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SUNY - Upstate Medical University College of Medicine

Syracuse, NY

Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit

⭐ Overall Impressions

How did the interview impress you?

Positively

What was the stress level of the interview?

1 out of 10

How you think you did?

9 out of 10

How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?

No responses

How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?

No responses
💬 Interview Questions

What is one of the specific questions they asked you?

Can you take the MCAT again?
Do we mean enough to you to drop your offer from another school and apply again here if you do not get in this year?
Let's go back to your high school and start there....what type of person where you? (my interviewer was a developmental/educational psychologist).

What was the most interesting question?

My student interviewer pulled out his homework on electrolyte imbalance and endocrinology - then asked me if I could answer the questions. That was a different way to go.

What was the most difficult question?

At the end of the interview, after being extremely interested and positive, one interviewer said: "so.....what are we going to do about the PS section of the MCAT?" (a negative part of my application). It was well-intentioned but I was just surprised ( and actually pleased) that he took the time to talk about all the important stuff before asking about any discrepancies. They really care about the students they interview and admit to this school - more than any school I've seen or heard of.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics

How long was the interview?

60+ minutes

How many people interviewed you?

2

What was the style of the interview?

One-on-one

What type of interview was it?

Open file

Was this interview in-person or virtual?

No responses

Where did the interview take place?

At the school
📍 On-Site Experience

Who was the tour given by?

Student

How did the tour guide seem?

No responses

How do you rank the facilities?

No responses

What is your in-state status?

No responses

What were your total hours spent traveling?

No responses

What was your primary mode of travel?

No responses

About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?

No responses

What airport did you fly into?

No responses

Where did you stay?

No responses

What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?

No responses

How would you rate the hotel?

No responses

Would you recommend the hotel?

No responses

What is your ranking of this school's location?

No responses

What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?

No responses

What are your comments on where you stayed?

No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions

How is the friendliness of the admissions office?

No responses

How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?

No responses

How did you prepare for the interview?

Read over AMCAS form. Read SDN.

What impressed you positively?

The GENUINE humility and caring attitude of the current students. They seem bright yet non-competitive and motivated simultaneously. The amazing anatomy lab and new lecture halls.

What impressed you negatively?

The weather. The admissions office really doesn't seem to know or emphasize how good their research opportunities are. I took the time to visit labs by myself during the day. This medical school does great research, let me tell you.

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

That the school offers an M.D. with distinction in research. I already have two graduate degrees in research, and I would have emphasized my research interests more if I'd known the school appreciated that (it turns out that they do - the M.D. admissions office will obviously focus more on medicine because that's what you are interviewing for but know assuredly that teh medical school in general does competitive research. I e-mailed a couple of labs before I arrived and was extermely impressed by thir facilities and work when I visited their lab).

What are your general comments?

I would go there in a heartbeat. I have an offer from one other school that is nationally ranked much higher, but I would go to SUNY Upstate any day of the week and twice on a Sunday. They really train you well clinically, they care about you, and the students are the happiest I have ever seen. The school is just awesome. I cannot say enough about this place....let's just hope they admit me. The best advice I can give people that interview here is to be yourself. They screen very, very heavily on personality, manners, attitude and the non-cognitive factors that make one a rounded physician. They also seem to take the comments of the student interviewers equally seriously, so treat them with the same respect if you happen to have one (and if you’re the right person for this school this will be second nature, it seems). Be prepared to expose your soul at this interview.

What are your suggestions for the admissions office?

No responses