Transfer Students

We do not have any transfer openings for the 2006-2007 academic year.

Students interested in transferring into SUNY Upstate Medical University's College of Medicine is limited to United States citizens or permanent residents. To be eligible for transfer, students must be in good standing and matriculated at a medical school approved by the New York State Department of Education. Individuals who have already earned an M.D. degree are not eligible to transfer.

Applications are accepted to the third year class from LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education) approved schools. The deadline to complete an application is April 1.

The Admissions Committee takes into consideration as much information as possible that delineates an applicant's total qualifications for the study and practice of medicine. Decisions are influenced by a review of college records, medical school records, letters of recommendation, USMLE Step 1 scores, MCAT scores and personal data. The following factors are also considered in the selection of applicants. The order of listing is not intended to indicate their order of importance.

• Character. Because the honesty and integrity of a physician are such important traits, the applicant's character is of great concern to those who evaluate qualifications for admission.
• Communication Skills. Due to the importance of being able to communicate effectively with patients and other people, consideration is given to the applicant's ability to express himself/herself clearly, both orally and in writing.
• Personal Experiences. Meaningful experiences in relating to people is an asset.
• Scholastic Aptitude. The need for learning a vast amount of material quickly and well, applicants must demonstrate a high level of scholastic aptitude in previous college experience and current medical school performance. A broad liberal arts background is also an asset. Most selected applicants, will have a better than average USMLE, Step I Score.
• Scientific Aptitude. Because of the scientific nature of medical study and practice, applicants must provide evidence of being able to handle scientific subjects with reasonable facility.

Letters of Recommendation

• A letter from the premedical college's Health Professions Advisory Committee must be forwarded to us. If this has been sent with a previous application to Upstate (within the past three years), only a supplementary letter is required. Please indicate this in writing to our Office of Admissions. If the premedical college does not have a committee, then letters from faculty members in two different premedical science (biology, chemistry, or physics) departments under whom courses have been taken will be acceptable.
• A letter of recommendation from the Dean's Office of the medical school you are attending is required and must include certification that you are in good standing and eligible for promotion.
• If you have completed a clinical experience in the U.S. the person who supervised your work should forward a letter of recommendation to our Admissions Committee.

Admissions Requirements

Only applicants who qualify for admission to the first year class, in terms of premedical education, will be considered for admission to the third year class. Applicants must have the following pre-requisite courses:

Applicants from foreign schools must submit a course-by-course evaluation, a copy of their TOEFL score report and demonstrate competency in English composition and expression.

Professional Education—In addition to meeting all premedical requirements, transfer applicants to the third year class must have satisfactorily completed all courses, or the equivalent, which comprise the first two years of the curriculum at Upstate. The required courses include:

Test and Exam Scores—MCAT, the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) must be taken and the scores submitted to the Admissions Committee.

For information on the MCAT, write to:

MCAT Registration

The American College Testing Program
P.O. Box 414
Iowa City, Iowa 52250

If you have previously taken the MCAT, your scores should be forwarded to our Admissions Committee. This may be accomplished by writing to:

MCAT Records

The American College Testing Program
P.O. Box 451
Iowa City, Iowa 52240

Admission preference will be given to applicants who have scores within five years of the date of the transfer application.

Step 1 United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)—Applicants applying for transfer to our College of Medicine must submit scores from the Step 1 United States Medical Licensing Examination, which is offered to international students by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).

Applications may be obtained by writing to:

ECFMG
3624 Market St., 4th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104-2685

All applicants, domestic and international, must submit Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination. Upstate requires a passing score on Step 1 of the USMLE.

Transcripts—Transcripts of all academic work undergraduate, graduate, and professional are required. If you are applying from a foreign medical school, then the documents must be accompanied by notarized official translations.

Personal Interview — The limitations of time and interviewing personnel make it impractical to interview every applicant. For this reason, invitations for a personal interview are issued only to those whose academic records and other qualifications appear sufficiently strong to justify such detailed study. Interviews are ordinarily conducted by one interviewer. The interview provides a means for both the school and the applicant to learn more about each other. The candidate may see the medical center's facilities and obtain additional information about the college. It also provides an opportunity for discussion and clarification of information submitted on the application form regarding academic record, extracurricular interest, etc. In addition, the interviewer endeavors to appraise such personal qualifications as warmth of personality, ability to adjust to social situations, poise,bearing, ability to communicate ideas clearly and concisely, and soundness of motivation.

Application Procedures
The following procedures must be adhered to:

• Request a transfer application form from the Office of Student Admissions at Upstate.
• Submit the application form after January 1 and prior to April 1 of the year for which admission is desired. Please indicate in the Personal Comments section your reasons to transfer to Upstate's College of Medicine.
• An application fee of $100 must be submitted with the application. Checks must be made payable to SUNY Upstate Medical University.

• You must forward official transcripts from all undergraduate, graduate, and medical colleges attended. If you are attending a foreign medical school, the documents must be accompanied by a notarized official translation.
• Forward an official letter of recommendation from your Health Professions Advisory Committee. In the absence of such a committee, letters from faculty members in two different premedical science (biology, chemistry, physics) departments under whom courses have been taken will be acceptable.
• Forward an official letter of recommendation from your medical school's Dean's Office.
• Forward official scores of your Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).
• If you have completed a clinical experience in the United States, the person who supervised your work should forward a letter of recommendation to our College of Medicine.
• Accepted applicants are required to submit official score reports from USMLE Step 1. Acceptance to the third year is conditional upon receipt of a passing score.
• A favorable decision on any applicant cannot take place until all requirements as noted above are met. If the application is not completed by the time the Admissions Committee makes its final decisions, the applicant will be rejected.
• If an applicant should decide to withdraw his/her application, the Admissions Committee should be notified in writing immediately.