State University of New York Upstate Medical University

Syracuse, New York, United States · Est. 1834 · Medical School

New York's premier academic medical center, training physicians and health professionals since 1834.

  • Founded 1834 as Geneva Medical College; 15th-oldest medical school in the US
  • Public institution; part of SUNY system since 1950
  • 1,442 students (fall 2025): 205 undergraduates, 1,237 postgraduates
  • Four colleges: Medicine, Nursing, Graduate Studies, Health Professions
  • Operates 752-bed teaching hospital; only Level I trauma center in Central New York
  • Central New York's largest employer with 12,000+ jobs; $2.5B annual economic impact

Academics

SUNY Upstate is an upper-division transfer and doctoral university specializing exclusively in health care careers. The Norton College of Medicine (renamed 2021) offers the MD degree and joint degrees (MD/MBA, MD/PhD, MD/MPH). The College of Graduate Studies awards PhD and MS degrees in biomedical research disciplines including biochemistry, neuroscience, and pharmacology. The College of Nursing offers BS, MS, Post-Masters Advanced Certificate, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees. The College of Health Professions provides nine health care programs including physical therapy, physician assistant, and medical imaging sciences.

Campus & Facilities

The main urban campus spans 99 acres in Syracuse's University Hill neighborhood, adjacent to Syracuse University and SUNY ESF. Key facilities include Upstate University Hospital (752-bed teaching hospital), Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital, Institute for Human Performance, Upstate Cancer Center, Clark Burn Center, and multiple clinical specialty centers. A clinical campus in Binghamton, established 1976, hosts approximately one-quarter of third-year medical students. The university operates over 400 clinical sites throughout Central New York and maintains affiliations with Syracuse VA Medical Center and Crouse Hospital.

Research & Health System

As one of 140 US academic medical centers, Upstate University Health System serves over 1.8 million people annually. Research expenditures exceed $35 million, concentrated in five basic science departments with over 450 active clinical trials. The system includes the region's only Level I trauma and burn center, Level I pediatric trauma center (1 of 4 in New York), comprehensive stroke center, and designated AIDS center. Faculty physicians provide patient care, teaching, and research at University Hospital and affiliated institutions.

History & Impact

Tracing its roots to Geneva Medical College (1834), the institution became Syracuse University College of Medicine (1871) before joining SUNY in 1950. The college granted the first MD to a woman (Elizabeth Blackwell, 1849) and the first MD to an African-American woman in New York (Sarah Loguen Fraser, 1876). Over 8,000 SUNY Upstate alumni physicians are licensed in the US, generating $24.8 billion in economic activity and supporting or employing over 140,000 people.

Founded
1834
Type
Medical School
Courses
15
Total intake
Not yet verified
AffiliationState University of New York (SUNY)
Websitehttps://www.upstate.edu/
HousingAvailable
Some details are still being verified.

Quick stats

Courses offered
15
Avg career outcomes
$92.3K
Total intake
Not yet verified
Housing
Yes
Data last verified June 2026 · compiled from official sources