The New York State/American Program is chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York and is accredited by the State of Israel. Established in 1976, the Program is taught in English and has a student population of 250. The program is open to citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada. The goal of the program is to provide graduates with a comprehensive academic foundation in the science of human disease and the clinical skills needed for diagnoses and treatment. Sackler strives to cultivate qualities that foster an empathetic, ethical doctor-patient relationship. Its curriculum and teaching methods are modeled after those of U.S. medical schools. Classes are small. Classroom, laboratory and clinical sessions are supplemented by self-study and by tutoring and seminars in small groups. Clinical clerkships begin in the third year. At the beginning of the fourth year, students take 16 weeks of electives at U.S. medical institutions.