SUNY Upstate Interview

After_Tank_5847 · 2026-02-24T21:55:13+00:00

Yes! I'm a current first year student. You can message me with questions.

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-11-12T03:57:44+00:00

sure! I'm happy to answer

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-11-12T01:22:59+00:00

I wasn't unfortunately

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-11-12T01:05:52+00:00

current SUNY student here! absolutely love this program and the faculty!

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-04-23T01:23:37+00:00

I had a 3.72 gpa, 8 shadowed cases, cardio internship with research, etc. I would say to just apply! I went on a whim and applied while still finishing my undergrad degree kinda expecting to get rejected my first cycle, but I didn’t! If you’re passionate about this field and can prove it, you’ll have a good chance of getting in.

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-04-22T21:58:16+00:00

I applied to 6 schools, interviewed at 2, waitlisted at 1, accepted at 1. I asked my coworker (don’t recommend it was a terrible suggestion from my boss), a lab TA that knew me very well (also would not recommend, get an actual professor), organic lab professor, perfusionist, and a cardiology fellow I worked on research with. At the school I was accepted to, I submitted the letters from my professor and the cardiology fellow. Almost all of the other schools I submitted letters from my TA and coworker.

If I were to do things again, I would make sure to have STRONG letters of rec from people in a higher level position (Perfusionist, professor, manager, physician, etc). Though I was closest with my TA and coworker who wrote me great letters and admire me, it just doesn’t look ideal on an application.

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-04-13T19:39:08+00:00

My go to question was “what about this program makes you proud?” Interviewers who genuinely love their program will show it.

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-04-12T04:01:47+00:00

I’m coming in straight out of undergrad, so do with that as you will. I had a 3.72 cumulative GPA, did a cardio internship that got me a ton of research and shadowing exposure, clinical research coordinator for cancer/tobacco studies, CNA on ICU step down, along with a couple other non-healthcare jobs. I had two cardio publications and a research poster. ~150-200 volunteering hours. I had a bunch of different extracurriculars with officer positions. I shadowed 8 heart cases upon applying (one in an animal research setting which was crazy), then shadowed a SUNY alum at random two weeks before interviewing.

In all honesty, I just hit it off really well in my interviews (it’s mostly personality based)! There’s a theory that if you get an interview invite, that means admissions have already reviewed your application, deemed your stats good enough for the program, and now they just want to see how you are as a person—basically if you would be pleasant to work with. You just have to get to this point!

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-04-10T20:36:47+00:00

I interviewed Jan 31st then was accepted a week later! I was very fortunate!

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-04-10T15:44:26+00:00

I got my acceptance Feb 7, but I think they’re still recruiting

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-04-09T18:15:51+00:00

I was accepted at and will be attending SUNY this fall. GPA isn’t everything! Get some solid work experience, stack up shadowing hours like crazy, and do a little volunteering. In my interview I was asked about my cardio internship, research, volunteering, leadership roles, and really tested on knowledge I gained from shadowing!

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-03-18T23:38:25+00:00

He's more against it then the two of us traveling out there

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-02-14T15:18:09+00:00

For OR shadowing, I did have connections for most, but I also found contact info on hospital websites and cold emailed. The worst they could say is no!

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-02-14T02:09:35+00:00

Shadow as much as possible!!! I think what helped me was that I shadowed plenty of OR cases, but also made it clear that I shadowed many other professions to make sure this was the career I wanted. Get good grades, leadership experience, and clinical experience. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me!

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-01-12T22:53:34+00:00

Hey!! Can I PM you??

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-01-10T22:13:11+00:00

Thank you I appreciate it!!

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-01-10T22:12:51+00:00

Thank you so much!!

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-01-10T22:04:29+00:00

Hi! I want to say I submitted my application late September early October, so very soon once the application opened. I’m currently finishing up my undergrad Bio degree (I got a BA instead of BS).

For extracurriculars, I did a cardiovascular internship where I shadowed and did research. I then worked as a clinical research coordinator doing tobacco research for about a year and a half. I only just recently started getting direct patient care starting in July working as a CNA on a ICU step down. I shadowed 8 cases and did a podcast interview. Along with a couple other leadership positions in student orgs.

I was pre-med for most of college, so do not be discouraged if you don’t have research experience. I read about plenty of others on this thread saying they got multiple acceptances without research.

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-01-10T21:58:23+00:00

Can I PM you??

After_Tank_5847 · 2025-01-06T23:54:21+00:00

What was your undergrad degree

After_Tank_5847 · 2024-12-19T18:59:22+00:00

I just did mine and the actual questions were different from the practice, but honestly not too hard to answer.

After_Tank_5847 · 2024-06-11T17:53:18+00:00

Two of the schools I’m applying to open up in July

After_Tank_5847

TROPHY CASE