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The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo was founded in 1846. The college remains 1 of 17 New York medical colleges and prides itself on its legacy of teaching, scientific discovery, and patient care.

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo upholds a vision to educate, to discover, and to heal. The university website lists the SUNY Buffalo Medical School’s goals, which are:

Attract the most promising individuals and support their development
Enhance our technological and intellectual environment to foster creative science and education
Develop and maintain excellent clinical programs
Cultivate excellence, diversity, and collegiality
Observe the highest standards of ethics, integrity, professionalism, and humanism
Apply advances in medicine, science, and education toward the betterment of humanity

Be an Informed Applicant

The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo has school-specific guidelines and requirements when it comes to their admissions and application process. To best tailor your application and ensure that you are putting your best foot forward and leaving a good impression on the admissions committee, it is crucial to understand these requirements.

This article covers:

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo Rankings
Medical Programs at SUNY Buffalo Medical School
Selection Factors: What SUNY Buffalo Medical School Looks for in an Applicant
University of Buffalo Medical School Requirements
Jacobs School of Medicine at the University at Buffalo Acceptance Rate, Class Profile, and More
AMCAS Application and SUNY Buffalo Medical School Secondary Application
SUNY Buffalo Medical School Secondary Application: Essay Prompts, Sample Answers, and Advice
Medical School Admissions Consulting
Voluntary Healthcare Internships

Personalized Help

At International Medical Aid, we understand that students often find themselves feeling overwhelmed by all that there is to do relating to the medical school application process. Universities have unique requirements and you must meet the requirements for each college you wish to apply to. To best help aspiring medical professionals navigate this process more easily, we recommend medical school admissions consulting.

Medical school admissions consultants are there to help students through every step of the process, or just one or two areas where they need additional guidance—whatever the case may be. Your consultant will offer helpful, constructive feedback on areas of improvement and help you submit the most competitive application possible.

Do you feel you could use some extra help and guidance? Consider enlisting the help of IMA’s personalized medical school admissions consulting service.

Why the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo?

What is Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo known for?The SUNY Buffalo Medical School is an LCME fully accredited institution and has received accreditation approval for the next 8 years. In addition to being an accredited university, the college has many notable faculty and alums. The Medical Alumni Association currently represents over 11,000 SUNY Buffalo Medical School alums. Notable faculty members include Thomas Russo, MD, Adnan Siddiqui MD, PhD, FAHA, and Dheerendra Prasad, MD.

SUNY Buffalo Medical School Rankings

#74 in Best Medical Schools: Research
#90 in Best Medical Schools: Primary Care
#45 Most Diverse Medical Schools
#103 Most Graduates Practicing in Medically Underserved Areas
#116 Most Graduates Practicing in Primary Care Fields
#58 Most Graduates Practicing in Rural Areas

Medical Programs at SUNY Buffalo Medical School

Students should thoroughly research all available medical programs at SUNY Buffalo Medical School before applying. This research will further aid in focusing your application and guide your decision about which medical school is the best fit for you.

MD Program

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences offers students a standard 4-year medical education program. The college provides broad-based clinical education in both ambulatory and hospital settings with a strong core curriculum in primary care plus exposure to all specialties.

Other Programs

The SUNY Buffalo Medical School offers more than just your standard 4-year MD program. The university also offers a joint degree program (MD/PhD), a CME, and a Neuroscience program.

MD/PhD Program – This medical program from SUNY Buffalo Medical School integrates clinical and basic science early to establish a firm foundation for the student’s future as a physician-scientist.

Continuing Medical Education (CME) – A CME program is for healthcare professionals and physicians who are seeking to stay up to date on current teachings and evidence-based treatments for patients.

Neuroscience Program – The Neuroscience program at Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo is a PhD program. Through coursework and a variety of lab experiences, students learn from fellow UB Neurology faculty scientists and become prepared to practice a variety of neuroscience-related specialties such as UB Neurosurgery at the Buffalo General Hospital.

Selection Factors: What SUNY Buffalo Medical School Looks for in an Applicant

When applying to medical schools, one of the most important items you should research is the school’s selection criteria. Students should be well-informed about how their MCAT scores, GPA, and other work experiences stack up to those accepted by the college.

Admissions committees generally take a holistic approach to review incoming applications. This means the committee reviews your application and attempts to get the big picture idea of who you are as a person, not just how well you scored on your MCAT exam which is why it is essential to have a well-rounded application. The majority of med schools follow the AAMC Core Competencies as a general guideline for application review.

Application Requirements for SUNY Buffalo Medical School

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo has specific application criteria and academic requirements that students must meet in order to be considered for acceptance.

MCAT and GPA Requirements

The university’s website does not list strict minimum GPA or MCAT score requirements to apply to SUNY Buffalo Medical School. However, students should aim for their MCAT and GPA scores to match the average scores of previous classes.

The average overall GPA of matriculants at SUNY Buffalo Medical School is 3.8 and the average MCAT score is 513. Applicants must ensure that their MCAT test scores are no more than 3 years old at the time of application for the scores to be considered.

Letters of Recommendation

The college requires all applicants to include letters of recommendation with their AMCAS primary application. Jacobs School of Medicine asks for either 1 letter pre-health committee letter or 3 letters of recommendation if you do not have access to a pre-health committee.

For those sending 3 individual LORs, at least 1 of the letters should be written by a science professor.

Required Coursework for Jacobs School of Medicine at the University at Buffalo

The university lists both required and recommended courses for those interested in applying to one of their medical education programs. Students must complete all classes on the college’s prerequisite list prior to applying. The required courses for SUNY Buffalo Medical School include:

Biology – 2 Semesters With Lab (With Not More Than 1 Semester of Botany)

General Chemistry – 2 Semesters With Lab

Organic Chemistry – 2 Semesters With Lab

Physics – 2 Semesters (Lab Optional)

English – 2 Semesters

Additional Recommended Courses

Social Sciences – SUNY Buffalo Medical School recommends that applicants complete 4 courses in the social sciences.

Humanities – They recommend completing 2 humanities-related courses

Statistics

Genetics

Molecular Biology

Biochemistry

Does Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo Require the CASPer exam?

The CASPer test is not required by all colleges but is required by some. This exam is an online test designed to assess the various non-cognitive abilities of a candidate.

As of 2023, SUNY Buffalo Medical School does not require applicants to complete the CASPer exam.

SUNY Buffalo Medical School Acceptance Rate and Admission Statistics

SUNY Buffalo Medical School has an acceptance rate of 3%. This acceptance rate is quite competitive and applicants will need to present a strong, compelling application to be considered.

Let’s review some of the most recent entering class’s admission stats.

6,111 Total Applicants
184 Matriculants
21 to 31 Age Range
162 Matriculants from New York
88 Matriculants Out-of-State

Jacobs School of Medicine at the University at Buffalo - Acceptance Rate and Admissions Stats

SUNY Buffalo Medical School Tuition and Cost of Attendance

Students who wish to attend SUNY Buffalo Medical School need to budget for tuition and educational fees, but they also need to take into account miscellaneous costs such as living expenses and incidentals. The following cost of attendance information reflects 12 credits per academic year (the maximum).

Year 1:

$22,097.50 Tuition and Fees
$1,166.50 Miscellaneous Fees

Year 2:

$22,097.50 Tuition and Fees
$1,166.50 Miscellaneous Fees

Year 3:

$22,097.50 Tuition and Fees
$1,166.50 Miscellaneous Fees

Year 4:

$22,097.50 Tuition and Fees
$1,166.50 Miscellaneous Fees

AMCAS Primary Application and SUNY Buffalo Medical School Secondary Application

Most medical schools in the United States utilize the AMCAS application system. Your AMCAS is your primary application and will be sent to all of the medical schools you select. On average, you should expect it to take 4 to 6 weeks for a college to review your AMCAS application.

After the university has taken the time to review your primary application, they will send you an invitation to complete a secondary application. Secondary applications are unique to each medical school and generally contain essay prompts designed to help the admissions committee learn more about you, your values, ambitions, and motivations.

Please note that if you failed to meet any of the college’s admission criteria, such as minimum MCAT or GPA scores, prerequisites, or failure to include letters of recommendation, you will not be invited to fill out a secondary application.

For further clarification about the differences between the AMCAS primary application and a school-specific application, read this article.

SUNY Buffalo Medical School Secondary Application: Essay Prompts, Sample Answers, and Advice

Secondary applications are a critical part of applying to med school. The essay prompts and questions included in the secondary application give you the chance to show the admissions committee why you are the best fit for their college and what makes you stand out. These are some helpful tips to keep in mind as you navigate secondary applications:

Read all parts of essay prompts and questions carefully
Supply concrete evidence from your academic, professional, or extracurricular experiences
Do not repeat information you have already supplied in your AMCAS application
Proofread your answers
Write clearly and concisely
For additional help consider utilizing our medical school admissions consulting service

The Jacobs School of Medicine secondary application includes 2 short essay prompts.

Essay #1

In 500 words or fewer, please explain your reasons for applying to the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine. Please be specific.

This prompt allows the college to get to know you and your motivations better as you explain what drew you to apply to SUNY Buffalo Medical School.

Here is a sample answer:

After researching all seventeen New York medical colleges, I felt that the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences was the best fit for me and my future medical career. My primary career goals include practicing in the Neurology field and ideally practicing at the Buffalo General Hospital. Choosing to apply to SUNY Buffalo Medical School was an easy decision after learning about the school’s outstanding Neuroscience program.

In addition to best fitting my career goals, the college’s mission and vision align with my personal values and goals. SUNY Buffalo Medical School strives to create a diverse and welcoming environment for all students, and in the current societal climate, I feel inclusivity is of the utmost importance.

Essay #2

In 500 words or fewer, please explain how you would respond to a fellow student who muttered a racist or homophobic statement under their breath in your presence and that of other peers?

SUNY Buffalo Medical School prides themselves on diversity and inclusion, so they seek to bring in individuals who share these goals and values.

Here is a sample answer:

If I were in a situation where a fellow student muttered an offensive term or remark to another peer, I would make it known to the student, in a calm manner, that what they said was not an acceptable term or statement. If the student said the term without realizing the racist or homophobic connotation behind it, I would take the time to inform them of why the statement/word holds a negative connotation and why it should be avoided.

However, if the student knew the connotation behind their words and chose to say the statement with malicious intent, I would let them know that it was unacceptable to speak to another peer in such a manner and would report their behavior to the appropriate faculty.

Medical School Admissions Consulting

We attempt to provide the most thorough and accurate information possible for future physicians. Applying to and getting into medical school is a difficult process, and we understand how overwhelming the experience can be.

One of the best ways to ensure your application process goes smoothly and your application is as competitive as possible is by enlisting the professional help of IMA’s medical admissions consulting service.

Students who are interested in learning more about this service should schedule a consultation with International Medical Aid.

Voluntary Healthcare Internships

Our intense, patient-facing pre-med shadowing study abroad programs help students gain hands-on clinical experience. These internships take place in a variety of locations such as East Africa, South America, and the Caribbean. You will gain real-life experience as you shadow doctors and help the medically underserved. Not to mention that these internships help make your application for medical school competitive and help you stand out.

Good Luck!

We want to wish you the best of luck in your journey of applying to medical schools and your future career in medicine. The key to succeeding is taking your time, developing an application strategy, and seeking help when you need it.

If you feel you need additional personalized help, contact IMA and get guidance from one of our medical admission consultants.

Are you considering applying to other medical schools in New York or maybe you want to know how SUNY Buffalo Medical School stacks up to other colleges? Don’t forget to check out the other ultimate medical school guides on IMA’s website, especially if you’ve been asking yourself what are the best medical schools near me.