Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD)
Buffalo, NY, US
Buffalo, NY, US•Est. 1846
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) Medical School - 2027 Entry Requirements & Interview Format
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.
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
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 Format
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.
What to expect at a Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) interview
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 centre 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.
What makes Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) 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 programmes in neuroscience, vascular medicine, and biomedical engineering through UB's engineering and research faculties.
Tutor insight
Jacobs School's MMI format means you need structured eight-minute frameworks for ethical and communication stations — practise 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.
PrometheusQuestion Bank
595 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.
Hard·Panel · MMIQ1
US Healthcare Ethics: Transgender Patient Care and State Law
Several US states have enacted laws restricting or prohibiting gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy and surgical interventions, for minors and in some cases for adults. You are a physician in one of these states. A 17-year-old patient has been receiving hormone therapy for two years, has parental consent, and is stable and flourishing by all clinical measures. The law now prohibits continuation of the treatment. How do you navigate your legal obligations, your clinical duty to this patient, and your ethical convictions?
Likely follow-up · What does the evidence say about the mental health outcomes of gender-affirming care for transgender adolescents?
3 expert tips in Prometheus
Medium·MMIQ2
AAMC Core Competency: Social Skills and Communication
A medical school's standardised patient exercise asks you to counsel a 55-year-old patient who has just been told by their physician that they have pre-diabetes and must make significant lifestyle changes — diet, exercise, weight loss — to avoid progressing to Type 2 diabetes. The patient seems dismissive, saying: 'I have heard this before. My father had diabetes and he managed fine.' How do you proceed with this counselling encounter?
Likely follow-up · How do you approach motivational interviewing with a patient whose prior experience has made them sceptical of lifestyle recommendations?
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Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) - Frequently asked questions
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.
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 centre 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.
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB (MD) typically interviews in October–March.
Decisions are released March 30 (AAMC standard).
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 programmes in neuroscience, vascular medicine, and biomedical engineering through UB's engineering and research faculties.
