Buffalo, NY
Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 33% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
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.
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
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about personal experiences, ethical scenarios, reasons for pursuing medicine, interest in the school, handling stress, qualities of a physician, and addressing social issues. Some respondents mentioned being asked a wide range of questions related to their application, background, research, and hypothetical situations, while others noted specific questions on ethical dilemmas, non-disclosure agreements, and the MMI format.
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Talk about hobbies not relating to medicine
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Tell me about X experience
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Tell me about yourself
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How would you respond to a student or faculty member who said something racist or homophobic?
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Why are you interested in Buffalo?
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Why are you interested in Medicine?
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How do you deal with stress ?
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What is something that you would change about yourself?
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Nondisclosure Agreement
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They asked a lot of specifics about my academic history. Went through each thing on my application/resume one by one.
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Describe a time when you failed and how did you learn from it?
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What would you do if a friend came to you saying that she came out to her family and they wouldn't accept her?
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Why medicine?
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Asked about activities and personal statement
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Ethical question about a parent refusing to vaccinate their child.
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What are three qualities you look for in a physician?
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what do you like to do for fun?
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what I would do if a mother refused having their child vaccinated?
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what is a situation that didn't go your way but ended up being okay?
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The questions other people left here don't matter. Just be yourself, and have a conversation.
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How would you handle this hypothetical ethical scenario?
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Why did you choose your major?
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Why would you choose our school?
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I picked out two courses from your transcript that looked interesting. What can you tell me about these classes?
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Notice you did not have a lot of clinical/shadowing experience - didn't you have time to pursue this more?
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Tell me about your family.
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Tell me about your research.
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What is an ethical issue in medicine today?
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What is the last book you've read?
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Tell me about your experience......(specific to application).
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Why medicine and not public health? (I got my master's in public health, specific to my application)
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Why you and not the other students who are here interviewing you today?
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Describe a time when you felt passionately about something and you disagreed with someone else. What did you do about it?
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How would your best friend discribe you?
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what's your family like?
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describe x activity
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have you had a experience to break bad news to a patient
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why medicine
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Do you think Einstein was a wise man?
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If you could invite anyone over for dinner, who would it be and why?
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What do you think of NCAA players getting a salary?
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What do you hope to accomplish as a physician?
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What was the reason for the sharp turn around in your academic performance?
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Why SUNY-Buffalo?
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Tell me about "x" activity.
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Why Medicine? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
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Why should we accept you to SUNY Buffalo?
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Do you know what happened to Michael Jackson (referring to his propofol overdose)?
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If you had to find out how many physicians have quit smoking in the past 5 years, how would you go about it?
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Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
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Tell me about yourself.
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What do you do in your spare time? How do you relax?
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Who would you interview in the news today?
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Do you have any questions for me?
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What have you had to compromise with someone?
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Why SUNY Buffalo?
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How many mammograms per year. Seriously.
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One interviewer asked a lot about ECs, stuff from my application.
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They asked about something I wrote in the 10-minute essay.
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Tell me about the progression of careers you've wanted to do throughout your life. (Then he gave me his example-cowboy b/c he though was cool, etc...)
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Tell me more about XYZ activity/EC/etc....
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What was your best and worst class in undergrad?
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Healthcare...
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Tell me about X
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Why Buffalo?
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Talk about a great, non-scientific book you've read in the past year.
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What are you looking for in a medical school?
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Tell me a little bit about yourself
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Tell me about a situation where you had to tell someone bad news
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Why do you want to become a doctor
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Tell me about X activity/point of research...
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What is your take on current healthcare issues (right after HoR Bill passed)?
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Why should I choose you for an MD/PhD program?
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How would your best friend describe you in terms of strengths and weaknesses? Name a time where you changed your belief/opinion/outlook about something.
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What is a social problem today and how would you go about solving it? (And the MD who interviewed me told me NOT to say health care) Name a person you'd like to interview in the news or in the past and why?
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Why medicine? (both times) If you were accepted, what would make you stand out? What was your college experience like?
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Discuss a conflict you had with someone and how you resolved it.
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Explain your research.
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What's a major problem in our society today?
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Tell me about what your parents and siblings do
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Tell me more about your clinical experience.
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What do you think about the current health care reform?
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Describe a time when you were passionate about something and someone disagreed with you.
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Tell me about X activity. A lot of questions were based on the AMCAS application.
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Who would you interview, and what are 2 questions you would ask them?
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How would you deliver bad news to someone?
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Was there an experience that made you question your decision to go into medicine?
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Who is someone you'd like to interview?
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Asked about ECs.
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How well do you work in a group and related questions.
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Have you ever been witness to an unethical situation?
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Have you ever not done the right thing?
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Tell me about x experience from your AMCAS file.
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Tell me about your research
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Tell me of a time you had to deal with an uncooperative patient. Tell me about a time when a patient was violent. Was there ever a time you did something that might have not been ethical or saw someone do something not ethical. What did you do? etc.
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where do you see yourself in 10 years
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Explain a social problem you are interested in? Side note: I am a sociology major. But this was asked of other interviewers. (We spoke about social problems, and the interviewer insisted that Gender Inequality was not a social problem. And basically that the study of sociology was void. It was less of an interview, and more of a confrontation.)
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What was your hardest class in college? Easiest? and Why?
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When did you first begin interested in medicine and why?
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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!
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Basically look through the questions on this site.
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Have you ever been asked to do something unethical, or witnessed someone else do something unethical? How did you respond?
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How did you turn things around after college?
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What makes you want to be on the front lines in medicine?
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A lot of explain a time when questions
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I had to interpret a quote from Einstein on the spot
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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.
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Biggest ethical problem in medicine? What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?
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Discuss x AMCAS activity, discuss x course.
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Why medicine? Why Buffalo?
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Just go through ALL the questions down the feedback list. All is asked (IF you get my interviewer)
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See above
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Are you sure that you want to be a doctor, even though they put so many hours into what they do and only getting very little money for it?
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Can you tell me a time that you had disagreed with someone?
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Do you follow current events? Who would you interview from the news?
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Tell me a good book you've read.
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Tell me about a time your curiosity got the better of you and negatively affected your performance.
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What do you do for fun?
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Name a time you went out of your way to help someone...
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Tell me more about your current job...
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What have you sacrificed to be here?
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If you could interview anybody dead, who would it be?
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Talk about a time when you changed your mind.
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General questions about resume
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Do you understand what would be expected of you if you matriculated here?
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When did you begin to take an interest in medicine? How did you decide on this career choice?
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Who would you interview from the news and why?
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Describe a time when you had trouble communicating. Name a time you changed your mind about something. Describe a time when you let someone down.
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What are the characteristics of a good physician? (both my interviewers asked me this) If you could interview someone in the news, who would it be and what would you ask?
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What volunteer experience solidified your desire to enter medicine? What would you do if you didn't get into medical school?
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Personal questions about my application, where I went to college, overseas experience, etc.
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Some ethical questions about cheating, sexual harrassment by fellow physicians.
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Tell me about a time you disappointed someone.
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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?
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Tell me about [insert clinical experience here]. What was a recent book you read?
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Where do you see yourself in 10-15 years? Why do you want to be a doctor?
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What is a problem of humanity in the world
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What is a social problem in the US
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What is the most difficult thing you expect to face as a physician.
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Describe a time you had to deliver bad news to someone. and what did I do to prepare for it?
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How do I deal with irate customers and how does this skill relate to your future career as a doctor?
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Randomly asked me to tell him what I knew about neurotransmitters and to name some and how they function. I think it was because that was what his research happened to be concerned with.
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1. Clarify some things in your application. 2. Tell me of a time when you experienced poor communication and tell me how you overcame it.
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1. Discussion about being from Colorado and interviewers research. 2. Don't remember
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1. Talk about your volunteer experiences. 2. If you could interview anyone from history, who and why?
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a lot of discussion on my brain research
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the ethical questions are so trivial and easy... common sense
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what medical specialty are you most interested in?
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what do you do at your research job?
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what is the biggest problem in health care today?
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what specialty are you interested in?
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How do you deal with stress?
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How would your friends describe you?
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If a patients is terminally ill, in pain and asks for more pain medication to end his life, what should you do?
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my research experiences
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one incident that I confirmed my decision for medicine
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why medidine?
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What do you think is an important social problem?
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What other schools did you interview at already?
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See above.
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Name something you are passionate about.
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Name characteristics of a good doctor.
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Tell me about a memorable a volunteer experience.
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What are your strengths?
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Describe a situation where you let someone down/had to stand up for what you believe in/compromised for something. Describe your best friend. Describe experience where someone was angry with you.
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Design a study to estimate the # of physicians who quit smoking in the past year (have unlimited funding). Why Buffalo? Any questions for me?
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Tell me a funny story from childhood. Describe situation where you changed your view on an issue. Describe incident where your curiosity got you in trouble. Who in today's news would you interview/what would you ask?
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the gas station question
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What have you given up to be here?
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What life experiences has been most intellectually eye-opening.
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interview somebody from the news
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Discuss a current social issue that you are interested in?
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Tell me about your volunteer experience.
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Name a time you had to compromise.
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If you could interview anyone, who would it be?
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What happened the first time (I'm a re-app)
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What is a social issue and why does that interest you?
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LOTS of questions about my background (I'm non-trad).
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Tell us about your parents, your brother.
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What person from today's news would you like to have dinner with? (I hate these questions for some reason - it's everyone or no one)
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If I were to interview one person in history who is it and what would I ask.
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Tell me about your volunteer experience? Was it ever depressing being around sick people all the time?
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What would I do if I didn't become a doctor?
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Have you ever had to compromise your beliefs? Please explain.
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Why Med?
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Didn't get gas stations or anything like that.
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Interviewers were extremely nice and down-to-earth. And were empathetic when they asked you one of those difficult situation questions
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Standard questions.
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Estimate the number of gas stations in the U.S.
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if you could interview anyone on the news who would it be?
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Have you made any sacrifices to get where you are today?
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If you could interview anyone, who would it be, why, and what would you ask that person?
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at what moment did you decide medicine was right for you and who was your role model in making this choice
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if not medicine what would you do
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when's a time you were in a group and someone did something morally wrong, what did you do
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Describe your best friend.
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Have you ever had problems with your roommates?
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If you could interview one person in the news today, who would it be? Where would you have it?
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Explain a time when someone was very angry at you.
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Tell me about a time when you stood up for something you believed in.
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Why are you interested in (area of medicine)?
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Describe a specific situation when you stood up for someone (or something you believe in).
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Describe a specific situation when you went out of your way to help someone.
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What social issue is of most interest to you and why?
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Tell me about an experience when you had to change your ethical view of something.
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What do you do outside of schoolwork?
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Who would you interview and why?
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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!)
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Tell me a time when you became a member of a new group.
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Tell me about a time when you delivered bad news.
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Where else have you applied/interviewed? Why did you apply to these schools? Schools X, Y, Z (not their school) are pretty good schools, so which school is your top choice?
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if you dont get into med school, what will you do
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specific questions about my research
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where else have you applied and where does buffalo rank on your list - both interviewers asked me this.
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Tell me about a time when you had to go against something you believed it, although you knew there would be negative consequences.
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Who in the news would you interview?
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Why major in history?
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Describe a time when you stood up for something you believed in, even though you knew there were negative consequences.
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So why not hockey? (I am from upstate NY, and I figure skate...so he thought it would be amusing to ask, hehe!)
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What did you have to sacrifice in order to get where you are?
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Lots of questions about my background, very conversational.
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My 9 year old daughter seems a lot like you, very hard working and in a very competitive school, what would you tell me as a parent to do to make sure that she turns out with your positive philosophy and attitude and isn't stressed out?
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Who in the news would you interview? Why?
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Several other questions that were asked of other applicants on this site. Look at others responses, I was asked to describe a method to estimate the number of gas stations in the US. Make sure your prepare for these questions. They know the questions are on this website.
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Describe negative and positive aspects of your volunteer experiences.
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What is an instance you felt you had to stand up for something you believed in?
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Why do you want to come to Buffalo if you live in CA? Um, duh! I want to go to med school!!
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Describe a situation in which you helped somebody when you didn't have to.
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How would your best friend describe you?
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What is a social issue? (doesn't have to be medically related)
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How would you go about estimating the number of doctors who quit smoking in the past year? (The physician admitted this question is posted online).
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If you don't get into med school this year, what would you do?
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From the student: he asked questions related to my file (volunteer experiences etc).
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How many schools did you apply to?
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How did your clinical exeprience influence your decision to enter the medical profession?
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Tell me about a time when you had to compromise...
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Why are you in such a hurry to get into medical school?
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Have you ever had to deliver bad news to someone? How did you do this, and were you comfortable in the situation?
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How many gas stations are there in the U.S.? Be prepared to give a very detailed explanation.
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MANY ethical questions: i.e. treatment of the poor and uninsured, assisted suicide, etc.
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Pop essay question was, "If you were visiting a new doctor for the first time, what qualities would you want him/her to possess? Justify."
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Tell me about your current job.
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How do you deal with stress
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Why MD?
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Tell me how you would apply your thesis and research to your practice
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What makes a "good" doctor
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What was the last book I read.
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Discuss a social issue.
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How would you estimate the number of mammograms given in one year?
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Talk about a time you stood your ground on an issue when others disagreed with you.
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How would you measure a persons body weight without using calipers?
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Tell me about a time you changed your opinion about something.
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Tell me about a time you had to take a stand.
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if you could interview 1 person, dead or alive, who would it be? why?
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so tell me about your year abroad
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what are 2 of your qualities that will make you a good physician? [the essay]
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Describe a situation where you witnessed someone doing something unethical, and what did you do?
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If you could bring anyone to your Thanksgiving dinner who would it be and why? (essay)
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My MCAT score is low, so that was addressed in my interview. Be prepared for a very direct question if there is something that stands out in your application. Be prepared with an explanation and not an excuse!
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Tell about a time in which you witnessed someone doing something or saying something inappropriate, what did you do about it.
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Describe how you would survey the number of physicians who have stopped smoking in the past year.
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Tell me about your parents?
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What inspired you to go into medicine?
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Tell me a social problem, how would you fix it.
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Tell me about a time you had to deliver bad news
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Tell me about a time you had to take a stand
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Name some of your strengths and some of your weaknesses.
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Tell me about a time when you were passionate about something, and had to make a stand even though it had potentially negative effects (on you or someone else)?
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Tell me about a time when your views on something were changed?
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Discuss one of your service activities - what were its good and bad point?
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Name a social problem and propose a solution.
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What would you do if you didn't get into medical school?
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Was there ever a time you broke confidentiality with someone for the greater good? Describe the siuation.
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Have you witnessed somone doing something wrong or unethical? What did you do?
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How would you estimate the number of gas stations in the US?
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What else do you do for fun?
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Have you ever had to deliever bad news?
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What do you think is the weakest part of your application?
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What would you do if you dont' get accepted to medcal school?
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Tell me about a social problem and how would you try fix it.
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Who in the news would you interview and why?
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Why Buffalo? Why Med school and not research?
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Explain this blemish on your record [very nicely asked, but they wanted an answer]
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Tell me about a time someone got very angry with you. How did you respond and how did the situation pan out?
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What do you do for fun? What was your favorite family vacation?
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Described a situation in which you were with a group and someone did something that was unethical or morally wrong.
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Discuss a social problem and how you would attempt to correct it.
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What is the best part about volunteering? What is the worst part about volunteering?
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Did I ever have to give anyone bad news?
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If I could meet anyone alive in the news today, who would it be & why?
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Tell about a funny childhood story
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How would you estimate the number of: gas stations/mammograms performed/deaths due to lung cancer in the U.S.
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What's your favorite author
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Who would you interview dead or alive
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What authors do you read?
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What two characteristics do you possess that will make you a good physician? (essay)
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Who would you meet, dead or alive?
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How many mammograms were performed last year in the US?
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Tell me a funny story about your childhood.
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What are some traits of doctors that you don't like? What would you like me to tell the admissions committee about you?
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describe a situation in which your views were in opposition to the views of the majority
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tell me about a time when you wanted to help someone, but couldn't
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how many gas stations are there in the u.s. (the dreaded question)
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standard stuff...
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what is your favorite and least favorite food (random)
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Characteristics of a good/poor physician. What unethical conducts have you witnessed and what did you do about it.
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What is one thing you would like me to mention when I address your application to the admission comittee?
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When did you realize you wanted to do medicine? Are you interested in research? Tell me about a low grade. What was the most significant factor of your volunteering experiences?
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Can you tell me about an experience that you had that made you uncomfortable? How did you handle it?
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POP Essay question (before lunch): what are your favorite cd, book, and tv show and why
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What would you like for me to tell the admissions committee about you?
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What do you think your life will be like as a doctor?
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What qualities do you think a physician should posess?
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Why do you want to come to Buffalo?
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Is it right to make high school students take drug tests in order to participate in extracurricular activities?
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Should prisoners on death row get air conditioning?
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What are the 3 most important qualities of a good doctor.
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What do you do for fun.
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what 3 qualities make a good doctor?
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what else do you want me to tell the admissions committee about you?
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what's the solution to the Middle East? (this was brought on by my semester abroad to Egypt so don't necessarily expect it)
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Don't forget the pop essay - it's nothing big.
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Just like what others posted. Its standardized - you will get 7 -8 standard questions. Rest is about your application and small talk.
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Have you considered any other careers besides an MD?
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Tell me about a time when some one in a group you were with did something wrong, and how did you react?
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Tell me about a time when you really wanted something and couldn't have it
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If you didn't get into medical school this year, what would you do?
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Most of the questions had to do with my background and AMCAS application.
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Tell me about one good and one bad characteristic about your best friend.
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What do you think is a negative aspect of being a doctor? How do you think you will deal with that?
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how would you find out how many people die from lung cancer each year?
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Tell me about a time you helped someone out of bad situation
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If you could interview someone from the news, who would it be and what would you ask them? ps- They usually have the interviewees write a short, 10 minute essay before lunch. The topic for my day was what I would do if I won 10 mill. in the lotto.
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What are the good/bad qualities of your best friend?
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What was a time when your friends were doing something wrong? What did you do?
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Do you have a best friend? Name one good quality and one bad quality.
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Ethical question: What do you think about abortion?
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Has someone ever called you by a derogatory name?
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Tell me about best friend, tell me about one good and one bad characteristic of him/her.
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Tell me about your father. ...about mother. WHy med? Why Buffalo?
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Who in the news would you interview if you could?
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Describe your best friend ?
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What do you do for fun ?
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Why did I change from Physical therapy to Medicine ?
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Have I ever had to break bad news to someone and how did I deal with it?
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The lung cancer question from above.
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Questions about my family, where/what i did in high school
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Tell me about an ethical dilemma you had.
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Tell me about your research experience.
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What are some strengths and weaknesses?
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What do you think about physician assisted suicide?
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Tell me about a time when someone said something in a small group that offended you-- what did you do?
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Tell me about a time when you felt like you compromised your values.
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Tell me about a time when you had to break bad news.
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Have you ever altered your opinion about an ethical issue? (not sure if that was exactly the question, but it's close)
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Tell me about a time you had to give someone bad news. How did you do it?
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Tell me about a time you were in a group and someone did something unethical. What did you do?
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Have you ever had to deliver bad news? Have you ever heard anyone make a racially/ethnically insulting remark towards someone else and how did you handle it?
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How would you measure someone's percent body fat?
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Are you a member of any social organizations, if so, explain how they have helped you develop.
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What's your favorate book and why.
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Why are you here?
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When have you been confronted with someone doing something unethical and how did you respond? Have I ever did something unethical?
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Who would I most want to unterview and why?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at SUNY - University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences discussed a wide range of topics including ethical scenarios, personal reflections, social issues, and hypothetical situations. The interview format appears to be an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on responses referencing nondisclosure agreements, ethical questions, and varying scenarios presented to applicants, aiming to assess their critical thinking and problem-solving skills in a medical context.
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Why didn't you apply MD/PhD?
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Nondisclosure Agreement
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What would you do if a mother refuses to vaccinate her child?
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Describe a social problem in the US today and how it should be dealt with.
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asked me a specific question about my extra curriculars
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I picked out some interesting courses from your transcript. What can you tell me about these classes?
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The ethical questions were interesting and pretty laid back (I think).
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What if a student tried to give you a list of the questions on an upcoming test. What would you do?
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Are you an avid reader?
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Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
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Give me a detailed explanation about "x" activity, and I will let you know when I think it's detailed enough.
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Tell me as many one word descriptions you can that describe a good doctor.
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What is the most important social issue today (not health care), and how would you begin to solve it?
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What do you think is a positive and negative experience you've had with other physicians? Why? What'd you learn from it?
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Imagine your patient is talking about you to his or her friend. What would your patient say about you, as his or her doctor?
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List a few qualities of your ideal doctor, afterwhich I had to rank them.
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What was activity X like? We then trailed off into travel experiences and personal exp.
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How did your MCAT score improve so dramatically? (I took the test twice, and he asked me about my score improvement and what exactly I did)
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Describe a time when you went out of your way for someone.
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We talked about the Buffalo Bills for about 10 minutes...
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Tell about a time you had to stand up for something you believed in.
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Tell me about x research experience
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Have you dealt with a patient that was violent?
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Why is a manhole cover round?
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If you could interview someone in the news right now, who would it be?
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Does absolute power corrupt absolutely?
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Describe a time when one of your beliefs changed.
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Nothing out of the blue.. no off-the-wall 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.
-
What is the longest and the shortest muscle in the human body?
-
what would you do if your friend, who worked alongside you as a doctor too, had written a questionable number of prescriptions for patients?
-
So what do you think about sampling by pharmaceutical companies?
-
If helping people is the #1 thing about being a doctor, what's #2?
-
''Name a social problem, and how to fix it.''
-
If you hit a deer on the road, what would you do?
-
What was your worst roommate experience?
-
If you could interview someone in the news, who would it be and why.
-
How does the medical establishment affect the doctor-patient relationship?
-
A lot of questions about my overseas experience.
-
If you could interview someone in the news, who would it be and what would you ask?
-
Name a social problem
-
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...
-
None particularly interesting, basic questions about my academic stuff and a few things in my application.
-
what did you think about the super bowl?
-
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)
-
If I would do the whole process again!!!
-
Can you name a time you failed at doing something?
-
What do you think the best part of being a physician is? Also, if you were a med student and it was the first day how would you feel?
-
How would you prepare a study to determine how many doctors have quit smoking in the past 10 years?
-
Name the characteristics of a good doctor.
-
How many gas stations in the U.S?
-
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)
-
The lady asked me about my MCAT score and she asked me what religion I am.
-
He asked how I felt about certain issues taken directly from newspaper clips he pulled from his pocket
-
What would you do if you made a mistake as a doctor?
-
How do you think scientist came up with dates for things such as fossils before carbon 14 dating was discovered?
-
It was mostly a discussion with few specific questions about my experiences.
-
Tell me a funny story from when you were a child.
-
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?
-
Have you ever doubted your decision to enter medicine?
-
Tell me a time when someone was angry at you and how did you react?
-
I did not like any of the questions.
-
how would you go about estimating the number of pizzarias in the US... it wasn't bad they didn't want an exact number
-
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.....
-
What will your greatest accomplishment be as a physician?
-
The questions I was asked were similar to the ones posted on this site. Nothing unusual or too difficult.
-
If you could interview anyone at all, who would it be and why?
-
how many gas stations in the country?
-
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.
-
If you were to interview anyone in the news, who would it be and why?
-
how would you go about figuring out how many doctors quit smoking in the past year, or something to that effect
-
Do you get easily distracted?
-
What social issue is of most interest to you?
-
What is the thing, looking back 4 years, that you would tell yourself to do differently?
-
I am arabic, and was asked about my background.
-
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.
-
What is a funny story that your best friend would tell about you (I didn't answer the question...)
-
(Many interesting questions about my background).
-
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.
-
Why did you take your SAT's twice? This question seemed very random, and the interviewer actually really dug into my answer.
-
Level of appropriate treatment and luxuries provided to U.S. inmates?
-
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.
-
How would I intergate my Masters degree into a future practice
-
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?
-
What do you want me to tell the admissions committee about you? Why didn't you apply last year? [tie]
-
Why medicine?
-
How would you determine the body fat percentage of an individual (without calipers)?
-
Describe a time in which you were tempted to do something unethical.
-
Tell me something interesting that I may not know.
-
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?
-
Have you ever not given someone help when you had the opportunity to do so?
-
Do you have a boyfriend? (The question was soon thereafter retracted.)
-
Has there ever been a time where your patience was tested? How did you react?
-
How would you go about estimating the actual number (not percentage) of doctors who have quit smoking over the past 20 years.
-
Question about my personal statement..
-
If for some reason you could not be a doctor, what would you be happy and satisfied doing with your life?
-
Discuss a social problem and how would you attempt to correct it.
-
What would I do if I turned on the hot water faucet in a house & no water came out? Where would I look for the problem?
-
Have you have witnessed someone doing something immoral and what did you do about it.
-
How I would allocate the health care budget.
-
What is one good and one bad characteristic you have witnessed in physicians through your experiences?
-
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
-
How many people die of lung cancer each year? (I understand the 'though process' goal behind these questions, but seriously...
-
how many mamograms are given a year in the U.S?
-
tell me a funny story from your childhood
-
Any bad roommate experiences?
-
Why do you think that there are more female than male medical students today?
-
Tell me about a situation where you had to defend your morals/opinion/ethics.
-
How would you estimate the deaths from lung cancer in a year?
-
It was a standard list
-
all sorts of ethical ?'s. look out
-
How would you go about vaccinating a small and large population in response to a smallpox attack?
-
how did you get through a dissappointing time in your life (it was the essay)
-
What did you have to sacrifice to be where you are today?
-
Describe a funny incident from your childhood.
-
What do you think is a negative aspect of being a doctor? How do you think you will deal with that?
-
What did not like about teaching that made you choose to enter medicine?
-
recall a funny story from your past
-
Why are sewer manhole covers round? (It sounds entirely irrelevant but I assure you, I was asked this question)
-
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.
-
Have you ever changed your opinion on something? What is it and why?
-
So I see you were an actor growing up , please tell me about that? ( I used to act in movies and films when growing up )
-
How would I go about finding the amount of deaths due to lung cancer per year without using the internet or a similar source.
-
Tell me about your best friend
-
If you could meet anyone in history, dead or alive, who wouuld it be?
-
All the questions are pretty much posted here, they even stated in the interview they are posted on the internet.
-
If you could change one system besides health care, what would it be?
-
Tell me about your best friend.
-
They were all pretty interestin and broke up some of the monotony of the interview circuit.
-
What was your favorate family vacation? Meeting Mickey Mouse?
-
Tell me about your research; Have you ever had to give someone bad news, what did you do and how did you handle it?
-
If you could interview any living person outside of Bin Laden and Bush, who would it be?
-
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?
-
How would you discover if the post-9/11 anthrax attacks were instigated by Americans or by terrorists from other countries?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at SUNY - University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences discussed a wide range of topics, from ethical scenarios like handling derogatory comments to situational inquiries about physician qualities and conducting medical research. While some mentioned standard questions, others faced unique challenges like designing experiments, dealing with controversial interviewers, or discussing social issues, with some respondents indicating an MMI format possibly involving a nondisclosure agreement due to the nature of the questions.
-
What else would you like me to take with me to present to the admissions committee?
-
Nondisclosure Agreement
-
What would you do if a friend came to you saying that she came out to her family and they wouldn't accept her?
-
Describe a social problem in the US today and how it should be dealt with.
-
they asked a question about what to do if a kid has a peanut allergy (they were looking for me to say something about the epipen)
-
Why didn't you pursue more clinical experience like shadowing?
-
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)
-
Who would you most want to interview, living or dead?
-
Why do you want to be a doctor?
-
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 find out how many physicians have quit smoking in the past 5 years, how would you go about it?
-
Rank qualities of a good physician.
-
What historical figure would you want to interview? (Not difficult, but I never have a good answer for it.)
-
Have you ever faced a situation where you let someone down? How? How did you handle it?
-
"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.
-
Talk about a time your friend did something unethical, and what did you do.
-
What would you do if you caught someone cheating on something.
-
Why should I choose you for this program?
-
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
-
None of them were very hard.
-
Tell me about a time in which you changed your opinion about something.
-
Tell about a time you weren't able to communicate as effectively as you would have liked.
-
Have you ever not done the right thing?
-
What do you think of the medical insurance situation in the US?
-
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)
-
Tell me about a time you had to compromise.
-
Why should I tell the rest of the committee to accept you? What makes you special?
-
See question one. I had no idea how to respond to the person essentially questioning my education. If his goal was to trip me up he accomplished it!
-
Again, mostly standard questions. Very conversational.
-
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''
-
None really, but watch out for ethical questions (like I said above; they love asking them)
-
What are the top 4 causes of death in spinal cord patients?
-
What would you do if you caught someone that you knew in medical school cheating on a test?
-
Tell me about a time someone said something derogatory about you and what you did in that situation.
-
Name a time someone did something not very nice and explain what you did.
-
''Talk about a time you disagreed with somebody.''
-
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.
-
If you could interview someone who has passed away, who would it be and why
-
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.
-
Tell me about a time you disappointed someone.
-
same
-
How do you feel about illegal immigrants?
-
How would you estimate a person's body fat composition without tools?
-
none
-
what's one situation in your preparation for a medical career that made you question your career choice?
-
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)
-
really nothing
-
Can you name a time you failed at doing something?
-
Name a time you had to deliver bad news to someone. Name a time you changed your mind about something.
-
Name a time where you failed and how did you overcome it?
-
How many gas stations in the U.S?
-
question related to college (matriculated at Princeton at 16, have poor college grades)
-
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.
-
Are you a drinker?
-
Tell me about a time when your curiosity got you in trouble.
-
see above
-
What is a social issue
-
How would you calculate the number of physicians who quit smoking?
-
See above.
-
Please describe a time when someone was angry with you.
-
What do you do in your spare time
-
The standardised questions were rediculous. The normal conversation was nice, and both of my interviewers were pleasant.
-
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
-
What do you want us to tell the admissions committee about you?
-
how many gas stations in the country?
-
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.)
-
Tell me about a time when you had to give someone bad news. How did you prepare, and how did the person respond?
-
Desrcibe a situation in which you had to deliver bad news. How did you prepare yourself for it?
-
Have you ever had to tell someone bad news and how did they take it?
-
Have I ever committed an unethical act? (I think that was it; I didn't have an answer.)
-
What is one situation you felt you had to change your ethical/moral viewpoint on? Why did it change?
-
Describe a situation in which you were tempted to do something unethical.
-
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).
-
Shockingly nothing.
-
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).
-
What are the positives AND negatives of volunteer work?
-
What should politics have in medicine
-
None, pretty much the basics, why MD, why UB, research etc.
-
Tell me about a time you could have helped someone and chose not to.
-
When was there a time when you bent the rules for someone and had a positive outcome?
-
How would you estimate the number of mammograms given in one year?
-
Tell me about a time in which you let someone down.
-
What social issue, and it doesnt have to be medically related, are you most passionate about.
-
I didn't get any really tough questions. Standard stuff, just chatted mostly.
-
Name a social problem and tell me how you would go about fixing it?
-
Have you ever had give someone bad news and how did you prepare the person before telling them?
-
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 when you've let someone down.
-
Tell Me about a time that you had the opportunity to help someone and you didn't?
-
same as above
-
Why are you here today?
-
Did I ever let someone down? How & what happened? I couldnt think of an example & basically the interviewer ended up skipping this one.
-
Who would you interview dead or alive
-
above
-
What is a situation in which you felt like you failed?
-
See above. I have a hard time coming up with specific examples of these things.
-
When was a time you were tempted to do something that would break the rules or be morally wrong? What did you do? What happened?
-
tell me about a time when you or someone you were associated with did something unethical and what did you do
-
tell me about a time that you could have helped someone and didn't. (this was off a list of standardized questions that he was choosing from)
-
Were you ever in a situation where you are in a group whose opinion differed from your own and how did you handle the situation?
-
Describe to me a situation in which you had a difficult time expressing yourself and what did you do?
-
Tell me about a challenge or hardship you had to overcome.
-
Who recently in the news would you ask something of and why?
-
what would you do if you heard someone make a racist comment?
-
Do you know what your getting into?
-
what's the major problem in healthcare today and how would you solve it?
-
How many gas stations are there in the US?
-
What would you like me to tell the admissions committee about you?
-
Have you ever neglected to help someone who needed help?
-
"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.
-
Has anyone in a group you associate with ever done anything wrong in your opinion, and what did you do about it?
-
the same
-
Have a group of people that you were with, ever used a derogatory term towards another group? What did you do?
-
What is a social problem in this country that you would like to discuss and any ideas on how we can fix it ?
-
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)
-
Tell me about yourself
-
Give me an instance when you were tempted to do something unethical and waht happened.
-
Tell me about a time you acted insensitively.
-
None- everything I was asked is mentioned on this website. I was ready.
-
How many gas stations are there in the US? Think about how you'll reason this one out.
-
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?
-
Various ethical questions. They actually had a standard form that they read the questions off of.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
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.
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by Admissions staff personnel
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 2-3 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by airplane to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent less than $100.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)
-
Niagara International Airport
-
N/A
-
Buffalo/Niagara International
-
Buffalo/ New York La Guardia
-
Buffalo-Niagra
-
Buffalo-Niagara international
-
Buffalo-Niagara International Airport
-
Buffalo Niagara
-
Buffalo International
-
Buffalo
-
BUF
-
BNI
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
-
hampton inn amherst
-
days inn tonawanda
-
Wyndham Gardens
-
University Manor Inn
-
Red Roof Inn
-
My grandma's house
-
Marriot
-
Lord Amherst; Stay at the Hampton Inn.
-
Lord Amherst Motel
-
I took an overnight bus
-
Hyatt Regency
-
Hyatt
-
Hotel Indigo
-
Holiday Inn
-
Hampton Inn- Amherst
-
Hampton Inn @ Amherst
-
Hampton Inn - Amherst
-
Hampton Inn (Amherst)
-
Hampton Inn
-
Days In
-
Comfort Inn
-
Boulevard Inn
-
Best Western Airport
-
Airport Hotel
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by engaging in mock interviews, practicing common interview questions, and researching the school using resources like Student Doctor Network (SDN) and the school's website. Many also reviewed their application materials and talked to current students for insights.
-
I didn’t. I find knowing a few basic questions and largely going in blind is much more effective at conveying who you are.
-
mock interviews
-
Interview Practice Questions
-
SDN, Online research
-
Mock interviews, researched the school.
-
Read over my app and practice interview questions.
-
Videos/self practice and preparation.
-
mock interview, used SDN questions
-
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
-
SDN
-
Reviewing application, practice questions
-
SDN question review, school website
-
Asked a friend and looked on SDN.
-
SDN, Looked at the website, talked to students.
-
Read interview feedback and their webpage
-
SDN, UB website
-
I studied SDN and looked at the school curriculum.
-
Read through SDN questions. Interviewers have a list of prepared questions, although my interviewers didn't go through all of them.
-
Just relax! Know your AMCAS and be ready to walk!
-
SDN, interview questions
-
SDN! They know you have the questions from their list. Have good answers, but don't make it sound canned. They want sincerity.
-
just read over SDN forums, chilled, tried finding out about the specific curriculum set up (to little avail), google.
-
SDN, current students, Read AMCAS, rsch papers.
-
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
-
SDN, reading the website
-
Mock interview
-
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 - same exact questions.
-
Online question lists
-
Mock interview, SDN interview prep, reviewed relevant application materials.
-
Read SDN, reviewed my AAMC application
-
Reviewed AMCAS & Student Doctor.net
-
SDN, Reviewed my AMCAS Aplication, Reviweed their site.
-
READ THE QUESTIONS POSTED IN THE INTERVIEW FEEDBACK ON THIS SITE!!
-
Reread AMCAS, reread other secondaries, tried to get a good night's sleep, got up early, ate heartily.
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Website, MSAR, self-reflection
-
Read through all of SDN interview feedback for the school, browsed the school's website, SDN search on the school.
-
Interview feedback, SDN, went over personal statement, practice vision, amcas application, research, etc..
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SDN, my own personal statement
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SDN, AMCAS, Mock Interview with Friend
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SDN, read curriculum
-
SDN and read over AMCAS
-
SDN, UB's website, went over my AMCAS and research
-
Re-read my AMCAS application.
-
SDN, AMCAS
-
read SDN
-
read over AMCAS app., SDN, Website
-
Student doctor, materials from undergrad, current students.
-
SDN, read my application again, thought about common questions
-
SDN, school website, some books (not helpful)
-
UB website, SDN, read over my application materials
-
SDN, mock interview, previous interviews, reading over school website and reading up on current health care information.
-
talked to a friend that's a student, reviewed apps, sdn
-
read the NY times, read SDN, read my AMCAS
-
SDN, school website, mock interviews
-
SDN, talking to current students, website
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SDN, students who already attend the school or have been accepted, school website.
-
Reading SDN helped a lot, especially for their off-the-wall questions.
-
SDN, mock interview, perused school website.
-
Reread through my application. Went on other interviews previously
-
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 my application. studied the school's web site. Searched the web for information about the school.
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AMCAS Application, SDN
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SDN questions
-
SDN, re-read my AMCAS
-
AMCAS, asked my friends who went there, SDN.
-
This site.
-
SDN, My application.
-
SDN and AMCAS application (THATS all you need to do...and know yourself!)
-
Read over the website
-
SDN and reviewed AMCAS
-
with a practice interview, sdn, looking at the website, buying plane tickets
-
Read about the school, SDN, practiced with friends.
-
SDN, Buffalo's website, looked up the research that my interviewers were doing
-
Read SDN and this site.
-
read over my application
-
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 over my AMCAS application, SDN
-
sdn, read app and website
-
Read through the school website, SDN, read through my AMCAS, talked to friends.
-
Read my AMCAS, SDN, UB website, googled information.
-
Read interview feedback - some of the questions were asked! Look over AMCAS, review research
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SDN, AMCAS File and practiced with family members.
-
Read my AMCAS, Med School practice q's
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Prepared for general type questions, and situational type questions (by reading SDN), read schools website
-
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).
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The school's website, practice interview questions from my school, reading SDN's feedback, and just keeping up to date with current events.
-
Read SDN, reviewed my research, and looked over UB's website. Everything you need to know is on SDN!
-
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).
-
Read AMCAS application, SDN, SUNY Buffalo website
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SDN, read the schools website
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Mock interviews,this website,read and went to bed early
-
Read SDN, talked to a first year (my brother!), researched the school online.
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SDN, read my application, read school's site
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SDN, school website
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Student doctor network, UB website, Practice interviews with a professor
-
I slept for 12 hours the day before and watched the West Wing
-
Read interview questions from SDN. Everything you need to know for Buffalo is on the SDN page, seriously. Just read this page and you'll be fine.
-
Looked over my application, Read up on current health issues, and Read SDN.
-
Read SDN, watched the Red Sox dominate the Yankees in game 6 :-)
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SDN, AMA, news articles
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SDN, school website, MSAR, current events
-
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.
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Interviewfeedback.com, School's website, Read over my AMCAS application, Talked with friends who attend the school
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By this website & UB website
-
SDN, talked to a few first-year students the night before
-
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.
-
This website, school's website, AMCAS.
-
Read school website in depth, SDN
-
Nothing
-
read over AMCAS, website, read about the area
-
amcas app, sdn, ub website, talked through practice questions with a friend
-
here, my amcas application, ub website
-
SDN, mock interview, SUNY Buffalo website, AMCAS application
-
SDN, school's web site
-
SDN, Website, WARM CLOTHES :)
-
Read this site, looked over my application and their website.
-
website
-
Here and reviewed AMCAS application
-
here, brochures
-
This website, speaking to current students.
-
This website, UB website, practiced answering common questions
-
Went over AMCAS application, this website.
-
This page, read my AMCAS and secondary applications to other schools, did some research on current events.
-
read this website....everything is listed on here
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Read up on healthcare, went on this website, looked up in interview books... tried to prepare really hard
-
this site, mock interview at my college with preprofessional advising committee, practice on my own and with friends
-
This website, Review Amcas Application, Resume, Personal statement.
-
Read this site, my application, think about possible quiestions and answers.
-
This site, School website, MSAR Book
-
Read this site
-
This website
-
Read interviewer's abstracts, went over theory behind my research, read the school's website
-
website, material
-
Read the website
-
This website; re-read my AMCAS and other app materials; read up on the school; read up on ethical/medical issues; got plenty of sleep.
-
this website, talked to a family member who livesin Buffalo, read about the school
-
re-read AMCAS application, SDN, a have a friend who is 1st year.
-
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.**
-
Talked with previous interviewees, read about the school...
-
AMCAS, Kaplan guide, website, MSAR, newspapers
-
I read the website and talked with a first-year who I knew from high school.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and collaborative atmosphere at the school, with multiple mentions of the positive interactions with students, faculty, and staff. They also highlighted the school's facilities, integrated curriculum, early clinical exposure, and efficient admissions process as major positives. The emphasis on student success, lack of competitiveness, and supportive environment were recurring themes in the feedback.
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The student body at the school is composed of some of the friendliest people I have ever met.
-
The tour was fun
-
A medical student was one of my interviewers and he had lots of positive things to say about the school and program.
-
Everyone was very friendly, completely removing the stress I had about the interview
-
The facilities are amazing, the staff was inviting and down to earth. It was a great experience.
-
Everything
-
the atmosphere was fabulous, and very friendly
-
Everyone at the school was incredibly friendly. The medical students were all happy and extremely thankful to be there.
-
The relaxed nature of the staff/interviewers.
-
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 teamwork-centered environment.
-
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
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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.
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Staff/Faculty
-
Their pride in their curriculum and commitment to constantly improve the school.
-
Mr. Rosso
-
Dr. Sevrin
-
It's a decent school and the students seemed to be nice. Their application process is relatively transparent, although it's lengthy.
-
Loved the school. Just had a good feeling about the place and the facilities and city.
-
The facilities seems relatively new.
-
The dean of admissions/1st and 2nd year students seemed very accessible and involved. Also, SO MUCH clinical exposure in MS1-2.
-
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 committee reads each file and they don't have a cutoff!
-
They really want their students to succeed. They value their students' reputation as working hard and getting into good residencies.
-
Friendliness of fellow interviewees, the presentation given by the Dean (1 and 2 yr).
-
Everyone is generally out to HELP you, they are THE friendliest school I have ever visited. Great people, honestly.
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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.
-
Very very easy going interviewers, not much stress. Friendly and casual.
-
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.
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cooperative students; neuroanatomy museum; extremely friendly faculty; laid-back students; everyone's willingness to help you.
-
New gross anatomy lab was nice. Facilities seemed pretty nice overall.
-
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).
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The friendliness of the faculty and students, how one of the medical students was even giving out advice for applying to another school.
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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)
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Dr. Severin, the Admissions Dead was warm and welcoming. As was Mr. Rosso. The students were freindly, inviting, and very helpful.
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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.
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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.
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The students seemed to work together and they discouraged being "cut throat." The school was much better than I anticipated.
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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.
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Dean of the school and Mr. Rosso. Campus is clean. Student body seemed laid back and short lecture hours per day.
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The students and the admissions people were so nice! I also liked the school's facilities and I also don't think that Buffalo is all that bad either.
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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).
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The tour, enthusiasm of the faculty, facilities that were shown, brain museum, the IT
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Great tour! Mr. Rosso is so enthusiastic. School is bright, friendly seeming.
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The facilities, the tour guide (awesome), and the interviewers were amazingly laid-back and generally interested in having a conversation.
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The faculty, staff, and students are incredibly nice! And their anatomy lab has windows.
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Computer facilities looked nice.
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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.
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Facilities
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The emphasis on the lack of competitiveness among the medical students.
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The faculty and their interest in students success
-
Mr Rosso was very enthusiastic and the interviewers were able to give me their opinions on what was unique/best about UB.
-
clinical experience starting at first year
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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 facilities seemed very modern, liked the windows in the anatomy lab. Campus seemed very fresh and welcoming.
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BEAUTIFUL campus and facilities, even in the snow!
-
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 presentation of the dean of the admissions and the level of support that he would offer!
-
The students, staff, and faculty were warm, inviting, and enthusiastic.
-
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.
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Entusiastic
-
new/up to date facilities, enthusiastic faculty
-
I enjoyed the enthusiastic tour, as well as the friendliness of the staff
-
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
-
the curriculum is fantastic
-
The tour really surprised me. I was very impressed with the students. All seemed very friendly and happy to be there
-
Faculty's attitude; training dummy
-
nueroanatomy museum
-
They have a sweet new mechanical patient that was given as a gift
-
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.
-
Students and staff are friendly. My hometown, what's not to like? It's a nice campus and the school wants its students to excell.
-
Friendliness of students and staff. Curriculum.
-
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!
-
Facilities seemed nice, people were friendly. I liked the corriculum. The area is nice.
-
The students that I met and their curriculum.
-
the kindness and enthusiasm of the staff and students.
-
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 students seemed pretty happy with the school, and the faculty appeared to be approachable.
-
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.
-
housing is very cheap in buffalo. the faculty seemed approachable.
-
The enthusiasm of the admissions staff, the happiness of the students, and the really really collaborative atmosphere
-
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 other interviewees, my interviewers.
-
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.
-
I really liked the school environment.
-
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
-
The interview was very low stress.
-
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.
-
Everyone seemed very friendly and helpful. The students seemed happy, probably because they get to choose their own destiny.
-
The faculty is very supportive and friendly. Very evident that their goal is your success.
-
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!
-
The campus, the curriculum, the students.
-
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.
-
The admissions staff and faculty seemed very enthusiastic about the school.
-
very nice gross anatomy lab
-
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 students! I loved the school, the faculty is really chill and have great relationships with their students.
-
everyone was very friendly, students seemed happy, school is only from 8am-12pm
-
students are really nice, med student interviewers have the same vote as the doctors on the admissions committee.
-
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.
-
They seemed very easygoing & interested in you as a person
-
They really care about the students. The new curriculum is great. How well the students did on their boards.
-
Everything. The students are out early every day. The campus is nice. The surrounding area is great.
-
Everyone was very nice and the whole day was very organized, they only have class from 8-12pm every 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 heaters were working.
-
VERY warm learning environment, nice facilities, the schedule (8-12 classes), the rent
-
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
-
the students and interviewers were very nice. people seemed happy and the orientation did a good job of convincing us that it was a good place to be.
-
Faculties seems to understand the students, typical class day starts from 8 to 12, relaxed students, great computer and anatomy labs.
-
the amount of care that the faculty and administration show their students
-
All the students were great, curriculum seems good, admin responds to student needs, etc.
-
The library is very nice, PDA requirement was cool, Wireless internet
-
facilities are very nice. buffalo's a decent place.
-
Visiting with current medical students
-
students seemed really nice, happy, everyone was enthusiastic about us being there. facilities were pretty nice.
-
Dean Severin, dean of students was really amazing. He really cares about the students. My student interviewer was really enthusiatic about the school.
-
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 people were really nice. And it seems like there is a good, tight community there. A good place to learn and be for medical school.
-
How nice and friendly my first interviewer and the students there were.
-
The new curriculum, which seems to have really improved this schools standing
-
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 students seemed very excited about the school. I liked that they seemed relaxed and not cut-throat. I also liked their new integrated curriculum.
-
The fact that the interviewers role play. It took me a while to figure out what they were doing. Also I was able to ask as many questions as possible.
-
Lots of time to talk to student volunteers and ask questions, which was very very helpful. Students are very freindly.
-
The people , the students, the library was awesome,
-
The staff and students were very friendly.
-
The facilities are really up to date, they are going wireless with internet access. The students are really happy to be there
-
All the doctors and professors were very friendly and easy to talk to. Not a bad campus. Students seemed to like it there.
-
The tour guide was really cool, the city wasn't nearly as bad as i expected and the buildings were newer looking.
-
My interviewers were both very enthusiastic about the school.
-
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 new curriculum -- although they are still working out some minor kinks. Standardized interview questions.
-
The students, interviewers and admissions staff are so NICE! The atmosphere is one of collaboration and cameraderie. It was really nice to see.
-
The direction that the new curriculum is going, definately positive
-
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!
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed negative impressions about aspects such as unprepared interviewers, outdated facilities, long and unorganized tours, high student-to-cadaver ratios, lack of student enthusiasm, unpredictable interview processes, and the school's location in Buffalo. Suggestions included improving interviewer preparation, updating facilities, streamlining tour itineraries, reducing student-to-cadaver ratios, boosting student engagement, providing clearer interview schedules, and enhancing the overall campus experience.
-
Nothing.:
-
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 :).
-
Wasted two and a half hours with a tour of the old medical school.
-
the drive was quite far, other than that nothing
-
Facilities were a bit old but the medical school will move to new downtown campus in 2 years.
-
The location, but the new medical school will be moved downtown!
-
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?"
-
Facilities
-
The tour was too long.
-
How poorly ventilated the anatomy lab was
-
Facilities are old. Two students told me they only went there because it's the only place they got in.
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It's in the middle of nowhere and it's cold. It's hard to get to and it feels lonely. The classrooms weren't too impressive.
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Maybe a few of the interviewees!
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Buffalo seems so far away from the rest of the US.
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The location. Bizarre and long tour of the school.
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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.
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Buffalo is pretty cold, my second interviewer was much more difficult.
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The tour is long and boring. The entire day was an interview for the waitlist. They really didn't sell themselves well.
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The tour was kind of long and boring, but not too bad
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Nothing. I love this place.
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The unpredictable weather, speaking the days before were sunny and lovely. Interview day started off with some rain and blustery wind.
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The tour was pretty long, but other than that nothing.
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Facilities are kind of blah. Seems old and not very aesthetically pleasing
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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.
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8 students/cadaver seemed kind of high.
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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.
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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.
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The distance of the school from New York City
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My first interview did not interview me as much as confront me.
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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.
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It seems like one could better integrate public health/cultural competency/ethical content throughout the preclinical education.
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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.
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8 students to a cadaver? Seems a bit much. Location is a little too suburban/rural for a city person like myself.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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the weather is horrific, the admissions committee did NOT talk about residencies or match lists at all, did not get to see any of the lecture halls
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No students - during vacation :(
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Their library leaves a lot to be desired.
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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.
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It seemed like there was a high student:body ratio for gross anatomy lab (8:1).
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Cold Weather, Location
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I knew Buffalo was in the middle of nowhere...but actually traveling there made it feel even more remote.
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The student interviewing me didn't seem sure of what to ask me.
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The weather was bad the 3 days I was there
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too much snow, location
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Parking was pretty tough and lunch wasn't anything too spectacular, but nothing major
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Nothing
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the snow
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old hokey classrooms. the snow.
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lack of any student from the school for the lunch as stated in the introduction.
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Being from New York City, Buffalo lacks social and cultural options.
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Nothing really
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The interviewers have a list of questions they are supposed to ask, one did not even look up at me. They run out food and soda quickly.
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Crummy lockers and 1 to 8 anatomy lab ratio.
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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.
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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
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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.
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My second interview grilled me. I asked to clarify a question and he told me it was broad and answer how I thought, then he told me
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Nothing really- perhaps the size of the city since I'm a small town type of person
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Okay facilities. They have everything, and it's relatively high-tech, it's just not that pretty.
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Nothing.
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It's cold.
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Honestly, NOTHING! Best interview experience I have had (I had 5 total, turned down 2)
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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
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the difficulty getting to buffalo
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The school seemed great, but the location is not something I could get over.
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nothing, really.
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The facilities weren't as up to date. I think you also need a car to get everywhere.
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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.
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The facilities seemed a little outdated. The dean who gave the tour was really excited about a TV and VCR in one of the classrooms!
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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.
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buffalos not nyc, its cold, the students didnt all seem happy, the lecture i sat in on was sort of boring
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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.
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The surrounding town. It is shady upstate NY style.
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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.
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It's Buffalo. In the middle of nowhere.
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Facilities seem somewhat dated and it doesnt seem like they are going to be upgraded.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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Nothing!
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The facilities are the most outdated of any place I've visited. The school is small and Buffalo is a shrinking city.
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The fact that I would not be able to choose my own future.(see below)
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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.
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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.
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Gross anatomy lab was cool to see, but 8 students per cadaver is a lot.
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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.
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Gray skies-but I expected that.
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They don't tell you who your interviewers are and when your interviews will take place. It was kind of suspenseful.
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The interviewers pretty much just read questions off of a list prepared by the admissions staff - it wasn't very personalized.
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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.
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Everything is very spread out, the closest hospital is a good walk away.
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on side of Buffalo is a little ghetto, but the school is nice.
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The need for proactive action to get good clinical placements in your chosen field. The need for a car.
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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.
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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.
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Overall a positive experience
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It's alllllll the way in Buffalo.
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They don't have a hospital of their own, they have 8 students/cadaver, their library has very limited hours.
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Didn't show us the classrooms
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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... =/
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not much really. there's a lot of snow, but if you're used to cold winters, it's no problem.
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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
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it was really cold and the tour guide was kind of a tool.
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Four straight hours of lecture can be grueling, although typically lab or small groups are scheduled between lectures.
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the long-windedness of the tour guide, the conservative political stances of the current students, Buffalo's bad weather
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Hospitals are spread out around the area, not much to do in suburban (or downtown, for that matter) Buffalo, IT WAS FREEZING.
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Gross Anatomy Lab, CROWDED!!!
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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.
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not too much.
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Location of interviews, strange locations.
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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
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Nothing really. Not sure if I could live in Buffalo.
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There's nothing in Buffalo. You will need a car. Although the weather was amazing for my interview, that is not how it is most of the time (see snow).
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Um, 8 students per cadaver - WAY too crowded. Also, Buffalo is a dead, depressed town....
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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
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I'm sure it's really cold there... and snowy tho i didn't experience it.
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Buffalo is a cold cold windy place.
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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.
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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.
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Buffalo area is cold and boring.
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The constant curriculum changes are somewhat puzzling.
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nothing. it was pretty cold and snowy though.
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Facilities were not very aesthetically pleasing. The student I stayed with was hard to relate to.
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I just felt out of place there. I think the staff thinks they have a top notch program and in reality they don't.
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The students didn't seem so happy there. I didn't like the pop essay!
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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.
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the lighting in those long hallways is bleak, the library looked a bit outdated
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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')
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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.
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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.
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Some of the committee members were absent that day, and made the day really drag by.
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The setting of the medical school -- very cold and bleak feeling...
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the relaxed and easy nature of the interview, the importance of being prepared for unexpected questions, the need for comfortable shoes and a substantial breakfast, and the emphasis on personal experiences rather than academic metrics. Applicants also noted the long tour duration, the surprise pop essay, the lack of breakfast provided, and the need for patience during waiting periods throughout the day.
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How relaxed and easy this interview would be.
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To be more chill and not worry too much about this interview
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How focused they would be on my app rather than the questions I had read about online.
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How long the tour was going to be. Wear comfortable shoes! Make sure to also eat breakfast. Find parking ahead of time.
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there is a pop essay and the interviewers don't know your MCAT or GPA
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There can be a lot of waiting. Mentally prepare yourself to stay calm when there's nothing to do for an hour or so while interviews are conducted.
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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.
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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.
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It snows in April in Buffalo.
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No breakfast.
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That the tour is literally 85% of the interview day.
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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).
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Nothing, it was a good time
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My legs got really tired from standing during the 150 minute tour.
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The tour takes you to very strange places. Be prepared to be standing around for 2+ hours. Also, they do feed you lunch.
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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.
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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.
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that I could just e-mail my picture
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Pictures of staff - wished was put online. No biggie.
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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.
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how much sitting around I would be doing
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interview order is determined by how early you arrive; very long tour
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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.
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That it would rain on interview day.
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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.
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How nice and relaxed the interviewers are!
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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.
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That there was a coffee machine on the first floor!
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The questions! How painfully boring the tour was going to be. They let us know our decisions the next day.
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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.
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Nothing. I really prepared for my interview.
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I don't think I would have liked living away from family/friends where my other acceptance is at. This visit made me realize this.
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the tour can and probably will be OVER 90 minutes (probably closer to 2hrs or so)
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Drink coffee before you go in! They don't give you any.
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That it snows in Buffalo the first week of November!
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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.
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There was a pop essay
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OOS students can begin paying in state tuition after their first year if they establish NY residency
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Nothing really, I'm from around here so I knew a lot about it already
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nothing
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the school is very against competition and encourages students to work together in all facets
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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.
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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!).
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If you need to leave early for a flight or to travel home, just tell an admissions person and they will try their best to accomodate you.
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That I shouldn't have been so nervous, they really just wanted to get to know me better.
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Just read many of these entries and you should be prepared for everything they throw at you.
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They ran out of lunches and I was there till 5. I needed a snack :)
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The people I talked to who weren't a part of my interview (hotel staff for example) made me think the weather was worse then i previously thought.
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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.)
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Not to mention the name of Condoleezza Rice to a New Yorker. LOL
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Interviews go somewhat in order of arrival.
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The lunch sucks and wasnt served until almost 1, also they had us write an essay, but only gave us literally 5 minutes while we were starving.
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I can't think of anything at the moment.
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There's a "pop essay". But it's nothing to worry about. Our questions was, "What was the most exciting moment in your life?"
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Nothing, I'd been to Buffalo plenty of times.
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What a great school it really is. A diamond in the rough
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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
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SUNY Buffalo is actually a great school (except for the location)! I was reluctant to travel so far to visit, but it was a really nice experience.
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nothing, really.
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Arrive early. The building where the interviews are held is tucked inside the medical center and was hard to find.
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bring a coat. prepare for the possibility of a long day.
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The pop-essay! Somehow I must have missed that. They give it to you right before lunch, but don't worry, it's not bad.
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that it would be a complete waste of time and I should have saved my money by skipping this one!
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You almost have to have a car if you go to SUNY Buffalo. The hospitals for clerkships are driving distance and public transportation isn't that good.
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Uhmm? Not so sure.
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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.
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I am from arizona, it was COLD.
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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 $$.
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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).
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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).
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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.
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The school is far from the city. You pretty much are isolated on a small school campus. Surroundings are dismal.
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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.
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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.
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The pop quiz seems pretty useless. I was never asked about it and it just seemed like another unnecessary thing to stress me out.
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that the hotel i was staying at had an indoor pool and gym.... [hampton inn - nice and close :)]
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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.
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You get to hang out in the student lounge. It'll put you at ease.
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They make you walk a lot on the tour. My legs were sore later that night.
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nothing - but make sure you are prepared for an essay during lunch
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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?"
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The travelodge is "relatively" close, but it really sucks.
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nothing, it was very laidback. All of the questions on this site were questions that I was asked during the interview.
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nothing, read questions on this websie and you will be ready.
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The campus is big! Bring your map and walking shoes, because they're going to make you trek around. Not in a bad way, but be mindful of it.
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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.
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I was pretty much prepared for everything.
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Too many people per cadaver, no hospital, I was pretty much interviewing for the waitlist.
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That I could have skipped out on a lot of the tour and rhetoric bs.
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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.
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how nice my interviewers were going to be, i think i would have been less of a stress case the morning of
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Every interview question will require you to draw from your personal experience in some way.
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That going on the tour would require so much patience
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that they give stress interviews.
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The number of questions stemming from AMCAS application--heavy.
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20 people at the interview! wow! and i wish i had discovered i left my tie at school in MI before the morning of.
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Nothing.
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How friendly the other applicants were.
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All the early assurance interviewees were on the same day... we all took the tour together and spent the day together
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I wish that I knew that the admissions staff would be so kind and helpful. This knowledge would have made me less anxious about the interview.
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That I am the only person there who didnt go to a ivy league school
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The laid back attitude regarding the time restraints for the essay
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how far away from the main street the medical school buildings are!
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At lunch when you're not suspecting it, they give you a surprise essay and expect you to be real creative when you're really just hungry.
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its very cold
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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.
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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.
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the admissions office was hard to find so leave a lot of time in the morning
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Nothing, I was prepared.
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I already knew this but make sure that you are ready for the "pop essay"!!
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The surprise 10 minute essay that they make you write.
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They asked the applicants to write a 1-2 page on-the-spot essay about September 11th. It felt like getting a pop-quiz in grade school.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview day at the University at Buffalo to be positive and laid-back, with friendly staff and students, conversational interviews, and a welcoming atmosphere. Some mentioned enjoying the school's curriculum changes, faculty enthusiasm, and the emphasis on getting to know applicants as individuals. Suggestions included shortening the tour, improving interview scheduling, and providing clearer instructions for the essay questions.
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Loved the interview, school, staff!
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Everyone said the interviews were conversational but one of mine was more like a formal interview.
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Great school
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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).
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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.
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This school seemed organized and well run.
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The tour is wayyyyy tooooo long! I wish somebody important would see this is a problem!
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Great safety school.
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Please please please make the tour shorter.
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It's a decent school and I wouldn't mind going but if I had a choice, the distance and the weather would make it a much more unattractive prospect.
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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.
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I love UB. I'm from UB for undergrad and I'm excited to go here for med school. Praying I get in!
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There is an essay you take just before lunch.
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not bad.
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Apply here and hope you get in, its getting more competitive, and for good reason, they're an amazing school.
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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!!
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Very good interview day! Enjoyed it.
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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.
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The school just really impressed me. It's one of those schools that is very personal and cares a lot about its students.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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)
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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
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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.
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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!
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Really clicked with an interviewer.. long-time faculty, I wouldn't be surprised if he played a big part in my acceptance; accepted 10/15.
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Everything was okay, but the faculty interview just ruined it for me. The student interviewer was extremely friendly and nice though.
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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]
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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
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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.
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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.
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I enjoyed the school, especially the students and faculty who were very enthusiastic about their experiences. It's a great place!
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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.
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Thanks for the free lunch ... would go there ahead of Guatemala.
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Buffalo was the very last place I applied to, but became my top choice after my interview.
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First interview was more conversational. Second had a specific list of questions
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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.
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Very laid back during the actual interviews. The tour was cool, but the library tour was boring (it was supposedly optional, but everyone went on it).
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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Very low stress... conversational. Be prepared for a lengthy tour.
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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.
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very positive.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Nice people, good school, I'm going there.
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Very positive and relaxing.
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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.
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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.
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positive. it was a long day but that was nice because it made my long journey worth while. also the tour gave me a good feeling for the school
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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.
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Overall, it was a good experience. The dean of the school is really friendly, and they want to know who you are as a person there.
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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).
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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).
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low stress. conversational.
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Very relaxed and pleasant day. But it was raining, haha.
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see negative
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Great experience.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The interview was very relaxed.
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Overall, it was fine. Nothing exceptional. By attending the University at Buffalo I'd be freely throwing my autonomy to the state of NY.
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Great! It was very relaxed and fun.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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).
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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.
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I ended up liking the school more than I expected I would.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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).
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Students seemed a little sadder than usual. The library is good and they appear to be making some much needed changes. It is cheap too.
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outside of the tour (which was otherwise pretty standard) everything went great. remember the "pop" essay before lunch! it's not hard though.
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Overall, I was impressed by the school. I got the sense that UB is moving up and really cares about their students.
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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?"
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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.
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Essay question: If you did not want to be a physician, what other career would you choose?
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Great time they asked all standard questions people above listed. If you get Dr. Manka hes great, hes also a ER Doc so I talked to him about that.
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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.
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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.
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positive
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Actually I think that it went fairly well and I walked out with a more positive attitude than I would have thought.
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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.)
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The inteview program was decent. However, the admissions/interviewing staff seemed rather unorganized.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office should consider making the tour shorter, possibly with a multimedia component for a more engaging experience. Some also mentioned the desire for more food options during the visit, along with specific feedback on the length of the tour and interview schedules.
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Keep up the great work. The staff replied to my emails within minutes. Mr. Rosso's enthusiasm on interview day was contagious. :) Thank you.
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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.
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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.
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Shorter tour .. financial aid workshop
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PLEASE! Make the tour shorter...it is way to long!
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Give us more food!
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Keep up the good work!
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You're amazing people, keep it up!
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Breakfast and coffee maybe? It's a long day :D Otherwise, the admission office was stupendous with a
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Shorter tour--it was nice to see everything but some of the discussion could have been done elsewher
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The only suggestion I would make is to prepare a specific schedule for interviews.
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Super-friendly and genuine people!
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The lunch was a little lacking...
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Include a Map of grad school campus (North I believe) in the interview packet.
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Give James Rosso a raise because he is amazing. His enthusiam made me incredibly excited
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Very Very Enthusiastic! Keep it up!
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Be friendly :=)
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Coffee! Some of us are addicted :)
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None - it was a truly positive experience!
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