Current Students
Pre-Health Events and Activities
Pre-Health Club Meeting
The kind of empathy practicing physicians must have to provide high-quality care is hard to measure, but volunteer hours indicate medical school applicants have concerns that extend beyond themselves.
In terms of the type of volunteer work medical schools look for, it varies. The Association of American Medical Colleges asked admissions officers to rate the importance of academic, experiential, demographic and interview data used by medical school admissions committees. That study reveals that community service and volunteer work—in both medical and nonmedical settings—were given the highest weight of any experiences.
Is there a benchmark for volunteer hours that medical schools consider? The conventional wisdom seems to be 100 hours.
Please join us to discuss a few non-clinical volunteer opportunities and how to get involved. We will have representatives from Make-A-Wish and the Ronald McDonald House.
Date: Thursday March 12th
Time: 4:30- 5:30 PM
Location: SAMC 172
Careers in Biology by KSL Diagnostics
What do I do now? What can I do with this degree? Where do I start? Thinking of what to do after graduation from school can be overwhelming and it is hard to know what to do. Join this event for a broad overview of the different job options available to students.
Date and Time
Monday, March 16 2026 3:00- 4:00 PM
Science and Math Complex: Room 151
Career and Professional Education has many upcoming events including:
- 3 in 1 workshop- Resume, Cover letter, and Interviewing Techniques- Tuesday March 31, 12:30- 2:30PM, SAMC 175
Research Opportunities
The Early Undergraduate Research Opportunity (EURO) program provides Buffalo State students with an early undergraduate research experience by assisting a faculty member on a scholarly project. Recruited students may support more advanced students (undergraduate and/or graduate) or the faculty member's research/scholarly/creative activities. Applications from faculty are generally accepted during the first month of each Fall and Spring semester.
Program Details
Students are eligible to receive a stipend of $1000 (EURO) or $500 (micro-EURO) for participation in research, scholarly, or creative activity conducted by a faculty mentor (up to $200 may be awarded for necessary supplies). Applications must be completed by faculty and identify a project task (or set of tasks) to be performed by the student within a time frame of approximately ten (10) weeks/EURO or five (5) weeks/micro-EURO during the course of the semester. EURO students are encouraged to submit an abstract to the 2026 Spring Student Showcase describing the scholarly outcome of the project. All EURO awards are subject to IRB restrictions.
Proposals will be reviewed for completeness, quality of the experience for the student (based on their level of engagement with the project, other students (if applicable) and the faculty mentor), and faculty mentoring plan and prior experience mentoring undergraduates conducting research/scholarly/creative activities.
Eligibility Requirements and Expectations
- For the current round of the program, faculty members are limited to a single application involving one student.*
- The identified student must be classified as a Freshman or Sophomore with at least 12 credits awarded from Buffalo State and less than 60 total credit hours completed by the stsart of the Spring 2026 semester (note: any AP, dual credit, or similar credits from high school should be excluded from this calculation).
- A student may participate in EURO only once. However, micro-EURO project recipients will remain eligible for Fall 2026 full EURO funding if other eligibility requirements are also met.
- The recruited student should contribute to the faculty member's research/scholarly/creative activities and conduct a modest project of their own that complements the research/scholarly/creative activity for which they are providing assistance.
- The student are strongly encouraged to submit an application and present at the 2026 Spring Student Showcase being held at Buffalo State in May 2026 so that they may share their experiences as a research assistant and any findings from their project.
- Student projects should be planned for a time frame of approximately ten (10) weeks for EURO or five (5) weeks for micro-EURO awards (subject to the discretion of the faculty mentor) and must be completed within the Spring 2026 semester.
- Faculty are required to communicate with the research student a minimum of once every week and remain in close communication with the student throughout the experience.
Learn more about EURO
The new Advanced Undergraduate Research Award (AURA) program supports upper-division undergraduate students to engage in independent research, creative, or scholarly projects (outside of a regular course) conducted under the mentorship of a faculty member. Each selected student will receive a $1,000 award, with up to $500 in additional funding available to support project-related expenses. At the time of application, students must have earned a minimum of 60 credit hours (junior or senior standing), with at least the final 12 credits completed at Buffalo State. Preference will be given to full time students with strong academic records and to those with a previous record of success in EURO.
AURA awardees are required to present their work at the Spring Student Showcase on May 6, 2026. Student applications are due Wednesday, February 11, and faculty approvals are due by Friday, February 13.
Experiential learning refers to the process of gaining knowledge through direct experience—"learning by doing." Students involved in experiential learning activities apply knowledge and skills gained from traditional classroom learning to hands-on activities, often in real-world settings. Students can then apply new knowledge and skills gained from the experience back to their academic learning. The experiential learning activity often occurs outside of the traditional lecture classroom and is often accessed as part of a special program on campus. At other times, experiential learning is a required component of a course or a program and access is achieved through the faculty or academic department.
Experiential learning activities can take the form of special projects, directed research, immersion in a new culture, working in the community, special training, or gaining experience in a work setting.
Applications are open for the Carol Wright Henry Award for Undergraduate Achievement in Pre-medicine Studies (for continuing students) . This is an annual award for an outstanding senior student in a pre-medicine or health-related profession course of studies at Buffalo State. The award shall be based on overall undergraduate academic achievement. The award is $750 and the winner will be selected in March 2026.
To be eligible to receive the award, candidates must:
be a senior in good academic standing at Buffalo State
be pursuing an undergraduate degree in pre-medicine, or a pre-health related profession
have achieved the highest cumulative GPA through the end of the fall semester preceding selection
financial need shall not be considered a criterion for the award
Participants are thereby provided with a research training experience allowing them to acquire investigative techniques that can be later applied as they pursue their medical education. The program's didactic curriculum has several themes. There are content delivery around common public health issues including healthcare for the under and uninsured; healthcare disparities; research basics; a financial aid presentation and practical advice from medical students on the medical school application process and preparing for the MCAT.
In addition to these, participants engage with a wide variety of physicians in career panel discussions including primary care, pediatrics, neurology, ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, radiology, emergency medicine, and internal medicine. The highlight of the curriculum is a panel discussion populated by diversity and admissions deans from NY medical schools addressing the question “What are medical schools looking for?”
With the resumption of in-person program in 2022, the program also provides each participant with an opportunity to shadow a physician. As research training is the primary mission of the program, shadowing opportunities are limited.
Learn how our non-clinical departments support and succeed in the healthcare setting.
PULSE is a national educational organization dedicated to breaking barriers to medical education for premed students. With mentorship at the heart of our program, we connect aspiring medical professionals with experienced physicians. Our mission is to empower students from all walks of life, including first-generation college students, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ identifying students, and those from underserved areas or other marginalized groups.
Students are matched with a physician mentor specializing in a field of interest. The mentorship program offers flexible scheduling, allowing students to connect with your mentor virtually or in-person. Over the course of 3-4 months, students will have at least 3 facilitated sessions to learn about your mentor’s career journey and discuss relevant topics.
2026 Cycle:
- Applications open February 2nd 2026
- Applications close March 16th 2026
- Cycle begins April 2026
The Einstein Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) brings together 50 college students for a one-of-a-kind opportunity to conduct laboratory research at one of the world's top-ranking scientific institutions. The program is designed for undergraduates with a strong background in science who are considering a research career.
Application
SURP students arrive at Einstein in early-June for an eight-week laboratory-based work experience. Students are matched to a laboratory in the area of interest they indicate on their application. At the end of the program, students present their research in a poster session.
- SURP Housing and Stipend
free housing in the student residence complex on the Einstein campus *
$4,000 stipend
up to $500 in transportation assistance
In addition to research, SURP students participate in a variety of complementary scientific activities:
- small-group meetings to discuss their research with other students
- weekly faculty seminars on leading-edge research topics
- a workshop on ethical issues in science and medicine
- a career planning workshop
- SURP students are eligible to take part in all social activities on campus. In addition, several trips and activities are planned specifically for SURP students.
- a day at the Bronx Zoo
- a student mixer
-
student-faculty luncheons and barbecues
Case Western Reserve University
The Heart, Lung and Blood Summer Research Program is designed to engage 12 undergraduates and 8 medical students from broad backgrounds in state-of-the art biomedical research in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematological and sleep disorders research.
HLB is designed to broaden representation in biomedical research for eligible students from broad backgrounds as defined by the NIH. Please note that you must be a US citizen or Permanent resident to participate.
Participants will enjoy weekly seminars that highlight research in these disciplines, as well as activities that encourage interaction among all students engaged in summer research.
The program will culminate in a poster session required for all undergraduates and non-CWRU medical students. CWRU medical students will present their work in the subsequent School of Medicine Student Research Day event.
Stipend:
$1750 per month, minimum two months ($3500). Students who participate for longer periods will have additional pro-rated stipend support. We will provide up to $500 in travel expenses from your home to Cleveland (and back!). Some support toward dormitory housing (approximate housing cost before support: $1700) may be available.
Cancer-focused Summer Undergraduate Research (CanSUR) is a National Institute of Health funded program meant to generate excitement in highly motivated undergraduates to pursue a future in cancer research and prepare them for the next stage of their careers.
The CanSUR Program supports 32 undergraduates for a 10-week period from June through August to work in labs with Case Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Undergraduates are accepted from colleges and universities nationwide. Students receive a $5,000 stipend for the program, and housing and travel allowances are available for select appointees.
The College of Graduate Studies is currently recruiting applicants for the 2026–2027 PREP-Up cohort. PREP-Up is a 12-month, immersive research training program designed to strengthen research skills and academic competitiveness in preparation for PhD and MD/PhD programs in biomedical sciences. The program aims to help meet the critical national need for a diverse and highly trained biomedical research workforce.
Program Highlights:
- Full-time research apprenticeship under the mentorship of an established biomedical scientist
- Salary and benefits for 12 months
- Two graduate-level courses at no cost
- Participation in seminars, journal clubs, and research presentations
- Structured professional development and graduate school preparation
- Direct engagement with faculty and current graduate trainees
- The program runs from June/July 2026 through May/June 2027.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree in a biomedically related field (e.g., biology, chemistry, neuroscience, microbiology) by Spring 2026
- Strong interest in pursuing a research-focused doctoral degree (PhD or MD/PhD)
- GPA of at least 3.0
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident status
- Individuals who graduated within the last two years are also eligible
PREP-Up is particularly designed for talented and motivated students who show strong potential for research careers but may not yet have extensive laboratory experience and therefore seek additional preparation before entering rigorous doctoral programs.
- Selection is based on academic achievement, personal scholarship, and alignment of research interests with participating faculty at SUNY Upstate.
- Application Deadline: March 31, 2026 (or until all positions are filled)
Pre-Health Club
The Pre-health club will meet a few times per semester. The goal of the club is to connect current students with healthcare professionals and successful Buffalo State alumni, who will share their experiences and provide guidance for your journeys. If you have ideas for club activities, we would love your input!
Interested in Joining or learning more about the Pre-Health club? Fill out this form