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US Medicine · 2027 Entry

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) Medical School2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format

Location Buffalo, NY, United StatesEstablished 1846Interviews October–MarchDecisions March 30 (AAMC standard)

Photo: Buffaboy · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Overview

About Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD)

The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, established in 1846 and one of the oldest medical schools in the United States, is a public SUNY medical school training approximately 180 students per year in Western New York. Located in a purpose-built facility in Buffalo's medical campus corridor, the school benefits from close proximity to Kaleida Health hospitals, the Buffalo VA Medical Center, and the expansive University at Buffalo research enterprise. The school has particular strengths in vascular medicine, neuroscience, and biomedical sciences, and trains physicians for academic medicine, research careers, and community practice across Western New York.

What makes it different

Jacobs School is part of the University at Buffalo, SUNY's largest and most research-intensive campus. The school moved to a new state-of-the-art medical education building in downtown Buffalo's medical campus corridor in 2017, and benefits from proximity to Kaleida Health (Gates Vascular Institute, Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo) and the Buffalo VA Medical Center. The school has strong programs in neuroscience, vascular medicine, and biomedical engineering through UB's engineering and research faculties.

Course & teaching

Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Years 1–2: organ-system integrated curriculum combining basic science, pathophysiology, and early clinical skills in simulation and standardized patient environments. Years 3–4: core and advanced clerkships at Kaleida Health hospitals (Buffalo General, Women & Children's Hospital), the Buffalo VA, Erie County Medical Center (Level I Trauma), and community sites across Western New York.

Research strengths

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) has notable research strength in Vascular biology, Neuroscience, Cancer biology, Biomedical engineering, Population health.

Interview

Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) interviews via MMI (6–8 stations, conducted in person or virtual). The Jacobs School uses a Multiple Mini Interview format with approximately six to eight timed stations of eight minutes each. Stations cover ethical dilemmas, communication role-plays, situational judgement scenarios, and reflective personal prompts. The MMI is conducted either in person at the Buffalo medical corridor campus or virtually. Given the school's Western New York setting and its role as the primary academic medical center for the region, some stations probe familiarity with or commitment to serving a large, geographically distributed upstate population. The interview day includes an admissions presentation, a student-led tour of the new medical school building and affiliated Buffalo General Medical Center / Gates Vascular Institute complex, and a student Q&A session.

Intake

Approximately 180 students per year.

At a glance

Founded in 1846, based in Buffalo, NY. Programmes offered: Vascular Medicine, Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine.

Entry requirements

What you need to apply to Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD)

Admission overview
Bachelor's degree and MCAT required. Prerequisites include biology, chemistry (general and organic), physics, and mathematics. Applications via AMCAS; secondary application required. Strong in-state preference consistent with SUNY mission. The school values research experience, academic achievement, clinical exposure, and commitment to serving Western New York communities.
MCAT median
510 (range 509–519)
GPA median
3.72 overall / 3.68 science (BCPM)
Acceptance rate
3.2%
Class size
180
In-state preference
Strong — primarily in-state
In-state matriculants
92%
CASPer
Not required
AAMC PREview
Not required
Holistic review emphasis
Research potential, clinical experience, academic achievement, and commitment to Western New York communities.
Notes
Estimates from public AAMC FACTS / AACOMAS / ADEA AADSAS / class-profile; verify current cycle.
Specialities offered
Vascular Medicine, Neuroscience, Biomedical Sciences, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine
Interview

How Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) interviews applicants

Format
MMI (6–8 stations, conducted in person or virtual)
Interview window
October–March
Decision date
March 30 (AAMC standard)
Post-interview chances
Approximately 15–25% of interviewed applicants receive an offer; in-state applicants convert at higher rates consistent with SUNY mission. Estimates based on publicly available data; verify with admissions.
Tutor insight
Jacobs School's MMI format means you need structured eight-minute frameworks for ethical and communication stations — practice with a timer. The school is part of SUNY's flagship research university; demonstrating genuine research interest and intellectual curiosity resonates with faculty evaluators who are themselves active researchers. Buffalo is a mid-sized post-industrial city with significant socioeconomic challenges; candidates who can discuss Western New York's healthcare landscape — including its large refugee and immigrant communities, industrial disease burden, and rural Eastern NY catchment area — will stand out. The new medical school building and Gates Vascular Institute are genuine selling points worth referencing in your secondary essays.
Practice

Practise for your Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) interview

PrometheusQuestion Bank621 medicine questions inside

Interview questions matched to Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD)

Two questions our tutors flagged as a strong fit for Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD)’s interview style. Try answering them out loud, then open Prometheus for the model answers and follow-up tips.

HardMMIQ1

Patient Advocacy: Discharge Planning for a Homeless Patient

A 52-year-old man with diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, and a new below-knee amputation has been medically cleared for discharge. He has no stable housing — he was living in his car before admission. The case manager says 'there are no available skilled nursing facility beds and no shelter beds that accept medical equipment.' The surgical attending says 'he is medically stable, we have to move him.' What do you advocate for, and how?

Likely follow-up · What is the ethical problem with discharging a medically fragile patient to homelessness, and does it matter that he is 'medically stable'?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
HardMMI · PanelQ2

Service Orientation: Rural and Underserved Commitment

The United States faces a severe primary care shortage, particularly in rural and medically underserved areas. More than 7,000 areas across the country are designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas. You grew up in a rural community and your family relied on a physician who drove 40 miles to reach patients. How has that experience shaped your interest in medicine, and what specific commitment, if any, are you prepared to make to address physician shortages in underserved areas?

Likely follow-up · What incentive programmes exist to encourage physicians to practise in underserved areas, and how familiar are you with them?

3 expert tips in Prometheus
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Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) — frequently asked questions

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We've helped students turn their MCAT, personal statement and interview prep into offers from Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) and other US medicine schools.