Premed Advisor for Upstate New York Students
Premed students across Upstate New York have access to respected universities, academic medical centers and community healthcare systems, but they often face different challenges than applicants based in New York City. Building a competitive application may require careful planning around clinical access, research, physician shadowing, MCAT preparation and a balanced medical school list.
MedTrack Mentors provides personalized, physician-led medical school admissions guidance to students throughout the Capital Region, Central New York, the Finger Lakes, Western New York, the Southern Tier and the Hudson Valley. Every student works directly with Dr. Mario Tomei, MD, MBA, MHA, CHSE — a physician, university professor and former admissions committee member with more than 25 years in healthcare and more than 20 years in higher education.
Physician-Led Advising for Upstate New York Students
MedTrack Mentors provides individualized advising rather than generic templates or one-size-fits-all checklists. Every Upstate New York student works directly with Dr. Tomei on their application strategy — from building a meaningful clinical profile in the early premed years through final interview preparation. All sessions are conducted virtually. MedTrack Mentors does not have an Upstate New York office or physical location.
Learn more about the full scope of medical school admissions consulting offered through MedTrack Mentors.
Regions Served
MedTrack Mentors provides virtual premed advising to students throughout Upstate New York. All services are conducted remotely — there is no physical office in any of these regions.
Support for Upstate College Students
MedTrack Mentors works with premed students attending colleges and universities throughout Upstate New York, including institutions such as the University at Buffalo, University of Rochester, Syracuse University, Binghamton University, Cornell University, University at Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Union College, Colgate University, Hamilton College and SUNY Geneseo. MedTrack Mentors does not have formal partnerships with any of these institutions. For a detailed comparison of how these schools approach pre-health preparation, see [Best Pre-Med Colleges in New York](/blogs/best-premed-colleges-new-york).
Medical Schools Serving Upstate New York
Upstate New York is home to several allopathic medical schools. Acceptance rates, GPA averages and MCAT averages change each cycle — consult each school's official website and the AAMC's Medical School Admissions Requirements (MSAR) for current, verified data. Applicants should build a balanced national list rather than applying only to Upstate programs.
SUNY Upstate Medical University
Located in Syracuse, SUNY Upstate is the only academic medical center in Central New York. It has a strong primary care and rural medicine mission and serves a large geographic region. New York State residents benefit from in-state tuition.
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Located in Rochester, this private research university medical school is known for its Double Helix curriculum, which integrates basic science and clinical training from the first year. Affiliated with Strong Memorial Hospital and the broader UR Medicine health system.
Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo
A SUNY medical school located in Buffalo with clinical affiliations across Western New York, including Kaleida Health, Erie County Medical Center and the VA Western New York Healthcare System. New York State residents benefit from in-state tuition.
Albany Medical College
A private medical school in Albany, part of Albany Med Health System. Located in the Capital Region, it has a strong community health mission and serves a broad geographic area of Upstate New York and Vermont.
LECOM at Elmira
A regional campus of the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) located in Elmira in the Southern Tier. Offers a DO degree with a focus on primary care and osteopathic principles. Applicants should verify current program details directly with LECOM.
The Hudson Valley is geographically distinct from other Upstate regions and is closer to New York City. Students in the Hudson Valley may also consider programs in the New York City metro area when building their school list. Do not conflate Hudson Valley programs with New York City or Long Island institutions.
Application Services
Academic & Extracurricular Planning
Course selection, GPA strategy, and extracurricular planning to build a competitive profile from your first year.
MCAT Strategy
Personalized guidance on when to sit for the MCAT, how to prepare, and whether a retake makes strategic sense for your target schools.
Clinical & Shadowing Planning
Help evaluating and planning meaningful clinical exposure, research and physician shadowing to strengthen your application narrative.
AMCAS & AACOMAS Review
Comprehensive review of your primary application — activities, experiences, and narrative — before submission to MD and DO programs.
Personal Statement Guidance
Brainstorming, organization, revision and feedback on your personal statement. You maintain full ownership of your work and your voice.
Work & Activities Review
Strategic framing of your experiences and most meaningful activities to maximize their impact with admissions readers.
Secondary Essay Feedback
School-specific secondary essay brainstorming, revision and feedback to keep your application moving during the critical summer cycle.
School-List Development
Data-informed school list building that balances reach, target and safety programs based on your GPA, MCAT and clinical profile.
Interview Preparation
Realistic traditional and MMI interview simulations with detailed feedback from a physician who has conducted real admissions interviews.
Reapplicant Planning
A full audit of your previous application, identification of what held you back, and a stronger strategy for the next cycle.
Building Clinical Experience Outside NYC
Strong clinical experience can come from academic medical centers, community hospitals, EMS organizations, hospices, clinics and service organizations — not only from major urban hospitals. Upstate New York has a number of healthcare systems and community organizations where students may independently investigate volunteering, scribing, research and shadowing opportunities. MedTrack Mentors does not have partnerships with any of these organizations and does not guarantee placements. The goal is to help you identify meaningful experiences and present them compellingly in your application.
New York Premed Resources
MedTrack Mentors has developed a set of New York-specific resources for premed students.
Upstate New York Premed Advising — Frequently Asked Questions
When should an Upstate New York student begin advising?
Can you help students applying to SUNY medical schools?
Do you work with students outside Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo?
Can you help me build clinical experience in a smaller community?
Can you help with both MD and DO applications?
Are sessions virtual?
Can you assist reapplicants?
How do I book a free 20-minute application audit?
Does MedTrack Mentors guarantee admission?
Ready to Build a Stronger Application?
Schedule a free 20-minute application audit with Dr. Tomei. All sessions are conducted virtually — available to Upstate New York students statewide.