2017-2018 SUNY - Buffalo

Started by gyngyn
BU Medical Sciences
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Hey everyone, I'm a MS2 at UB currently. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about the school. I don't have much knowledge about admissions though - I don't do interviews, it's been 2 years since I interviewed and I have repressed the whole experience of trying to get into medical school. Feel free to send me a message and I'll try to remember to come back on here.
 
doughnutty said:
Hey everyone, I'm a MS2 at UB currently. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about the school. I don't have much knowledge about admissions though - I don't do interviews, it's been 2 years since I interviewed and I have repressed the whole experience of trying to get into medical school. Feel free to send me a message and I'll try to remember to come back on here.
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What do you think of your pre-clinical education thus far? How does it break down (percentage or hours/ week) between lecture, PBL, and the active learning classrooms? Has the split worked for you or if not, is there anything you would change?
 
Go4Doc said:
What do you think of your pre-clinical education thus far? How does it break down (percentage or hours/ week) between lecture, PBL, and the active learning classrooms? Has the split worked for you or if not, is there anything you would change?
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Oh boy, I thought I would get only softball questions. It's been hit or miss for me (I'm pretty much done with pre-clinical so I've seen it all). Some modules are really well run and interesting, and some need work - but the administration is really responsive to student comments and are always working to improve them. I'm not sure I can give you exact numbers about the distribution and modules vary. I think it's majority lecture, but I kind of like that. They're working towards better integration of active learning stuff, and I think it's a good move; I think the facilities at the new school will help.
 
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doughnutty said:
Hey everyone, I'm a MS2 at UB currently. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have about the school. I don't have much knowledge about admissions though - I don't do interviews, it's been 2 years since I interviewed and I have repressed the whole experience of trying to get into medical school. Feel free to send me a message and I'll try to remember to come back on here.
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Hi! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience 🙂

Do people generally feel well-prepared for their step exams? Maybe I misheard, but I feel like they told us during interview day that exams are based on NBME-type questions in order to better prepare people for step 1.

And how open is the faculty to having students get involved in research? When do people typically get started on research projects? (Doing all of anatomy during the first semester, I feel like I'd just be trying to get my bearings for the first few months before getting involved with other stuff...)

Thanks again!
 
ginkgo5 said:
Hi! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience 🙂

Do people generally feel well-prepared for their step exams? Maybe I misheard, but I feel like they told us during interview day that exams are based on NBME-type questions in order to better prepare people for step 1.

And how open is the faculty to having students get involved in research? When do people typically get started on research projects? (Doing all of anatomy during the first semester, I feel like I'd just be trying to get my bearings for the first few months before getting involved with other stuff...)

Thanks again!
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It's hard for me to comment on how people feel - it's kind of subjective and depends on what you do during the dedicated study period, and I haven't taken step 1 yet. I think we all have the potential to do well. They try to make the exams as NBME as possible (some have full NBME tests in addition to regular course ones), but some fact based questions still make it through.

The faculty is very open to having students getting involved in research. In the second semester, they will help you find someone in the field you want to pursue. Research is not allowed in the first semester for the reasons you mentioned.
 
Does anyone know how merit scholarships work here... are all accepted students automatically considered, when would we expect to hear, etc?
 
Almond Man said:
Got an interview invite here. Can anyone comment if I'll be interviewing for a waitlist spot this late in the cycle?
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No, I don't think so. On my interview day (1/31) they said that there were still many spots in the class open and will be as long as they interview. They said because of the random review process there is no penalty for getting a later review/interview and as long as there are still interviews there are still spots open in the class. Additionally, I've seen a lot of people on here get waitlisted post-interview and was told by many students on interview day that this is intentional to leave spots open until the end and many people are pulled off the waitlist (one student said the majority of the class is pulled off the waitlist).

Either way, congrats on the II (they stressed throughout the day what a huge accomplishment it was to even be invited)! I would definitely go if you have the means. The new campus is beyond gorgeous and everyone I met was lovely. I've been to 14 interviews and this school was in my top two if not my favorite.
 
On the back of the 2x2 photo, is it acceptable to print one's name/AMCAS number by hand, or should the printing be done with a computer printer? What have other people done?
 
Hey guys! Interviewed on 3/14, haven’t heard back yet. Students said I would hear the next day but admissions said could take 3 weeks to hear back. Did anyone who interviewed that day hear anything? Thanks!
 
ipm7236 said:
Hey guys! Interviewed on 3/14, haven’t heard back yet. Students said I would hear the next day but admissions said could take 3 weeks to hear back. Did anyone who interviewed that day hear anything? Thanks!
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They must still be celebrating that awesome NCAA tournament win. Well done Buffalo!
 
ipm7236 said:
Hey guys! Interviewed on 3/14, haven’t heard back yet. Students said I would hear the next day but admissions said could take 3 weeks to hear back. Did anyone who interviewed that day hear anything? Thanks!
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It can take a bit longer sometimes. I found out the day after I interviewed and when I checked this thread, it looked like some people who had interviewed the week before me found out at the same time as me. Fingers crossed for you!
 
Anyone interviewing this coming week? 😀
So much anxiety/excitement for my upcoming interview! I really want to get in!
Accepting all tips from those of who have already interviewed! :cold:
 
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babina23 said:
Anyone interviewing this coming week? 😀
So much anxiety/excitement for my upcoming interview! I really want to get in!
Accepting all tips from those of who have already interviewed! :cold:
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Highly recommend wearing shoes that you can walk in comfortably - the tour was pretty long. (The new building is GORGEOUS, though.) Other than that, just enjoy and be yourself. Getting the invite is a big achievement in itself (they interview a fairly small proportion of their total applicants), so you should go in there feeling confident. And everyone there is so lovely and welcoming; very proud of their city and their school and wanting to share that with you, and very kind. They don't call it the "city of good neighbors" for nothing... The interviewers are on your side - they're looking to learn more so they can sell you to the committee. Know what you wrote on AMCAS and be ready to talk about it (extracurriculars/personal statement stuff was the bulk of both my interviews). The interviewers don't see your GPA or MCAT, but they see everything else on your application and that's what they'll be talking to you about. Also, prepare to have some ethics/professionalism scenarios brought up (nothing too crazy, just use your common sense).

Also don't stress if the answer is a WL. From what I've heard/seen on this thread, most people are WL'd post-interview and then the waitlist sees a lot of movement.

Wishing you the very best of luck!!
 
ginkgo5 said:
Highly recommend wearing shoes that you can walk in comfortably - the tour was pretty long. (The new building is GORGEOUS, though.) Other than that, just enjoy and be yourself. Getting the invite is a big achievement in itself (they interview a fairly small proportion of their total applicants), so you should go in there feeling confident. And everyone there is so lovely and welcoming; very proud of their city and their school and wanting to share that with you, and very kind. They don't call it the "city of good neighbors" for nothing... The interviewers are on your side - they're looking to learn more so they can sell you to the committee. Know what you wrote on AMCAS and be ready to talk about it (extracurriculars/personal statement stuff was the bulk of both my interviews). The interviewers don't see your GPA or MCAT, but they see everything else on your application and that's what they'll be talking to you about. Also, prepare to have some ethics/professionalism scenarios brought up (nothing too crazy, just use your common sense).

Also don't stress if the answer is a WL. From what I've heard/seen on this thread, most people are WL'd post-interview and then the waitlist sees a lot of movement.

Wishing you the very best of luck!!
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Thank you!! This was super helpful!

Approximately how long were each of your interviews?
 
babina23 said:
Thank you!! This was super helpful!

Approximately how long were each of your interviews?
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My pleasure! And they were both somewhere between 30 mins and 1 hour. Lengths vary depending on who your interviewer is - some of the other people who interviewed with me had shorter interviews, some had longer. Don't read too much into the length 🙂
 
Kind of pissed I interviewed here so early as I didn’t get to see the new school.. they took us on a tour of the old school we’d never step foot in instead.
 
Thanks Obongo said:
Kind of pissed I interviewed here so early as I didn’t get to see the new school.. they took us on a tour of the old school we’d never step foot in instead.
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I believe they also had a second look day for students who had interviewed but did not see the new campus. I also interviewed at the old one and missed out too.
 
Only downside of the new campus: the big health sciences library is still on South Campus. The new building has a "library" (basically a big quiet study area with couches, cubicles, group study rooms)... without books. 🙁 Oh well. Most stuff is online these days anyway.
 
MooberGoober said:
I believe they also had a second look day for students who had interviewed but did not see the new campus. I also interviewed at the old one and missed out too.
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Wish I had the time to do that. Oh well. Here’s to hoping we see the school this fall 😀
 
doughnutty said:
Hey, I'm a 2nd year - there will be a facebook group soon, probably once the first year orientation committee gets chosen. There will be plenty of time to find roommates, just enjoy the rest of your year.
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master_debater said:
Is there facebook group for accepted students?
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Go4Doc said:
+1 I want to start looking for prospective roommates.
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What about that Fb group?

I just made one, the name is "BuffaloMd new Arrivals", hopefully it's searchable. . Let it be a place holder until you make one. Then we can link the groups.
 
Has anyone who interviewed on 3/14 heard back yet? What is the typical turnaround time for a decision at this point in the cycle?
 
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Can someone speak on the curriculum and the professors? I understand they have been changing it recently and want to know if they have figured it out.
 
Current students, what is "housing week" and is it important to physically be there? As an OOS I wasn't planning on moving to Buffalo until around the beginning of August. I may actually be out of the country during mid-June and I just want to make sure I don't miss anything vital.
 
Do you mean the new accepted median MCAT and gpa? The new median MCAT is 512, gpa 3.8, sgpa 3.76 for accepted students.
 
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