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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine

2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine is a US MD program in Brooklyn, NY that takes 2027-entry applications through AMCAS. Its published class profile lists a median MCAT of 512 (range 507–518), a median GPA of 3.79 and a class of 200. The school holds a traditional interview: October 2026–March 2027. Decisions for 2027 entry: March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard).

Location
Brooklyn, NY, United States
Established
1860
Interviews (2027 entry)
October 2026–March 2027
Decisions (2027 entry)
March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
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SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) — Daytime landscape exterior of the SUNY Downstate

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Full guide

How to get into SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) medicine

Step-by-step: entry requirements, MCAT prep, personal statement, interview format and the key deadlines.

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Interview guide

Prepare for the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) interview

Format breakdown, school-specific sample questions, FAQs and prep tips from tutors who interviewed here.

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Overview

About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD)

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine, established in 1860 and located in Flatbush, Brooklyn, is a public medical school with a profound commitment to urban health, health equity, and the medical care of New York City's underserved populations.

As the only SUNY medical school in New York City, Downstate trains approximately 200 students per year in a diverse, high-acuity clinical environment. Affiliated hospitals include the busy Kings County Hospital Center — one of New York's largest public hospitals — and University Hospital of Brooklyn.

The school has historically had one of the most diverse medical student bodies among US public allopathic schools.

What makes SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) different

SUNY Downstate is the only SUNY medical school in New York City, providing uniquely urban clinical training across Brooklyn's diverse and underserved communities. The school has historically trained a large proportion of underrepresented-in-medicine physicians and has a strong commitment to health equity. Primary clinical affiliations include University Hospital of Brooklyn, Kings County Hospital Center, and Maimonides Medical Center.

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) course & teaching

Traditional curriculum. 4-year MD. Years 1–2: traditional preclinical curriculum with organ-system organization, integrating anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology. Clinical skills instruction begins in Year 1 with standardized patient encounters. Years 3–4: core clerkships at Kings County Hospital, University Hospital of Brooklyn, Maimonides Medical Center, and affiliated community sites across Brooklyn and wider New York City.

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) research strengths

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) is strong in these research areas:

  • Urban health disparities
  • HIV/AIDS research
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Renal medicine
  • Community-based research

How the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) interview runs

Format: About an hour with a single faculty interviewer, plus a 30-minute peer conversation with a current medical student; virtual

SUNY Downstate's selection policy describes an interview of about an hour with a single faculty member, followed by a 30-minute peer-to-peer conversation with a currently enrolled medical student; interviews are held virtually.

Given the school's location in Brooklyn and its deep affiliation with New York City's safety-net hospital network, interview questions consistently probe commitment to urban underserved medicine and experience with diverse patient populations.

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) intake

Approximately 200 students per year.

Where SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) is

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine was founded in 1860 and is based in Brooklyn, NY.

Programmes offered:

  • Urban Medicine
  • Internal Medicine
  • Surgery
  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
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Entry requirements

What you need to apply to SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD)

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) at a glance

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine Medicine — 2027 entry at a glance
MCAT / GPA (medians)512 · 3.79 (MCAT range 507–518)
Class size200
In-state matriculants85%
Interview formatTraditional interview
IntakeApproximately 200 students per year
Decisions (2027 entry)March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine Medicine admissions profile — 2027 entry
Admission overviewBachelor's degree and MCAT required. Prerequisite science coursework in biology, chemistry (general and organic), physics, and mathematics. Applications via AMCAS; secondary application required. The school strongly values commitment to urban underserved medicine, community service, and diversity of background. In-state preference consistent with SUNY mission.
MCAT median512 (range 507–518)
GPA median3.79 overall / 3.57 science (BCPM)
Class size200
In-state preferenceStrong — primarily in-state
In-state matriculants85%
CASPerNot required
AAMC PREviewNot required
Holistic review emphasisCommitment to urban underserved medicine, health equity, diversity of background, and community service.
NotesChecked 2026-09-13 against the school's own published figures: class of 200. Not confirmed from the school's own pages: MCAT, GPA, science GPA, in-state share. Interview format checked 2026-10-07 against https://www.downstate.edu/education-training/student-services/admissions/_documents/policy_on_selection_and_admissions.pdf.
Specialities offeredUrban Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, Public Health

MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures are taken from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine's published admissions data. Class profiles are republished each year — confirm which entering class these numbers describe before you rely on them.

Working towards the MCAT score SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) expects? Build a week-by-week plan from your test date — free for the first two weeks.

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Interview

How SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) interviews applicants

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine Medicine interview — 2027 entry
FormatAbout an hour with a single faculty interviewer, plus a 30-minute peer conversation with a current medical student; virtual
Interview window (2027 entry)October 2026–March 2027
Decision date (2027 entry)March 30, 2027 (AAMC standard)
Post-interview chancesApproximately 15–25% of interviewed applicants receive an offer, with in-state applicants converting at higher rates. Estimates based on publicly available data; verify with admissions.
Tutor insight
SUNY Downstate sits in urban Brooklyn, so clinical exposure is exceptionally high-acuity and diverse. Candidates who have volunteered in similar safety-net or urban health settings connect most authentically with interviewers. The school values mission alignment to health equity above polished credentials. A slightly lower MCAT paired with a compelling urban health narrative is more competitive here than a perfect MCAT with no demonstrated commitment to the school's patients. Kings County Hospital is one of the busiest public hospitals in the country. Research its patient population, departments, and history as part of your "why Downstate" preparation.
Practice

Practise for your SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD)

Two questions from our US bank that match SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD)’s panel format. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

MediumMMI · PanelQ1

First-Generation Applicant Strengths and Challenges

You are the first in your family to attend college and are now applying to medical school. Your parents worked hourly-wage jobs and could not offer financial support, networking advantages or pre-medical advising, so you sought out research, clinical exposure and volunteering largely on your own.

What strengths has this background given you, and what challenges should medical schools understand about it?

Likely follow-up · How has your socioeconomic background shaped your understanding of the patients you want to serve?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
MediumMMI · PanelQ2

Predictive Testing for Huntington's Disease

A 28-year-old patient whose parent died of Huntington's disease asks whether she should undergo predictive genetic testing.

Huntington's is autosomal dominant; alleles of 40 or more CAG repeats are fully penetrant, so a positive test in that range means she will develop the disease given a normal lifespan, though 36-39 repeats fall in a reduced-penetrance range where symptoms may never appear. There is no cure or proven disease-modifying treatment.

How do you counsel her, and what ethical principles govern predictive genetic testing for untreatable conditions?

Likely follow-up · How would you explain the 50% inheritance risk and the difference between full and reduced penetrance to her in plain language?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
Open Prometheus for SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD)Free medicine interview question bank for SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) applicants →
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MCAT Strategy

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Interview preparation

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Sources

Where SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD)'s figures come from

Checked against SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine's own website on 13 September 2026: our record for the school was reconciled with what it publishes there. For most US schools that is class size and interview format only, so MCAT, GPA and acceptance-rate figures remain unconfirmed.

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) — official course page →Entry requirements, interview format and deadlines published by the school itself. The primary source for everything on this page.SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) — published admissions data →The class profile and admissions statistics this record's MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures were taken from.SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) — published admissions data →The class profile and admissions statistics this record's MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures were taken from.SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) — published admissions data →The class profile and admissions statistics this record's MCAT, GPA, acceptance-rate and class-size figures were taken from.
FAQ

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) — frequently asked questions

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine (MD) matriculants have a median MCAT of 512. The middle range of matriculants is 507–518. US schools publish medians rather than cut-offs, and committees review holistically — the MCAT is weighed alongside GPA, clinical and research experience, letters of recommendation and secondary essays.

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