty want to ensure that you have a positive experience.
According to the Univeristy's newspaper The Spectrum, there is a proposal stating that after residency, that you would have to agree to practice in an New York urban underservered area for three years after residency. Otherwise pay out-of state tutition, even if you are a NYS resident. Plus there is looming tutition hikes.
Nothing, really. My bro goes there so I knew the inside scoop! Oh! Except that there would NOT be coffee waiting for us in the morning. Total lack of caffeine headache.
Questions are scripted, adherence to the script depends on your interviewer. My second interviewer treated it as a joke and went about the interview as he saw fit.
Well, I knew about the pop essay right before lunch, but I wanted to know more about what kinds of questions they asked on it. My question was, "if you were a patient going to see a doctor for the first time, what qualities would you like your doctor to have?"
I really knew what to expect throughout the whole day thanks to this website. Everything you need to know is here. I wasnt nervous at all, even when I had to write the essay--some people didnt know they had to write a "surprise" essay. I guess my strategy worked, as I was accepted.
a need for warmer clothing, and really, think about the experiences you have had, the whole interview is them asking you to tell stories about yourself.
They have a set of questions that they always ask- they ask for examples of behaviors (both positive and negative) and they ask for answers to hypothetical situations.
It can be easy to miss your interviewers' names. One of mine had a name tag, the other quickly introduced themselves. Thank-yous should be sent c/o the admissions office. I was prepared for the essay at lunch, but most of the rest of my group was caught off guard by it. No big deal, as long as you know about it in advance.
Applicants generally provided positive feedback on the interview experience, expressing appreciation for the conversational style of the interviews, friendly staff and students, and the school's curriculum and facilities. Suggestions for improvement included shortening the tour, addressing the waiting time between interviews, and enhancing the organization of the day's schedule.
The interview style is very laid back and not at all high-pressure. The only stressful part is the uncertainty of waiting between interviews and the long day (8:30am-4:30pm).
This school seems to have the entire package. Great curriculum, devoted faculty and student body, plenty of research/service opportunties, and a great network of teaching facilities in the area. You are making a mistake if you are a New York State resident and do not apply to UB. Out of every school that I have visited and dealt with during the application process this year, UB definitely is the only school that is actually interested in you as a person rather than your numbers. During the interview, the interviewers do not have access to your numbers (GPA, MCAT) and focus solely on you and your experience.
If you stay at the Holiday Inn - Amherst before 6pm on Tuesday night, they have all the beer and wine you can drink, plus free food for Manager's Welcome. It rules. Stay there.
Definitely check out SDN for interview feedback. Do not stress over the interview as much, because the committee really wants to have a conversation with you, nothing to debilitating. Just relax, power up with some caffeine early morning, and rock it!!
I was pretty impressed by UB. I enjoyed the interview day a lot more than I was expecting to. I would be happy to go there. By the way, don't stress too much about the interview. The worst part for me was waiting for the interviewers to come and get me. Interviews start around 1 pm, and can last until about 4:30 pm. Each interview seems to usually last 30-50 minutes, and you don't know exactly when you will have interviews within that time period.
Buffalo seems like a pretty nice school, especially for a NYS resident because the tuition is so low. The students were all very friendly and seemed to like both the school and the area.
Great school with a great historical town. This school will not be the first choice for those looking for prestige (which matters very little in reality), but it is a solid school looking to improve and grow without sacrificing student success.
had two interviewers. The first was a substitute interviewer so he didn't really know my file. He seemed to be testing me on whether I was truthful. First he asked where my school was and its location in relation to Hershey medical center in PA. When I told him, he said: "Oh right, I knew where Hershey was.". Then when he asked about my research, I mentioned using PDMS. He asked what it stood for. When I told him, he said: "oh yea, they use that a lot.", as if he knew it all along. He really hamered me about why I wanted to be a doctor. He said I didn't have clinical experience, so how do I know I want to be a doctor. In reality, I did have a lot of clinical experience but he said those aren't similar to real situations...
the second interview went much better and was much more conversational. I ended up on the waiting list.
It seemed like most of the candidates (including myself) were interviewed by a student and a dr. My student tended to follow more of a script asking some of the same types of questions posted on SDN (see other posts)
I thought I rocked my second interview considering how combative the first one had gone. I ended up being mid waitlisted.
fyi- apparently they used a 1-5 rating system and average the scores of the two interviewers
1- accept
2- high waitlist
3- mid waitlist
4- low waitlist
5- reject
Very impressed, liked the school a lot. They will ask you some questions that seem to come out of nowhere, but you can take a second to think about it before you speak.
The school def. went up my list after the visit. I enjoyed everything except being wait-listed!! I got my first acceptance the day after being waitlisted so I am not too discouraged. I am hoping I come off the waitlist though because UB moved into my top 5!
I highly recommend staying with a student host(I did). It a gave me a chance to better familiarize myself with the school and its students before my interview. My student hos was great and very helpful. If you want to contact me to ask me any other questions, just e-mail me at [email protected]
Hellish questions.....describe the theory of muscle contraction, kreb cycle, explain a situation when you stood up for something you believed in which disadvantaged you, what do you know about the east coast (I'm from the West), why did it take so long for you to graduate, why didn't you apply a year ago etc.....I was grilled
I came into the interview with the impression that the school is close to crap. Their website is very, very outdated and the weather was horrible to say the least. However, despite these things and a 2hr tour, it was a very good experience. I ended up liking Buffalo and their facilities are clean, neat and fairly new. They are fixing up the anatomy lab, which makes it look brighter and more ''welcoming.'' The admissions committee READS EVERYTHING that you gave them so be prepared. Lucky for me, I didn't have horrible interviewers so the conversation flowed very well. However, some of the interviewees did get some of the crazier questions like the study of physicians that stopped smoking and a method of measuring body fat of a person. Overall, a good experience at Buffalo.
The first interview was a detailed discussion of my application. The second was more philosophical and asked questions about what it means to be a doctor and things of that nature.
We arrived at 9am, and had a lengthy tour of the neuro museum, anatomy lab, computer lab, clinical skills center, and library (ladies, wear flats, because some of those people like to talk, and a lot). We then had a presentation on their curriculum, ate lunch with some current M1s, and then waited for a long time in a student lounge for the interviewers to come and get us. It was a long day; I wasn't done until almost 4:30. Bring reading material with you in case you're left by yourself in the lounge.
I interviewed first with a second-year medical student and then an orthopedist. The second interview was supposed to be more of a ''get-to-know-you'' type, but both interviews felt like more of a Q&A session. Both my interviewers were nice, but seemed to be just focused on plowing through ''committee-written'' questions rather than engaging in a conversation to get to know me. Also, before the interviews, we were given a ''pop quiz'' which asked ''What was the most challenging experience you have gone through and how did you deal with it?'' I think the ''pop quiz'' question changes for each interview day.
my first interview was about 1.5 hours and he asked me sooo many unexpected questions about my culture and history type questions about my country (which I left when I was 2). He also asked me how I felt about current political situations and presidents about my country, which the most i ever hear about is from my parents talking... and then he pulled out newspaper clippings out of his pocket and read me bit of it and asked me how I felt about the situation and what I would do. geez. but i really liked my second interviewer and the interview was much shorter too.
First interview went about an hour, awesome guy - completely laid back, more conversational than anything. Dropped a few questions here and there. Even gave me a few questions where I could pick from and chose which I could give the best answer for, really worked to get the best out of you. Second interviewer was also a faculty member which is unusual - usually it's a student. He was much more serious but asked me a lot more personal questions and seemed to get to know me a lot more than the other guy did about my family and research. Great experience overall - was a lot happier with the way it went than I thought I would have been.
Overall, very easy to deal with. Both interviewers wanted to have a conversation more than covering the questions they were given. Conversational atmosphere helped reduce the stress and allowed for a better flow of discussions
i had no intention of even going to buffalo when i applied, but having visited and having had such a positive experience, i am definitely considering it in my top 2. the facilities are gorgeous, well-kept, and certainly up to date. very impressive school.
the interviewers were very nice, but also genuinely curious about why I wanted to do medicine, what qualities I could bring, etc. I felt that really preparing to ''present'' myself..who I am, what I want, why I'm prepared for medicine...was super impt. It wasn't just idle conversation, it was real getting to the core of why I'm applying to medical school. also, some other poor applicant got a retired professor interview him by randomly pulling out old newspaper articles out of his pocket and asking the applicant what he thought. so that stuff actually happens! going through SDN left me totally prepared for the interview though.
went to the lobby with about 23 students, mostly OOS. lined up on the order of being there and had couple of presentations. about 90 min of tour of the facilities and other places which was kind of boraing. back to the roon and had a essay and then lunch alone with other applicants. went to the first interview. They were super friendly and talked for about 40 min, back to the room that we were but no one was there as everyone had been moved to another room. I was lucky that another person had brough all my belongings to the second room. was there for about one hour till second interview arrived with a 2nd year student which was also very nice as well. they went back to the room and waited like 5 min for confirmation that I can leave. Overall the environment was very firendly even though the planning of the whole process was kind of lagging.
I arrived and had a seat in the lobby. We went into a conference room and filled out paperwork. We took a tour and then came back to the conference room where they talk about the curriculum. A staff person will give you an essay question/topic and do take the time to answer the question fully. After that you wait for your interview and are called in. Some people were in the middle of eating so make sure you are prepared if you were first in line.
It was honestly a nice day. I liked the tours and the staff/students. I didn't get grilled in any way in my interviews, which was a nice suprise. It reinforced my desire to attend the school.
Everyone starts by sitting in a lounge, waiting. They then ask you to wait in line in order that you came in. They present some info about the school. Take on tours, seeming endless, around the brain museum. Offer ''optional'' library tour that everyone felt obligated to take, where they show exhibits about the history of medicine. Presentation, lunch where they quickly run out of food. Then you wait for your interviews. You have no idea when it will be, you just wait until someone comes to get you. No option to sit in on classes. A most unusual interview day.
My interviews went SUPER especially compared to some other applicants who were getting outrageous social questions. My interviewers seemed to ask me questions I was able to answer and made me feel very comfortable. Mr. Rosso is also very charismatic and motivating! We were lucky that the weather cooperated for this interview date - 48 degrees and sunny with a slight wind in December...awesome!
9:15 check-in (show up earlier to ensure you finish the day earlier); 10 intro by admissions; med school/library tour until 11:30; boring and confusing curriculum presentation until ~12; pop quiz/essay (define ''empathy'' as it means to you) just as lunch started; lunch w/ med students; entire afternoon in student lounge - killed time watching post 2006 midterm election coverage and playing pool. i was the LAST person to do their FIRST interview, and i was the LAST person to finish the day. was not required to do a third interview.
The two interviews were with a professor and a 2nd year student. Both were more of conversations than interviews. It was very relaxed and went well. The only problem was that it was difficult not getting too comfortable and using slang terms instead of more professional diction.
People at UB are extremely nice, and it is a very non-competive friendly environment among students. Also, the medical student lounge has a ping pong table, a pool table, and a large HDTV.
I thought it went really well. Both interviewers had definitely read carefully through my file, and were really easy to have a conversation with. It was friendly and non-confrontational.
Show up, and find the people with black suits who look nervous. Line up in arrival order (you're kidding, right? no.) becuase then you're interviewed in that order. Sort of. Introduciton. Tour. More Tour. Pop essay "describe a moment when you volunteered that helped solidify your decision to choose medicine" then lunch iwth students. Except there were no students at my table. Interview 1, waiting in the lounge, Interview 2, went home.
I went to UB for my MS so I'm pretty happy with the school already and would just like to get in so I can relax this year.
A somewhat long day. The long tour gets you a little tired out, but then you go eat lunch and listen to the dean and a faculty member (who are the BEST). Then they take you one at a time to do your interview. Then they take you to the student lounge where you can play pool or watch tv and talk to students and other interviewees. Then again, they take you from there for your final interview. Done.
My interview experience at Buffalo was very pleasant. Try to talk to current medical students, that was the highlight of my trip. The interview is very relaxed although they do ask you a lot of the questions that are posted on the site. If you read through the questions posted here you should be prepared.
I had one with a faculty member and one with a student. They were both friendly. Remember that your student interview counts just as much at this school, so don't get too informal/comfortable.
I arrived at 9:15 am, but it was nearly 10 am when they started. In general, there was a lot of waiting. After the tour and lunch (tiny sandwiches and soda) we all went into a student lounge and just sat there waiting for hours, not knowing when our interviews were going to happen. Some students already had two interviews, while others were still waiting for their first one. The interviews themselves seemed formal. Both interviewers had identical list of questions and randomly asked from it. I even got the same question twice. Overall, I liked the school, but the interview day itself was poorly scheduled (in my opinion).
This interview is basically for them to know you as a PERSON. They just want to know that you're not crazy and that you'll be able to work within a team. The tour was really long and tiring (so make sure you get a restful sleep the night before).
it was awesome. my first interviewer was amazing and said he didnt believe in the questions the adcom gave them all to ask. my second interviewer asked me all questions from that list.
Relaxed, laid back, one second year student and a community doctor volunteer. They both wanted to get to know me as a person and asked many questions about my background. They both were open to questions from me. It was very conversational; both of the interviews flowed.
It was pretty good. The facilities were decent (I did not like the library, however). Mr. Rosso was REALLY enthusiastic and really sold the school. The other interviewees were very friendly.
I enjoyed my day. I went over with a group of students who were all staying at the same hotel. there was a really comprehensive tour, possibly a bit too long, info about the new curriculum and admission info (the Dean seems great, and apparently the students really love him), lunch with students and then the interviews. There are 2, I had one with a retired professor and another with a doctor. 12 students are on the admissions committee though, it was just my luck of the draw. we waited around in the student lounge, which was nice because students frequently came in and were hanging out or talking with us, and the wait was never too long.
I arrived from the airport and took the bus; it dropped me off infront of the school. I was early, so I had a chance to talk to the other applicants. The tour was given by Dr. Rosso, and he was very EXCITED. The interview was with a doctor and then a student. They were both really cool, and I really clicked with the first interviewer. The second interviewer was a student, and she was very nice, but very hard to read.
Overall, extremely positive even though it wasn't my top choice. Completely impressed me, esp. the positive attitudes of the students and staff. very collaborative, seemed to have a great time.
It was not stressful at all. Both the physicians were very nice and so was the med student. They really want to get to know you personally and inquire about your past experiences. Be prepared for some situational questions.
Overall, it was ok. For those who get waitlisted, if you are in the middle of the list you will most likely get in. Their waitlist moves ALOT. I was in the bottom of the upper third and got in middle of May (the waitlist is split into 9 sections: upper(upper, middle, bottom), middle (upper, middle, bottom), and bottom (upper, middle, bottom). From my experience Mr Rosso can be a bit deceiving in terms of letting you know where you are on the list. Basically, the reason I chose not to attend was I got into my state school (not NY resident), so it was much cheaper than Buffalo (120k in debt as opposed to 180k thats all without interest). Also, I got a better vibe from my state school. Overall, I wanted to like Buffalo and I did to a point, it was just some of the ways they represented themselves to me that was a turn off. I hope others have a better experience and I am sure they will. Its a good school, just not for me.
I had a great experience with my interview, and it was actually my first (and last- I applied for the Early Assurance Program). The staff are down to earth and concerned with your well-being as a student and a person. The new curriculum they have just implemented seems very efficient and is a huge improvement over the former one.
It was a very positive experience which played a big part in my coming to SUNY Buffalo. The interview was wonderful, and I have enjoyed my schooling here thus far.
Overall, I really enjoyed my day. I got there at 8 am (with my bro) and sat in on his first class (something about cell membrane potential - eeks). The lecture hall is really spacious and the students are just happy - really relaxed. At 9:30am I met up with the other interviewees and we sat around until check in. After check in, Mr. Rosso gave us a really thorough tour of the facilities, including the anatomy and computer labs, the multipurpose rooms and the library. We then had a talk by Drs. Reynard (about the recent changes in curriculum) and Severen (he cleared up some rumors about UB, and talked about the school's mission). After this, we were handed an essay question - write about your most significant challenge - and given about 5-10 minutes to finish it. As I was totally caffeine deprived and STARVING (LONG TOUR), my answer was remedial, at best. But I don't think it really matters. Then we all just waited for our interviewers to come and pick us up. At the end of the day, after both interviews, we were notified when we could leave.
They forgot to put my name on the sign-in sheet and it seemed as though the woman thought it was my fault and i wasn't supposed to be there, so that freaked me out. They she explained that she just forgot...so thanks. The tour was pretty interesting but they didn't show the classrooms or the hospital (which i guess is kind of far away) but it would have been nice to see. I checked out the classroom later and the seats seem very uncomfortable, they were a hard plastic. The interviews were at the end of the day which made me stress for the entire day (until 4 o'clock)rather than just at the beginning, so that sucked. The school seemed ok though, i think i just had a negative interview experience. I liked the schedule of classes and the range of different hospitals associated with the school.
overall the day was great! im more or less expecting to get waitlisted as im an out of stater, but a girl can hope! and the pop essay was fine and neither of my interviewers brought it up. as a side note, though, each interviewer has a packet of questions - each page is titled "leadership skills" or "personality" and then has a list of questions, so expect some of the typical "who would you interview?" and "tell me a funny childhood story" questions as mentioned on other posts
The university is aware that they are not Ivy league, so they make sure they treat their students/faculty very well. "Pop" essay before lunch was very unnecessary.
Pop quiz essay before lunch! The question I received; discuss how a particular volunteer experience (not necessarily medical) contributed to your decision to be a doctor, what did you learn from this experience. The tour was fun and the tour guide was extremely enthusiastic. There were two presenters, and both were also extremely excited to have all of us interviewees there. The environment was very friendly. Be confident and let U Buffalo know who you are, and if you are the right fit, the interviewers will respond positively. Another note: if you are interested in a very unique and competitive specialty; neurosurgery, orthopedics, etc....if you are accepted to the school, you will be put on a little bit different curriculum track in which you start doing research in your area of interest starting your second year at school. This is all done in an effort to ensure you the best possibility of getting a residency in the specialty you choose. Really good idea I thought! Goodluck!
I decided to interview at this school because it looked as though other schools weren't taking an interest in me. Then when i got a bunch of other interviews i was seriously considering canceling my interview. When i got to Buffalo, the city, my first and lasting impression is that a lot of people are resentful pricks. However, the school and the faculty are awesome and they really like getting to know you. So this school moved from being at the bottom of my list to somewhere near the top.
I think Buffalo is a very good school. I love the fact that students are in class until noon mostly. Also UB has a really laid back feel to it, but supposedly, the stigma that UB students get in residency is that they are very hard working (or so i hear).
You start with the tour. Right before lunch, they make you answer a question on paper (they give you 5-10min). It was like having a pop quiz. But it wasn't that bad- my question was, What was one of the biggest challenges you have had to face? Afterward, they move you to the student lounge where they have a huge TV, pingpong, pool...pretty nice, really. We watched the post-election news. You don't have to worry about finding your way around because the interviewers pick you up and drop you off. Both my interviewers were both really sweet and conversational (i had a 2nd year student and a "compliance officer"- some kind of lawyer). The lawyer and I seemed to have a lot in common, and she loved me. After all the interviews were over, all of the interviewers and the admissions staff gathered in a room to discuss. This is one of the few schools where the interviewer has to make a presentation about you in front of the admissions people.
The day started with a tour of the campus, seeing the brain museum and the medical library. Then there were info sessions on the curriculum followed by the pop quiz then lunch with the students. The two interviews were in the afternoon. There were about 14 other students there with me that day.
I wasnt sure about this school when I first got to Buffalo, but now it is definately my top choice. The pop essay during lunch is nothing to worry about, mine was on "whom do you admire most and why?" All the other questions are posted on this website.
I was interview by two faculty members who were older male doctors and taught a little at the school. Some interviees were interviewed by students and they had more fun experiences. My interviewers read questions off the sheet of paper and the interview was very formal.
Everyone at the school was very nice, they all wanted to make sure that we were comfortable and had all our questions answered. There is a pop essay at lunch but it is not hard. My question was what would qualities would you expect in your docotor. THe tour is slightly boring, but not too long.
The interview was a whole-day affair, as I was there for about 6 hours. It was well-organized and everyone was friendly and nice. The interviews were decently stressful but the interviewers had a nice demeanor and seemed genuinly interested. I was well-prepared with SDN questions, and I felt very comfortable as I had already thought about answers to almost every question that I was asked. I was also asked several questions specific to my file, particularly regarding what I learned about medicine from my volunteer experiences. They were hard but fair questions that delved pretty deeply into my personal statement and AMCAS (so be familiar with what you wrote).
The interview day starts at 9:30 with a brief outline of the day's events. You then take a tour of the campus facilities. Next, you listen to two presentations about the school; one by a faculty member who helped redesign the school's curriculum five year ago and the other by the dean. Afterwards, we were given an essay question to answer. The essay question was "describe two characteristics that you possess that will help make you a good physician". The essay should not be a source of stress. The essay is placed in your folder and the interviewers have a chance to read it over before meeting with you. We were then served lunch. After lunch, the interview process started. All the interviewees hung out in the student lounge and watched TV, played darts, etc. while waiting for their interviewers to come get them. After the two interviews, you are either allowed to leave or are given a third interview (this happens when the first two interviewers do not do not agree on their impression of you).
My second interview was by a 3rd year student & she was really nice. I got to ask lots of questions & she even gave me her email address. The interviews were really not bad at all, pretty relaxing actually. You also get to come back to a common room & watch TV & play pool & hang out with the other interviewees while you wait between interviews so you can get some feedback about their experiences as well. The tour is long, though--probably longer than necessary!
The whole process was pretty smooth. They manage to keep the interview almost on a conversational basis and both interviewers seemed really interested in what I had to say. I stayed with a first-year and he helped me out a lot. I highly recommend doing that instead of staying at a hotel. After the interview the committee ranks you from 1 to 5 (1=acceptance,2=top of waitlist,3=middle of waitlist,4=bottom of waitlist,5=rejection) and I heard that most of those on the top get in while most at the bottom don't get in. I was fortunate to get accepted right away but they tell me that some people don't get accepted until august so don't give up if you don't get in right away.
It was great. The interviewers were really nice, although they did press me on ethical questions and health policy stuff. It was okay, though, since I am knowledgeable and well-thought-out about these areas. The school seemed really great. Had it not been in Buffalo, this could have been my #1 state school choice.
The experience was extremely laid back. All the questions I was asked are posted on this website so if you look at these questions, you will be very alright! I just didn't like that they didn't tell me ahead of time that I was interviewing for the waitlist.
I was pleasantly surprised at UB. I really like their new cirriculum (half day of classes, small group work, early clinical exposure all apprealed to me). The dean made an emphasis on remembering that we're people, not just med students, while we're there and seemed understanding about personal issues (marriage etc). The anatomy lab was bright and sunny (has windows - wow!) and there was wireless internet everywhere. Students seemed VERY happy there. (And not just the ones who ate lunch with us) Overall, I could definitely see myself there.
It wasn't a bad interview by any means. The first interviewer was a 3rd year student who obviously hadn't looked at my file. She stumbled around a bit, and I think I caught her on a few "things" she should have known if she even GLANCED at my file...The second interviewer was a faculty member. He was a bit more organized and to the point. Both were very low stress and conversational.
Being out of state, I was not surprised to be placed on "Hold" only one week after the interview...
really not stressful. the dean of admissions is really nice,he calms your nerves in the beginning, explaining that you've gotten this far b/c your grades/mcats are good enough, and the interview is just about getting to know you, and he means it. the students are really nice and helpful. there is a paragraph that you are asked to write before lunch, but it's along the lines of "whom do you admire most?" nothing difficult, esp. after MCAT writing section.
overall, the day was not as stressfull as i was expecting, whenever we had downtime there were always lots of people to chat with so the day flew by... my first interview was with a dr, and the second with a 2nd year med student... both were pretty relaxed and i left with a very positive feeling about the school... since then i've received notice that i'm wait listed, so i'm hoping to eventually receive acceptance
drink lots of coffee because the morning was pretty slow. the interviews were relaxed and conversational, the interviewers came up with some interesting questions stemming from my own application.
First headline read from a Buffalo newspaper upon my arrival "Icy Winds Expected..." The blasts of winds were strong enough to literally knock me off my feets. Buffalo is also likely the only place in NY you will hear about "lake-effect snow". Regardless, the medical school itself is quite welcoming. Twenty people came to interview, beginning with a tour consisting of: the brain museum, computer lab, anatomy lab, and library. You will pass a number of small classrooms but the lecture halls weren't part of the tours. If you arrive at the school earlier than scheduled (9:30am) then I recommended that you take a look at the 1st lecture halls, which was quite nice. The tour ends with two presentations by faculties, one on the curriculum and one by the student dean. Before lunch we were asked to write a 10-minute essay on "the person most influential in our life". Before you write anything silly you might want to know that the interviewers will have your essay on hand during your interviews. Sandwiches, cookies, and soda for lunch (where's the nutrition). We were greeted by the first and second year students while in the adjacent room the admission comittee prepared to administer interviews. Any downtime was hardly noticeable since anywhere you go there will be people to talk to. Interview questions were similar to those stated in other interview feedbacks, which stressed ethical responses (they know you have the stats, so they need to know that you also have the heart of a physician). Both interviewers will have a standard set of questions to ask but they also pick out parts of your application that particularly interests them. No hypothetical situations, they wanted you to draw from your personal experiences. Interviewers were friendly and welcomed good questions. Finally, SUNY Buffalo in-state tuition is a bargain at around $17,000.
Very positive. I came to Buffalo thinking that this would be my last choice, but it no longer is. Despite the crappy weather and the particularly conservative social environment, the professors appear very committed to helping students achieve their career goals. Also they obviously read your file and care about who you are during the interview process.
The pre-interview spiel was very formal and up-tight. The interviews themselves were more mellow. One student and one faculty (although they said it would be 2 faculty). All the facillities are in 1 building. Stay at the Travelodge across the street, it's cheap and easy.
outside of the tour (which was otherwise pretty standard) everything went great. remember the "pop" essay before lunch! it's not hard though.
Overall, the school exceeded my expectations. They remade their curriculum several years ago, so now they have patient contact starting in the first year. They're requiring all entering students to have PDAs, which I think is a sign that they're trying to keep up with advances in technology. The tour was done by an admissions advisor. He conducted the tour and the rest of the day very well, trying to have a small one-one conversation with almost every student. The interviews themselves were very conversational, although some people got asked questions like "How many McDonald's are there in the US?". They give an essay at lunch. The topic was "What are your plans if you're not accepted anywhere?"
This website helped a lot and calmed my nerves since I knew what to expect. The interviews were very much conversational and interesting. They do ask questions from a standarized list, and my interviewer even said he hated the questions. Try and steer the interviews as more of a conversation and they won't ask too many of those "ethical" standardized questions. And watch for the essay question before lunch, eat a snack during the morning so you aren't starving while writing.
Overall the experience was great.....the group I spent the day with was very friendly. Just read the questions already posted on this site and you will be ready
First interview by faculty was great, second interview by medical student didn't go to well because he just asked random questions from a set that they have and wrote down the answers... nothign from my file or anything... it was disconcerting.
My interview experience was positive overall. The first interview was a little short (20 min or so) and I was asked the wacky manhole question, but my second was much better. My interviewer ( a med student) was more relaxed and it was very conversational. The questions were the easy type I'd prepared for so there were no suprises there.
Overall this was a positive experience for me. I was given a tour of the medical school campus and most interesting the gross anatomy laboratory. Each person from U.B. Med, from the librarian to the Computer laboratory personnel to the the admissions staff to the interviewers were positive and that made me more positive.
Very good in general. Interviews went pretty well. One interviewer was a non-MD professor, the other was a practising MD volunteering in the admissions committee, who was very nice and understanding.
We had to write an essay on 3 of our favorite books before lunch started.
Before the interview I was somewhat apprehensive because I thought that it would be more difficult than my prior interviews, but it turned out to be much less stressful and more enjoyable than the rest. The ethical questions that I had expected were easy and straight forward, which is something that made me a little timid going in. Overall it was a very enjoyable experience and was not stressful at all.
Buffalo was one of my best interview experiences so far. The dean of admissions and basically all of the faculty members I met were so, so nice. Their curriculum changes are also really good - most days classes end by noon. They seem very committed to keeping up to date in terms of technology, etc. My two interviewers were very relaxed. It didn't seem like they were reading questions off of a list. The day was very organized and it just ran very smoothly.
Its a crappy school for medical school. I wouldn't want to go there, i think it was just the school's personality i didn't like it just felt strange compared to some of the other schools. I don't like it when i am asked all sorts of crap questions.
One of my interviews was excellent- the interviewer was very helpful and very open about their own experiences in school and in medicine. The other was nice even if there didn't seem to be as much of a connection.
Definitely prepare answers for every single question other interviewees have mentioned, they WILL be asked. Some interviewers also throw in hypothetical ethical questions, but those aren't what's on the standard question list.
I really liked Buffalo and had a good interview experience. It seems to provide a great community with large resources. The new curriculum is a good balance and you're out of class almost most days by noon. Basically, people move to Buffalo for a reason, and it's not a snow fettish. They like being around smart, interesting people without the hassel, expense or attitude of a large city. I like that. The school is forward thinking and will provide anything you need - you just have to seek it out. Great value, solid medical education.
My interviewers tried to make the standardized format as low key as possible and admitted they didn't love the questions. They change the pop essays all the time, it seems, so don't stress.
While the anatomy lab is fairly cramped, no adjoining medical center, and still a couple kinks in the curriculum, I thought UB was a great value school with tuition much cheaper than private.
Good interview experience. I was impressed with the social atmosphere. They tried to make it as painless as possible. My interviewer actually said, you've done the hard work to get here, so we don't think this needs to be stressful. UB is a really nice place.
We all had two interviewers. My second interview was very laidback and very good. It was very conversational but informative. However, the interview that I started off with was a different story. He analyzed every word I said. He would also act like he took what I said in the most selfish and wrong way possible, forcing me to defend my position and restate my opinions. Every one of my answers were responded with a why? why not? or how? And in the rare occasion when my answer was sufficient, I felt like I made a grave mistake or something. HIGH CONTRASTS between the interviews. (In all fairness, at the end o my first interview, he looked at his watch and said that my torture was over.)
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office should consider shortening the length of the school tour to make it more concise and focused. Additionally, there were requests for more interactive and multimedia elements during the tour to enhance the experience for prospective students.
Keep up the great work. The staff replied to my emails within minutes. Mr. Rosso's enthusiasm on interview day was contagious. :) Thank you.
The only suggestion that I have for the admissions committee is to possibly have the length of the tour cut down. While I found the tour to be insightful, the tour took over two hours and we didn't even get to see the entire school. The tour guide was extremely friendly and provided a great history about the school, but it was too much information before the interview itself.
A little bit more of a "multimedia" presentation would be nice. At times the tour discussed interesting history, but I would have loved to have a student tag along and give some student specific info.
