Syracuse, N.Y. -- Upstate Medical University's first year class of medical students has a higher percentage of New York residents than any medical school in the state.

Of the 156 students who started in the fall, 87.8 percent are from New York, Upstate announced today. Upstate's percentage was higher than other SUNY medical schools in Buffalo (82.6 percent), Brooklyn (80.5 percent) and Stony Brook (73.4 percent). Tha analysis is based on data from the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Cornell's medical school in New York City had the lowest percentage of state residents, 23.8 percent.

Upstate said it has made a concerted effort to attract and enroll New Yorkers. Upstate received 4,730. Less than half of them were New Yorkers.

Dr. David Smith, Upstate's president, said he challenged the school's admissions committee to look closely at applications from state residents. "We have an excellent class and the state has a strong chance of retaining them," Smith said in a prepared statement.

The class contains 29 students from rural New York counties. Upstate said those students are being encouraged to seek careers working in rural settings. Upstate has a rural medical scholars program designed for those students.

Percentage of state residents enrolled in first year classes at N.Y. medical schools Upstate Medical: 87.8 percent SUNY Buffalo: 82.6 percent SUNY Downstate: 80.5 percent SUNY Stony Brook: 73.4 percent Hofstra-North Shore: 53.3 percent Albert Einstein: 44.3 percent Rochester: 37.3 percent Albany: 37 percent New York Medical: 34.9 percent New York University: 34.2 percent Mount Sinai: 30.9 percent Columbia: 30.7 percent Cornell: 23.8 percent

Source: Association of American Medical Colleges

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Upstate's medical school enrolls highest percentage of NY residents in the state