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Former name | Geneva Medical College (1834–1871) Syracuse University College of Medicine (1871–1950) |
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| Type | Publicmedical school |
| Established | 1834; 191 years ago (1834)[1] |
Parent institution | State University of New York |
| Endowment | $260.1 million (2023)[2] |
| Budget | $1.8 billion (2020)[3] |
| Chancellor | John King Jr.[4] |
| President | Mantosh Dewan, M.D.[5][6] |
Academic staff | 676(2017)[7][8] |
| Students | 1,528(Fall 2020)[9] |
| Undergraduates | 205(Fall 2020)[9] |
| Postgraduates | 1,323(Fall 2020)[10] |
| Location | ,, United States 43°02′34″N76°08′24″W / 43.04278°N 76.14000°W /43.04278; -76.14000 |
| Campus | Urban, 99 acres (0.40 km2) |
| Colors | Navy Blue & Steel Blue |
| Website | upstate.edu |
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TheState University of New York Upstate Medical University (SUNY Upstate) is apublicmedical school inSyracuse, New York. Founded in 1834, Upstate is the15th oldest medical school in the United States and is the only medical school inCentral New York. The university is part of theState University of New York (SUNY) system.
SUNY Upstate is anupper-division transfer anddoctoral university with degree-granting programs in the Norton College of Medicine (NCOM), College of Health Professions (CHP), College of Graduate Studies (CoGS) and the College of Nursing.
As one of 140academic medical centers in the United States,[11] theUpstate University Health System serves over 1.8 million people annually. Its facilities includeUpstate University Hospital, the region's onlyLevel 1 trauma andburn center;[12] Upstate Community Hospital; Golisano Children's Hospital; Upstate Brain & Spine Center; Upstate Cardiovascular Center; Upstate Cancer Center; and other satellite sites in Central New York.[13] Many of Upstate's faculty provide patient care, teach, and conduct research at the University Hospital.
Part of the SUNY system since 1950,[14] Upstate provides over 12,000 employment opportunities,[15][16] making it Central New York's largest employer.[17] The university adds more than $2.5 billion to the state economy annually. Over 8,000 SUNY Upstate alumni physicians are licensed in the United States and they generate more than $24.8 billion in economic activity and support or employ over 140,000 employees.[18]
The present Upstate Medical University College of Medicine traces its ancestry toGeneva Medical College founded on September 15, 1834, as part of Geneva College, today known asHobart and William Smith Colleges. The medical school, located inGeneva, New York, was the brainchild ofEdward Cutbush, MD, who became its first dean. GMC held its first classes in February 1835, and became the first college to grant a fullM.D. to a woman,Elizabeth Blackwell, in 1849.[1]
Among the early luminaries at GMC were Prof. of SurgeryFrank Hastings Hamilton, pioneer inorthopedics,military surgery, and military hygiene;Stephen Smith, briefly a GMC student in 1847–1848, later an innovative sanitarian and surgeon in New York City; Lecturer in the Theory and Practice of MedicineAustin Flint, developer of modern methods ofauscultation, cofounder (with Hamilton and several other GMC faculty) of the University of Buffalo College of Medicine, and eventually President of theAmerican Medical Association (AMA); and Prof. of Anatomy and PhysiologyWillard Parker, who became the premier surgeon at Bellevue.[1]
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In 1871 Hobart disbanded GMC and sold its library, anatomical specimens, and other tangible assets to Dean John Towler. Acting as a private citizen, Towler donated these materials to the newSyracuse University on condition that the trustees immediately establish an AMA-approved medical school. Thus the Syracuse University College of Medicine came into being on December 4, 1871, withFrederick Hyde as dean.[1]
In 1876,Sarah Loguen Fraser became the first woman to gain an MD from the college, now known as the SUNY Upstate Medical University and is believe to be only the fourth African-American women to become a licensed physician in the United States. A portrait of Dr Sarah Loguen Fraser hangs in the Upstate Medical University's library. Other commemorations of Dr Loguen Fraser include a campus street and building named in her honor, as well as scholarship from the Norton College of Medicine.
In the latter part of the century, the SU College of Medicine was among the first to institute a graded medical instruction program, with definite pre-clinical andclinical years and organize its curriculum according to the so-called "German model," with intense scientific and especially laboratory training for students in the first two years, and rigorous clinical training on rounds thereafter.[1]This tradition of steadily improving educational methods, practices, and facilities placed the SU College of Medicine in a good light for the Carnegie Foundation'sFlexner Report in 1910. The Flexner Report hastened the demise of many medical schools in the United States and Canada, but, as Abraham Flexner wrote, "Of the eleven medical schools now existing in the state, only the bona-fide university departments can then expect to survive: outside of New York city, Syracuse University alone has just now a chance."[14]
In 1950,State University of New York (SUNY) moved to add a medical center in Syracuse and ultimately acquired the College of Medicine from Syracuse University as a part of GovernorThomas E. Dewey's vision forUpstate New York.[14] After carrying the names "SUNY Upstate Medical Center" (initially) and "SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse" (1986), the institution was renamed to become SUNY Upstate Medical University in 1999.
The first decade of the 21st century has been one of growth: the opening of the Institute for Human Performance for basic and clinical research; the East Tower expansion of University Hospital that houses the Golisano Children's Hospital and other clinical specialties; the Upstate cancer center; the Nappi Longevity Institute; a renovated gross anatomy lab; the Setnor Academic Building with a unique clinical skills center; and the purchase of land for a new Biotechnology Research Center; Geneva Tower including expansion of facilities pastInterstate 81.[1]
The university's main campus is located in theUniversity Hill neighborhood ofSyracuse, New York flankingInterstate 81. It includes Upstate University Hospital, the Institute for Human Performance, Setnor Academic Building, Central New York Gamma Knife Center, Jacobsen Hall, Regional Oncology Center, Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital, Weiskotten Hall, the Health Sciences Library, Silverman Hall and Geneva Tower residence hall. A clinical campus inBinghamton, New York was established in 1976. Medical students spend their first two years of medical school inSyracuse, New York and then approximately a quarter of the class completes their training in Binghamton. Although the Clinical Campus is community-based, Binghamton students spend similar amounts of time in hospitals on their rotations.[19]
Medical students on the Syracuse campus complete their clinical years at Upstate's own University Hospital and its affiliates. Students on the Syracuse campus learn alongside doctors at the Central New YorkGamma Knife Center, Upstate's Clark Burn Center, the Joslin Diabetes Center etc.[20]
Upstate University Hospital is a 752-bed non-profit,teaching hospital located inSyracuse,New York.[21] Upstate University Hospital is a part of the Upstate Health System, as the flagship hospital in the system. As the hospital is a teaching hospital, it is affiliated with the Upstate Medical University.[22] The hospital is also anAmerican College of Surgeons verifiedLevel 1 Trauma Center, the only in the region and one of 21 in New York.[23] Attached to the hospital is the Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital that treats infants, children, teens, and young adults aged 0–21.[24]
In addition to being the region's only Level-I Trauma Center, Upstate includes:[25]
University Hospital's New York State Designated Centers include:
There are sevenclinical departments that offer surgery at Upstate University Hospital. Collectively, the hospital offers moresurgeons, robotic instrumentation and specialty procedures than any other facility inCentral New York, with the Department of Surgery providing the largest component. In addition, the past decade has seen the expansion of cancer surgical specialties at Upstate. The surgeons who treat cancer see patients through the Upstate Cancer Center, a newer facility which provides disease-specific, multidisciplinary care to patients with different types of cancer.[26]
Upstate is an upper-division transfer and doctoral universityclassified among "Special Focus Four-Year: Medical Schools and Centers", 1 of only 54 in the nation specializing solely in health care careers.[27] This means students applying to thebachelors programs take the prerequisite courses (minimum 60 semester hours) at another college and then complete their junior and senior years of the bachelor's degree at Upstate for their program of study. Students in the graduate and post-graduate programs enter having completed a bachelors and/or a master's degree prior to enrollment.[28]
Total enrollment is 1,592 students (including 699 medical students) in addition to 619 residents and clinical fellows.[29] Upstate employs 623 full-time faculty members and 1,809 part-time and voluntary faculty.[13]
The Norton College of Medicine is the2nd and 15th oldest medical school in New York state and the United States respectively. The COM offersprofessional andgraduate degrees including theMaster of Public Health (MPH) andDoctor of Medicine (MD). In addition, in conjunction with the College of Graduate Studies, the COM grants joint degrees including MD/MBA,MD/PhD and MD/MPH.
The College of Medicine is the highest-funded school within the university, as a result graduates continue to do exceptionally well in matching into high quality programs for residency and match at a higher rate than the national average.[30][31] Students in the College of Medicine have access to research facilities, classrooms, laboratories and clinical facilities, including the Clinical Skills Teaching Center,Surgical Simulation, Research and Training Center, Gross Anatomy lab and Research Labs at the Institute of Human Performance (IHP).[32]
All College of Medicine students spend their first two years at the Upstate Medical University campus in Syracuse. At the start of the third year, one-fourth of the class moves to theBinghamton Clinical Campus, one hour south of Syracuse for their third year, and most elect to stay for their fourth. The rest of the class remains in Syracuse.[33]
As an academic medical center, most of the physicians providing services at Upstate University Hospital are also faculty at Upstate's College of Medicine, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to education and training. Several departments —Internal Medicine,Ophthalmology,Urology,Orthopedics andNeurosurgery, in particular — have considerable faculty and external funding dedicated to their research mission. Physicians also partner with external institutions, such as nearbySyracuse andCornell Universities fortissue engineering and brain tumor research.[26]
Along with the University Hospital, the College of Medicine has five clinical affiliates in Syracuse and over 400 clinical sites throughout Central New York, including:
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In addition, there are more than 20 clinical departments at the college fully accredited by theAccreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) training more than 700 resident physicians.[37]
On December 22, 2021, the College of Medicine was renamed the Alan and Marlene Norton College of Medicine in recognition of a $25 million estate gift made by Alan and Marlene Norton.[38][39] Alan Norton graduated from the College of Medicine in 1966 and then went on to complete his residency and fellowship training at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins University and Massachusetts Eye and Ear.
On April 20, 2022, SUNY Upstate Medical University and Syracuse University reached a partnership to start a joint M.D./MBA program that will allow students the opportunity to earn two degrees within a five-year program.[40]
The College of Graduate Studies awards theDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) andMaster of Science (M.S.) in a variety ofBiomedical Research Departments and is known for its basic science education and research. The graduate studies program began in 1947 when the college first offered master's and PhD degrees in biochemistry.[41] The college now has graduate programs forBiochemistry &Molecular Biology,Cell & Developmental Biology,Microbiology &Immunology,Neuroscience,Pharmacology andPhysiology. In addition, the college along with the College of Medicine offers a joint MD/PhD.[42]
To meet the shortage of nurses, the State University of New York Upstate Medical University initiated anAssociate degree program in 1959. More than 500registered nurses were graduated from the program between 1959 and 1976. In 1974, as a response to the need for primary care nurses, a Nurse Practitioner Certificate Program was implemented. This program was supported primarily by federal grant monies.[43]
As enrollment grew, the College of Nursing was initially established in 1986, with M. Janice Nelson appointed as the first dean.[43] Soon after, it began offering bachelor's and master's degrees and currently has the following education programs in nursing:Bachelor of Science (BS),Master of Science (MS), Post Masters Advanced Certificate, andDoctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).[44]
The College of Health Professions was formed in 1971. However, programs in the Health Professions have been in existence on this campus since 1956. Students can choose from nine health care fields: Behavior Analysis Studies (MS),Cardiovascular Perfusion (MS),Medical Biotechnology (BS and MS),Medical Imaging Sciences (BS),Physical Therapy (DPT),Physician Assistant (MS),Radiation Therapy (BS) andRespiratory Therapy (BS).
The College of Health Professions annually admits over 130 students into its programs. There are 32 full-time and 8 part-time faculty. In addition, there are more than 240 clinical and adjunct faculty who contribute to the college's educational programs.[45]
As abiomedical research enterprise, Upstate focuses on the most prevalent human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, nervous system disorders, vision, and infectious diseases. The quest for treatments and cures is built upon expertise in structural, molecular and systems biology.Grants are concentrated in five basic science departments; Upstate's clinical departments host more than 450 activeclinical trials. Upstate's research expenditures of more than $35 million ripple through the state economy and generated an additional $20.7 million in indirect and induced activity.[15]
Upstate Medical University completed the construction of theUpstate Cancer Center, a five-story $74-million facility, in July 2014 and expanded it in 2018 to meet patient's demands and further research capability.[46][47] In addition, theNappi Longevity Institute at Upstate Medical University—a five floor, nearly 200,000 square foot health and wellness complex—will be completed in 2023. To fund the $154 million project, Upstate received a $70.6 million grant as part of the Capital Restructuring Financing Program and Essential Health Care Provider Support Program, and an additional $70.6 million in matching bonds from New York state.[48] Upstate is currently designated as a Center of Excellence for Alzheimer's disease by New York State.[49]
GovernorAndrew M. Cuomo congratulated Upstate Medical on its No.1 rankingCOVID-19 saliva test by theU.S. Food and Drug Administration for detecting the virus in its earliest stages. The test developed by Upstate Medical and NY Start-UpQuadrant Biosciences, called Clarifi COVID-19, was also cited by the FDA as being among the most sensitive tests.[50]
On March 12, 2021, Upstate announced the opening of the Upstate Medical VectorBiocontainment Lab established to researchinfectious diseases that pose major public health risks. The new $7.6 million 2,500-square-foot laboratory was funded by New York State investment and will house clinical experts from State University of New York institutions who will collaborate on cutting-edge research ofCoronavirus,Lyme,West Nile,Zika,Dengue, and other infectious diseases. The VBL also features a Human Challenge Room, where a human test subject may receive a mosquito bite, allowing for natural disease transmission and a potentially more accurate understanding of the disease and how to treat it.[51][52]
"You would find this only at the CDC or in an Army laboratory," Thangamani, MD said of the Human Challenge Room. "It’s rare to find this in an academic setting."[52]
On March 3, 2022, theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a patent to Upstate Research Foundation, Quadrant Biosciences andPenn State Research Foundation for developing a novelepigeneticsaliva test forautism. The patent covers the scientific foundation for the development of a saliva-based, multiomic autism diagnostic aid, that can differentiate individuals with autism from individuals with typical development or developmental delays by measuringmicroRNA (miRNA) andmicrobiome levels in saliva.[53]
In 2013, Upstate Medical University, in partnership withSUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF),Syracuse University,Cornell University, theUniversity of Rochester andSUNY Buffalo received a $2 million federal grant to acquire an 800 MHzNuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometer. The acquisition of the spectrometer filled a void in the region's research landscape as this instrument will be the only one of its kind in Central and Western New York. "It speaks volumes about the power of a system when this grant was led by SUNY Upstate, the equipment will be housed at ESF, and its use will be open to scientists from across Central andWestern New York," said SUNY ChancellorNancy Zimpher.[54] In addition, Upstate and ESF were recently awarded $15 million through a competitive grant program to create the SUNY Institute of Environmental Health & Environmental Medicine.[55]
In addition, a jointMaster of Public Health degree program and a joint PhD program inbiomedical engineering are offered by SUNY Upstate and Syracuse University.[56] The campuses of the two universities are adjacent to each other onUniversity Hill in Syracuse. In 2021, a research collaboration between Upstate Medical University and Syracuse University on detectingAlzheimer's disease won the IAAI-21 Deployed Application Award on Innovative Applications ofArtificial Intelligence. In their paper the team states, "Our research is the first to develop an effectivemachine learning approach that can identify the latent patterns due to preclinical AD fromMRI brain scans, which can significantly improve AD patients’ intervention and treatment."[57]
In 2021, the MD program received over 7,000 applications for 160 seats, an increase of over 26% from the previous year.[58][59][60] In 2020, the incoming class had an average GPA of 3.77 andMCAT score of 513, which is 90th percentile nationally.[61][62] Over 52.6% of applicants were "Out of State" with respect to state residency and the remaining 47.4% were NYS residents.[58]
The College of Medicine has a 97% pass rate on theUnited States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1.[63] In addition, Upstate had amatch rate of 97% vs. 92.8% nationally forUS MD schools in 2021 for first-yearresidency positions.[64][65]U.S. News & World Report ranked the NCOM 31st in the Best Research category among all public medical schools nationally.[66]
In 2020, thePA program was ranked #46 nationally in theBest Physician Assistant Programs by U.S. News & World Report. The Physical Therapy program (DPT) was ranked #57 nationally in theBest Physical Therapy Programs by US News. In addition, theMPH program was ranked #104 nationally in theBest Public Health Schools category by US News.[67]
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