All I got to say is...



Who's coming with me?



Let it be known.



GO METS!

Come on, some of you have decided, meet me in the 'burbs, I grew up here, we got nice beaches and 24 hour 7-11's that sell alcohol.

w00t.

Reviving this thread from the grave..


So who's coming to the second look weekend in 2 weeks?

Anyone excited to be coming to Stony Brook? Anyone with reservations about their program?

I have a question for those in the know.. whats up with them having all of their block exams on the same day? Conducive to learning (since u wont be studying for one test while neglecting every other class at places with staggerred exams) or harmful to learning? (just way too much info to cram into a test.. kinda like mini USMLEs...)

what's up bonez?

I am certainly excited about starting school, although I won't be at the upcoming event because I am actually working up in Boston until July.

But I will be at the pre-orientation event in June.

As for the block exams, where did you read about this? When I was at the interview I remember it was the day of the first exam for freshman, and you could feel the anxiety and nervousness among the large group standing around. I can see how testing all blocks within one day would help retention of the whole spectrum of material, however this would be the first time I encounter such testing methods. I don't think it matters either way, IMHO.

Anyway, if you are going to the revisted event, have fun. I grew up around Stony Brook, people accuse the burbs of being boring, but it can be very nice in the warmer seasons.

i've decided to choose downstate over stony brook....

too bad. no love lost. Are you from the metropolitan area?

hey robinhood,

what made you choose downstate over stonybrook?

looks like I'm #3. Hopefully more people join this thread as we move closer to august.

I'm coming to the revisit day in a week or so and will be shamelessly whoring myself out for a roomate who will find me a place to live since I'm currently living in So-Cal and will be out of the country for most of the summer.

Oh, and being a second-gen American of Irish descent I don't have a chinese surname, but if I did it would be "Hu" which means "Beard, Reckless, Blindly."

So what did everyone think of the 2nd visit day (as well as the rest of your potential class mates?).

I thought the day went pretty well, although I wasn't really expecting to sit through 4 or 5 hours of talks. It was still relatively informative since I didn't get that much exposure to the curriculum during my interview day.

After experiencing Pitts hard sell interview day, I was looking for something like that from Stony Brook.. while Stony's 2nd visit day wasn't as good as pitt's schedule of activities, I do feel good about stony brook after yesterday. I can't wait to get started.

one thing that scares me:
1st semester - biochem + anatomy block exams within a couple of days of each other

Hey guys,

I went to the stony brook revisted day and really liked the school. I'm pretty sure I'll be headed there this August. See ya there! :) : :thumbup:

hey robinhood,

what made you choose downstate over stonybrook?


1) A subway's ride from Manhattan vs. living on L.I. for 4 years

2) Facilities and Kings County vs. SB's Hospital and rotation sites

3) I like Brooklyn and you don't need a car at Downstate

hey im accepted at Stony Brook but leaning towards Einstein right now. Where else did you guys get in? Im just curious if others are making similar decisions.

hey guys,

i was at the revisit and i really liked stony brook; i left feeling all warm and fuzzy - looks like you can find more support there than in a push up bra :) of course, cost is also a major issue and i've been trying to convince myself that with all the distraction of NYC, i'll be better off on LI (there's always residency, afterall)

still, i'm waitlisted at cornell, columbia, and sinai, and before the revisit, i was set on writing an LOI to one of them (most likely cornell). but i don't want to promise that i'll withdraw from all other schools because i'm now having second thoughts about stony brook.

advice??

And not in the dirty way ;)


I'm psyched! But this thread sucks. There's got to be more people attending SB or we're going to be having even more faculty contact than they already plugged. HOLLER if you're gon be chillin on STRONG Island for the next four years.

I just made my decision yesterday. I was debating the LOI as mentioned in the post above, but when I thought about it, I really didn't want to go to any of those schools over SB. It was just the prestige thing, which is maybe among the worst reasons to choose a school (especially one where I'm not going to be happy).

Anyway, where are you guys going to live? Are any of you interested in the MD/MPH program and starting this summer? Who wants to make a pact to visit the city at least every other weekend? How are you guys going to study - what kinds of books are you bringing? I want to find an effective way to organize my notes because that didn't happen so much in college. Man I can't wait to start classes - I'm not in school this semester and I miss it so much. I can't believe it's here! I've waited for this for two years and finally it seems like it's going to materialize. We're going to learn how to be doctors! Oh SNAP :D

Ok remember: Holla/holler/say hi! HIIIIIIIIII :p

BUMP

Hi everyone!

As of now, i think i'll be going to Stonybrook in the fall. I haven't seen a comparison thread for this, but my decision is between NYMC and Stonybrook. I got a better "vibe" at SB, for whatever it's worth, i don't want to be tempted by NYC being so close when studying, the class is smaller, research opps with Cold Spring Harbor & Brookhaven, etc! Plus, I get in-state tuition after the 2nd year, which is a big plus. (For childish reasons, since I saw the movie "Sabrina" when i was a kid, i've also wanted to see what it's like to live on the north shore of LI - not that i will live as lavishly as those in the movie!)

However, I was wondering what others may think, comparing the two schools? Your thoughts are much appreciated!

BUMP

Hi everyone!

As of now, i think i'll be going to Stonybrook in the fall. I haven't seen a comparison thread for this, but my decision is between NYMC and Stonybrook. I got a better "vibe" at SB, for whatever it's worth, i don't want to be tempted by NYC being so close when studying, the class is smaller, research opps with Cold Spring Harbor & Brookhaven, etc! Plus, I get in-state tuition after the 2nd year, which is a big plus. (For childish reasons, since I saw the movie "Sabrina" when i was a kid, i've also wanted to see what it's like to live on the north shore of LI - not that i will live as lavishly as those in the movie!)

However, I was wondering what others may think, comparing the two schools? Your thoughts are much appreciated!

i interviewed at both as well. the one thing i noticed is that nymc really encourages students to do 3rd and 4th year in the city whereas my interviewer at stony brook said that hardly anyone ever goes off site.

Nyc is definitely easily accessible to both.

that said, id go to either if theyd let me in..haha.

Does anyone remember how much group work was integrated into Stony's curriculum? Is it just a few hours a week (ie: <5) or more (ie: 5-15)

If there are any at all, they don't seem to be on their online calendar.

Hi, I'm a first-year med student at Stony Brook.

As far as group work goes, for the first four months group work means delegating the dissections in anatomy lab. There is a little bit of group work in neuroscience (short presentations at end of course), some more in physiology (physiology and histology problem sets), and yet some more in pathology (interactive sessions and case-solving). In addition, we have a year-round course in foundations which covers ethics, behavior, preventive, nutrition, and clinical medicine, with varying amount of groupwork. It so happens that we are assigned to various health-related facilities for our foundations field trip today, including a crime lab :cool: and a sewer waste treatment facility :barf:

As far as extracurriculars go, brush off the dust on your ping pong paddles, because we are very competitive at table tennis :laugh:

We also have our own message-board for students at stony brook so please leave a message and I'll promise you special-treatment :) http://forum.hsc.sunysb.edu/phpBB2-student/

I just registered on the Stony Brook forum :)

But no one is on besides me. You guys should get more of the students to post. Great idea to have the forum though.

After a couple of days of agonizing, I finally decided on Stony Brook.

Woo hoo!

What a relief.

Lets get some more action on this thread!

After a couple of days of agonizing, I finally decided on Stony Brook.

Woo hoo!

What a relief.

Lets get some more action on this thread!

Y!

i tot u went with DownState?

Y!

i tot u went with DownState?

Nope, I was leaning toward Downstate for a while the last few days.. but I ultimately decided on Stony Brook.

In anycase, I was splitting hairs when I think I could probably have been happy at either place.

Hey bonez I think you made a good choice man.

Me and You make up 2% of the whole class man.

We hold some power.

I just registered on the Stony Brook forum :)

But no one is on besides me. You guys should get more of the students to post. Great idea to have the forum though.
We do use the forum. We use it to vote on academically relevant issues, share course resources, upload pictures of social events, etc. We also have a decent noteservice website in place with an event calendar, audio and text transcripts, powerpoints, movies, pictures, etc. But the forum was created just recently so most of the class don't even know it exists :confused: That's why I'm spreading the word to the class of 2009 - a new hope :)

Thats awesome.

Hopefully more people will join up and become active in the forum.

Whats the inside scoop on purchasing books and necessary supplies (ie: anatomy lab kit, microscope, etc)?

Is it worth it to hunt down a list of what we need so we can begin shopping around for deals on used/cheaper products?

Hey guys-

I just, today, got a big ass scholarship from Stony Brook, but I think I'm still leaning toward NJMS. What was crucial in your decisions about deciding on Stony Brook? How did you weed out the other schools? I don't really remember the match list - how strong was it? Any info at all would help - I've gotta get off the fence on Monday!

Thanks, and good luck to all!

dc

Go TO NJMS - better match schools! and better locations

Hey guys-

I just, today, got a big ass scholarship from Stony Brook, but I think I'm still leaning toward NJMS. What was crucial in your decisions about deciding on Stony Brook? How did you weed out the other schools? I don't really remember the match list - how strong was it? Any info at all would help - I've gotta get off the fence on Monday!

Thanks, and good luck to all!

dc

Whats the inside scoop on purchasing books and necessary supplies (ie: anatomy lab kit, microscope, etc)?

Is it worth it to hunt down a list of what we need so we can begin shopping around for deals on used/cheaper products?
Books are mainly for references, and professors will typically list several for you to pick and choose. The exception is the anatomy text that was written by the professor himself. An anatomy lab kit is only $20, scrubs are $15, and we don't use microscopes. If you can find them used/cheaper, feel free to do so, but I wouldn't recommend wearing used scrubs :rolleyes: Books you can generally find them cheaper online than from the bookstore but you'll soon find out that the second years are eager to sell or pass down their used books to the first years. If you would like to see the match list for the past two years, I can email them to you :thumbup:

Books are mainly for references, and professors will typically list several for you to pick and choose. The exception is the anatomy text that was written by the professor himself. An anatomy lab kit is only $20, scrubs are $15, and we don't use microscopes. If you can find them used/cheaper, feel free to do so, but I wouldn't recommend wearing used scrubs :rolleyes: Books you can generally find them cheaper online than from the bookstore but you'll soon find out that the second years are eager to sell or pass down their used books to the first years. If you would like to see the match list for the past two years, I can email them to you :thumbup:

used scrubs.. mmm! :-)

Any idea what the 'must have' books are for first year (or where I'd be able to find a list)? Since I don't have anything pressing to do the next few months, I might as well hunt around for good deals.

Okay guys. I'm in. Hope to catch up with y'all on June 17th.

dc

This was the syllabus given for the Fall 2004 courses, so text may be updated for next year.
Anatomy reading list:
http://gibbon.anat.sunysb.edu/Department/HBA531/2004INF.pdf
Biochemistry reading list:
http://ibm-bladeserver.informatics.sunysb.edu/som/courses/mgac/HBC531a.pdf
Course web sites:
http://gibbon.anat.sunysb.edu/Department/HBA531/index.html
http://ibm-bladeserver.informatics.sunysb.edu/som/courses/mgac/

Have any of you gotten in off the waitlist ("High Priority List") or all right away? I'm waiting desperately to get in off the High Priority List.

Have any of you gotten in off the waitlist ("High Priority List") or all right away? I'm waiting desperately to get in off the High Priority List.


Word is no movement till late June- through mid July.

Word is no movement till late June- through mid July.


Oh and the Hight Priority Waitlist is the only one they have so don't start feeling all special.

i withdrew my acceptance
--good luck

Oh and the Hight Priority Waitlist is the only one they have so don't start feeling all special.

Yeah, that's what I've heard, too. However, I work with someone that used to be on the admissions committee there and she said that there is a difference. My hope is that since they say it's a ranked list, only the higher ranked people get the "high priority" thing. Anyway, none of it matters, really. All that matters if I (and the other people in my position) get in or not.

Hi Everyone,

I will be attending Stony Brook SOM and I'm looking forward to meeting all of you :) I'm so happy to finally be a part of this thread!

in an attempt to revive this thread...

i got in today off of the waitlist! (my first and only)

i will definitely be joining you guys in august :) cant wait!

Congrats duke, congrats alfie!

How many folks we got here? Like 5 or 6? See ya'll soon!

Hey - everyone going to the thing on the 17th?

dc

Congrats duke, congrats alfie!

How many folks we got here? Like 5 or 6? See ya'll soon!

Hey - everyone going to the thing on the 17th?

dc

i plan on going to the thing on the 17th.

see you guys soon...

I have been trying everything possible to get off the Wait List. I have send several letter plus LORs and still no word. I know that I still have to wait a while but any more ideas I can use to help me with this process?

I have been trying everything possible to get off the Wait List. I have send several letter plus LORs and still no word. I know that I still have to wait a while but any more ideas I can use to help me with this process?


Baksheesh.....or "the old Bribe"

Hasn't worked for me so far, but still trying.

bump.

Keep this thread going, y'all.

dc

Hey guys,

I am applying this year to Stony Brook and I had a quick question about their secondary application.

I saw they have threee essay questions limited to a one page response for each, with no other specifications. Did you all write a 12 pt single spaced response? Or was it double spaced? I was just concerned that there might not be enough material for one page single spaced. What did you all do?

Thanks for the tips and good luck to you all.

Hey guys,

I am applying this year to Stony Brook and I had a quick question about their secondary application.

I saw they have threee essay questions limited to a one page response for each, with no other specifications. Did you all write a 12 pt single spaced response? Or was it double spaced? I was just concerned that there might not be enough material for one page single spaced. What did you all do?

Thanks for the tips and good luck to you all.

Bump.

I don't really remember.

I'd just say what you have to and end it. I would most likely have done a short single spaced thing as opposed to a double spaced thing...I think what you say really does matter more than how much you say...my AMCAS statement was real short and I got interviews at 16 of the 17 schools I applied to...

Good luck with it.

dc

I saw they have threee essay questions limited to a one page response for each, with no other specifications. Did you all write a 12 pt single spaced response? Or was it double spaced? I was just concerned that there might not be enough material for one page single spaced. What did you all do?

Thanks for the tips and good luck to you all.

Just say what you need to say. I think that some of my essays were a half page single spaced. Remember, quality not quantity.

I just got in off the waitlist this week, so I will see many of you next Friday. Has anyone made housing arrangements yet?

In answer to McCram's question, one of my essays was almost a full page, the other two were about a half or just under (all single spaced).

rmm-

You the (wo)man! Congrats, whatever the gender! We'll meet up on Friday.

You can check out the on-campus (or off-campus) websites at the student affairs link on the website for housing options; I'm looking for stuff there...

dc

hopefully theyll have some good housing info for us on friday...cause i definitely need a place to live...

Duke-

You live on Long Island? I've had contact with some folks that have NO stress about getting a place to live (turns out these folks have all been on the Island, unlike me); I kinda freaking out because I think I'm the only one without a place to lay my head.

Anyone have a link to a classifieds or such from Stony Brook and the nearby communities?

dc

Duke-


Anyone have a link to a classifieds or such from Stony Brook and the nearby communities?

dc

Hi guys,
I didn't have too much trouble finding a place to rent, but I went through several real estate agents before I found someone who listened and was proactive. I have two recommendations for agents: Jane Parker at JP Realtor (jprealtor.com, 631-473-0420) was great. She was friendly and very active in finding listings that matched what I was looking for. Also, Charles Neilsen (631-928-5484) at Coach Realtors was very helpful and nice.

Another good place to look is The Village Times Herald. You can access their classified ads online at threevillages.com.

Hope this helps! I'm looking forward to meeting everyone on Friday.

A good place to look for housing is www.craigslist.org.

I wouldn't worry too much about finding housing. Worst comes to worse, there is a lot of off campus housing available in the vicinity of the campus.

jp-

NICE!

Thanks.

dc

jp-

NICE!

Thanks.

By the way, what was your financial layout to the realtor that you chose? Do you pay something up front for them to look, or a back end fee when they find? Sorry to pry, but money is tight.

dc

just got a call at work today from stony admiss offering a place. currently holding at temple. am having a heart attack trying to figure out where to go by 5 pm tomorrow. a few q's for you guys- do you think stony med is diverse? is the patient population at all underserved? how suburban is long island?? is it easy access to nyc??? thanks a mil

just got a call at work today from stony admiss offering a place. currently holding at temple. am having a heart attack trying to figure out where to go by 5 pm tomorrow. a few q's for you guys- do you think stony med is diverse? is the patient population at all underserved? how suburban is long island?? is it easy access to nyc??? thanks a mil

I think the student population is relatively diverse, however, the patient population is not very underserved simply because the location of the hospital is in an affluent suburban area.

Access to NYC is easy enough. There is a train station located adjacent to the campus, right near the gymnasium and football stadium, which is about 5-10 minute walk from the hospital. The station is part of the LIRR and has trains going into penn station.

The hospital sees a more diverse population than people might think. It is one of 3 Level 1 Trauma centers on Long Island, so it will get pretty much any major trauma in Suffolk. The other 2 Level 1 are Nassau University Medical Center, which is a public hospital and is affiliated with Stony Brook, and North Shore University Hospital, which is where I work. From that experience, I can say that although the hospital is in a wealthy area, we definitely do get our share of uninsured patients.

There is a diverse population in the area in that although suffolk county is the epitome of suburbia, there is a large migrant worker community. There are clinics in the area that serves this population if you are interested.

But having been a volunteer in the SB ER for a year, most of their cases aren't as diverse as cases i've seen when I shadowed an ER doc at Bellevue in NYC. So don't kid yourself if you think you will see cases anywhere as interesting as downstate or at NYU...

Maria-

Dump Temple; come join us.

dc

I'm also coming to Stony Brook, as well as pre-orientation!

Hi Everyone,

For those of you looking for housing, I live in the area and here are a few suggestions:

-check out:
1) the 'Suffolk Life' newspaper classified section, found on the web at www.suffolklife.com
2) the 'The Village Times Herald' at www.threevillages.com (I think someone suggested this earlier)
3) also see 'Newsday' at www.newsday.com

-the towns to look out for that are close to campus include : Stony Brook, Port Jefferson, Setauket, Lake Grove, and St. James. These are the immediately surrounding ones near campus.
-as Stony Brook is very much a college town, there are lots of rentals available...so don't worry...you'll find something :)

Shoot questions my way at any time...I'd be happy to help!

I'm looking forward to meeting all of you this Friday! On a side note, I know th e-mail said the event will be 'very informal'...but how informal are people going with their wardrobe this Friday?

Hi Dan,
Sorry I didn't respond sooner about the realtor fee. I've been out of town. I didn't have to pay any fee until I found a place. Then there was a realtor fee of 1 month's rent. Hope to see you and everyone else on Friday!
Jp

For the pre-orientation, there's no need to dress up. In fact, you might want to wear what's comfortable considering that the weather is humid and the AC might not be running in the lecture hall. On Friday, you will be given apartment listings as well as an email list so you can find roommates and a place over the summer. A number of students also chose to live on-campus, which is guaranteed for incoming students. You can also discuss any housing questions with the current students who will come chat with you.

jp-

Thanks for the shout back; no worries on the delay - it's all good.

alfie-

I'm showing up in a t-shirt or polo, with shorts and sneakers...I'm afraid I'll blend in if I don't go all out ;)

dc

dc- have decided to join the stonybrook clan. thanks for the push:) see you friday then!

hey ya'll

i'm gonna be heading over to stony brook in the fall also. i can't take off work friday, so i won't be able to see everyone until august. :(

for housing, i went to the stony brook off-campus website... but found it to be really annoying as most of those places are apartments in peoples houses and they either didn't open the door for their scheduled appointment, or had weird rules (one lady required a lot of rent but wanted me to only be in the apartment in the evenings)... i went up one day on a two hour drive, had 7 scheduled appointments and found out they all cancelled last minute. i'm happy tho' cuz i found a real nice place.. they have a list of apartment complexes nearby on the stony brook website, so you can call the complexes up. no broker fee... but it does require that you go up there.

well... tha'ts all i know!... hope ur enjoying ur summer.

:)

FNJ-

Sorry you can't join us; I work too, and called Grace Agnetti when I was under the impression that I would miss it too - she said that all the pertinent info would be mailed, so I think you'll be cool. Maybe PM me if you want some clarification or a synopsis of things?

And good look on the info for the housing - I'm NOT looking to feed someone's cat for them on cloudy Tuesdays, or whatever other funky rules they'll have. I like the complex thing...

Maria -

Nice to hear you're on our side. That part of Philly is mad ghetto anyways.

dc

hey guys,

does anybody know how we can connect with upper classmen to get a hold of used textbooks and such?

any current students have input?

The student forum would be a good place to have a listing of the books, but not enough students post.

I just checked on amazon.com for the biochem book they wrote on the blackbook, and its 70 bucks used and 140 bucks new.

Thanks

Group-

Good to see everyone, although I made no positive SDN identifications.

See you all again in August.

dc

Guys,

I'm really excited about starting school in the fall. Where are the rest of us? How many people on this list so far?

Hey guys..
I PMed a couple of you already. I was curious if you guys could give some tips to help a pre-med who would like to be accepted to SB next year. I grew up right near the school and have always dreamed of being a student at the hospital whenever I would pass it in my car. I am more interested in specific things that the school has a tendency to love, other than good GPA and MCAT. Any advice would be a blessing.. Thanks a lot.

Buro-

Hey there. First off, good luck with everything. You already know the starter points, so do well on that MCAT, and do your very best GPA-wise.

As for me, I found it very beneficial to take time off to do something that I liked and that gave me perspective, so that I was a more well rounded person. I have been working for 7 years in healthcare, and I do think that I had a leg up because of that. If time off isn't in your plans, maybe you can do some work or volunteering that you get something out of - not something that looks good on a resume - but something that you learn from. Stony Brook interviewers were, for me at least, quite open about wanting to produce caring physicians. You'll wanna be able to reflect what you've done and would like to do that will help you be just that.

I also don't see anything wrong with calling them and maybe seeing if they'll review with you what would make you stronger as a candidate. Maybe a tour of the school and hospital? Maybe send you some course info? I did this very early at Upstate Medical, by which I grew up, and it helped me VERY VERY much on all my interviews.

Lastly, though Stony Brook is a great school (I'm biased), don't count other schools out. I was SURE I wanted to go to Upstate. 100% sure. Then I saw Emory, and Jefferson, and Stony Brook. Moreover, you may get some scholarships or grants that will make going to another school a better choice.

Anyways, good luck, talk to the admissions group at some point before you apply, and keep all options open.

Best,

dc

hey guys!!
just found this SB SOM '09 thread!! i'm really excited about starting SB in just 2 months!!
does anyone know about housing and financial aide? the offices are pretty slow in sending out stuff and i'm going abroad to continue volunteering in a few days. i made the deposit for on-campus housing since i'm from nyc and still do not own a driver's license.. or permit.. is anyone else choosing on-campus housing?
i'm so glad that the class size is small so we can all get to know each other since my HS and college both had huge graduating classes!!

hope to see you guys during orientation!!

Are you from JHU? I graduated from there in 2002, but I'm back in Baltimore now.

I still haven't found housing yet. I've been spoiled by living in one bedrooms in Baltimore for the past 2 years - the max rent I paid was 885 which included ALL utilities. Now I don't want to live on campus, but I don't know how I will afford to live in a 1-bedroom! I'm still looking for places.

How's everyone else doing on the housing search?

I'm obsessing with Student Doctor and HSC.stonybrook.edu/som.

yea i just graduated from JHU last month!!
yea i've been living in uniwest for past 2 yrs with a roommate paying 600 a month not including utilities. i hope on-campus housing won't be too expensive for SB SOM. are you coming to SBSOM this fall as well? wow i can't believe i'd find a hopkins alum!

anyone know how much on-campus rent is @ SBSOM? are there any supermarkets around (within walking distance hopefully since i don't own a car.. or licence..)

I think on-campus rent has a huge range, depending on whether you share a bedroom with someone, get a private bedroom in a 4 bedroom, or get a single 1 bedroom apartment or studio. I found out the prices and amenities from the www.studentaffairs.stonybrook.edu - though you probably have to look around on the website a little for the on-campus housing info.

I don't know about supermarkets etc. It doesn't look like there's a lot to do around there without a car - but maybe near the undergrad campus (which is only across the road - probably 5 minutes on the campus bus).

Do you drive at all? Maybe you can try getting a license when you get to school. Did you come to the pre-orientation on the 17th? They talked about fitting in like $8k for a car in your student budget if you need one.

See you in August....when do you get back from volunteering abroad?

-abcabc

wow you can fit in $$ for a car from loans? that'll be awesome.. although i'm not sure if i trust myself to learn how to drive in less than a month and bring a car to SB from nyc.
i'm getting back from volunteering abroad at end of july. hopefully that'll give me sometime to finish up on financial aide and housing.
do people already have their financial aide all settled? i still haven't heard from the financial aide office. i'm afraid i won't have the $$ by the time the 1st bill for tuition comes..

yea the ideal woud be a 4bedroom.. i like living with alot of people and it'll be much cheaper too.

I also haven't heard from financial aid yet. If you've submitted the housing deposit, you should definitely get an affordable place soon.

Good Luck and see you in August!

anyone living on-campus? i just got my housing assignment today - living in schomberg apts in a 4 bedroom with another student. but there will only be two of us in the 4bedroom.
NO AC!! omg.. i don't know how am i supposed to survive.. i heard it's pretty humid in stony brook. and i can't even bring an ac.. only fans..

hey guys,

does anybody know how we can connect with upper classmen to get a hold of used textbooks and such?

any current students have input?

The student forum would be a good place to have a listing of the books, but not enough students post.

I just checked on amazon.com for the biochem book they wrote on the blackbook, and its 70 bucks used and 140 bucks new.

Thanks
We (class of 2008) gets tons of emails every months from upperclassmen who are done with their books. Once you're on the 2009 mailing list, you will start to get those emails as well. You'll probably want to wait until the second years come back from summer break anyway. Another thing is that not a lot of students found the textbooks helpful, so you should wait to hear from some second years during orientation regarding which texts to get.

There's lots of supermarkets near campus, the closest being Stop and Shop at the intersection of Nichols and 347 (about 1 mile). If you don't have a car, bum a ride :o

You won't need an AC around September. We had an absolutely freezing winter this year (with only one snow day) and it didn't get warm until June.

Found this question on another thread, might as well add it here:
What are the NBME exams? Are those in addition to regular school exams?

I mean, I know WHAT they are, I am trying to find out the way we take them at Stony brook. Is it at a pre-set time? Can we pre- or post-pone them? Can we take them on our own time?

What about other regular exams? Any ways to pre- or postpone those? Like say you want to get married in December, and want a few extra days.

Thanks!
The NBME test is otherwise known as the "shelf" exam because they are old board questions. They're always administered after the regular curriculum exams, sometimes the day after. Some courses directly incorporate these scores into your final course grade, and for some courses it can only help you to do well. The school spends about $100 per student per exam, so they require 100% attendance on the specified time, no changing the date. For the regular exams, I'd imagine it would be easier to pre-pone rather than post-pone. Either way, you'll most likely force the professor to construct an entirely different exam for you, so it would take a bit of negotiation.

Wow, thanks for the help tank :)

As for the AC situation, I would recommend investing in a nice window fan, you know one of those that have two fans that you can program to exhaust as well (some even have remotes). It won't be too bad since you have many other facilities to study/lounge in during the day on those especially humid/muggy days.

thanks for the help and advice guys!! =D ill definitely look into investing in a good fan!!

You're a big help. It was nice of you to answer the question that I posted in the allo thread.

I am stressing about housing...I just have to get my butt to call some people, and then find a day to go drive up to Stony brook and look at all the places. For some reason I feel it is a little early to be looking for a place to move into on August 15....that's more than a month and a half away!

Okay, enough ranting.

Hey everyone... I just finished my first year at SB and decided to see what the next year class is up to on SDN. First of all, i want to CONGRATULATE all of you who are accepted for class of 2009 :thumbup: i can tell you that the next year will be exciting and fun!!! For those of you still on the waitlists, I offer some hope being that I hadnt gotten off a waitlist until late june myself - and for those deciding between other schools (such as downstate) and SB - i had the same decisions to make and let me tell you that i do not regret my choice a single bit. I come from a huge HS and college both in urban areas and coming to SB with a class of 104 was a huge shock for me, but everything here has been really good so far and as tankitytank ;) has told you (he is the best techie ever btw trust whatever he says and he is one hell of a lab partner in anatomy haha) things here are very much accessible, students are selling their books left and right, people are offering apartments to rent and to share in the neighborhood. basically everyone is here to help if you need it. There is much to say, and if you guys have questions - feel free to ask - now that I know of this thread, I will check it often to keep up with the events. again, congrats to the class of 2009, cant wait to meet you all!!!

B :luck:

Hey! I just found this thread. I'll be going to SB this Fall as well and am very excited. too bad I didn't find you guys earlier, otherwise we could have met up earlier in June. oh wells...

Big Dan, thanks for your reply at the other thread...it was a tough decision but i'll definitely be happier here.

H-

Which? The one SB v. Rochester? Damn right you'll be happy here! Good choice!

Look at this power - I told Maria to come here and avoid Temple, and HED is coming instead of somewhere else. Let's see if this works: Biochemistry - HONORS. I'll let you guys know if it works...

dc

H-

Which? The one SB v. Rochester? Damn right you'll be happy here! Good choice!

Look at this power - I told Maria to come here and avoid Temple, and HED is coming instead of somewhere else. Let's see if this works: Biochemistry - HONORS. I'll let you guys know if it works...

dc

yeah man...it was the post about SB v Roch. The choice at this point is pretty clear. now i gotta find a place to live. know of any apartments in the area? or are they all a bit ridiculous in price?

Hey Big Dan send some of those vibes my way. I want some lovin' from Stony Brook too! :D :thumbup: :luck: :scared: :mad: :( :o

So many emotions at one time. So thats what a waitlist does to a person. :thumbdown

Anyone having any luck with apartments? It seems like all the places I call have leases starting July 1. I don't need a place till August 15th - am going home (India) for 3 weeks in July-Aug. Plus, my lease doesnt end till Aug 30th, so I don't want to pay rent for 2 places!

Anyone else having this much trouble finding a place before school?

Am I the only one so excited about starting med school that I keep checking this thread?

Where are my future classmates? Are you all out having fun and being not-too-obsessed?

i'm working so i can buy cool furniture. :)

i check this thread fairly regularly... i just never know what to say. i'm real excited about starting school.. been out for two years and have been itching to get my head in a textbook and attend class. i went for an interview at a school and was allowed to sit in on a class... oh man, i didn't understand one word the professor was saying, but it just seemed so right.

anyways... i'm a nerd... can't escape it.

Guys-

I'm always checking, but I was away for a week. So now I'm back.

Regarding school excitement, I'm thrilled. Everyone says that I'll regret my decision soon enough, or that at least I'll hate this part of my life at some point, but we'll have to see.

Regarding housing, I've been getting tons of emails from folks offering rooms or apartments - I can work something out with folks if you guys haven't been getting these emails. I found my place on the off-campus site linked to the SB website. $700 per month, but at least it's close.

See you soon!

dc

Well, here's some more writing for me to read, since no one posts on this thread.

I just got a Gateway laptop. A little big, but nice. I hope it works with whatever it is need. Cost me a mint too. I'd better end up getting good grades with this machine.

See you folks soon.

dc

For the class of 2009, this is your penultimate summer. So go out and have fun, unless this is what you do for fun :o

I spend time online for fun nowadays. Especially when I can't sleep at night, because I slept in till ~2pm the day before. And spending time online means a lot of sdn. I just can't wait to start med school. (famous last words!)

Anyway, I go out of town (out of the country) in < 2 weeks, so this is my last chance to get to know people in my class!

Still looking for housing (I plan to spend fri-sat-sun this week in Stony Brook looking for places). Still haven't bought a computer either!

So.. to start off some conversation.. lets post up what we are all doing this summer 'for fun'.. anyone doing something completely outrageous?

and anyone take up the advise from the pre orientation of quitting their jobs and bumming around? :-)

Okay - I'm in:

I'm gonna quit my job as an occupational therapist on July 20th. On July 23rd I'm flying out to San Jose, CA to train for and play in the World Roller Hockey Championships, starting on August 6th. I'll fly back to NY on Aug 15th, hang out with my parents and siblings for a day or so, and then drive down to SB. I should, by the way, be moved into my apartment (read: hotel room-sized studio) on July 16th, so that should all be in order.

With a bit of luck, I'll have all my teeth and be in good shape for the White Coat ceremony on Aug. 22.

Cheers!

dc

Already quit my job 2 months ago :)
Been vegging for 2 months. That's why I'm always online.
Driving to Stony Brook tomorrow to look for apartments. Then to India next Friday for 3 weeks, then to Providence and Iowa for 2 close friend's weddings. And then move to Stony Brook.

Just a bump guys...

Anyone out there? Bueller? Bueller?

Hope the housing search is going well...see y'all soon!

dc

hey everyone...i've been MIA lately so i decided to check back and say hi to all of you. Just like many of you i'm excited to be starting up in the Fall but i need to find housing! I'm not stressing about it yet since i think there's a bit of time left and i live on Long Island as it is.

Big Dan, i'm also looking for an apartment/Studio to live in. I was wondering where you found a place for 700 bucks a month...if you want you can send me a personal message. Oh and best of luck with the Championships in California! You have to be sure to tell us all about that once we see each other at orientation!

HED-

I got some info from another classmate. I will give you my landlord's number - PM me or lemme know on this forum and I'll PM you back with the number. He may (or may not) have other properties. It's about the size of a frickin hotel room, and it's a section of a house (BUT I'M ALONE!!!)

You can try the website for off-campus housing too...

dc

Hello fellow Stony Brookers,

I am attending SB this August too. But the reality of going to medical school hasn't sunk in quite yet since I was accepted a little over a week ago.

Since I didn't attend the second visit, is there any important or even trivial information that I should know?

Orientation schedule? I know it's 8/22 to 8/26 but anything specific besides the white coat ceremony.

What lender to use? Didn't get a financial aid packet yet but a helpful nudge to the right lender would be appreciated.

Anyone look into getting a new bank account at that Federal Credit Union bank?

Anyone going to be in the area before 8/22?

Any input would be appreciated to ease the transition in August (still working full-time). I'm psyched to meet you all soon.

Hello fellow Stony Brookers,

I am attending SB this August too. But the reality of going to medical school hasn't sunk in quite yet since I was accepted a little over a week ago.

Since I didn't attend the second visit, is there any important or even trivial information that I should know?

Orientation schedule? I know it's 8/22 to 8/26 but anything specific besides the white coat ceremony.

What lender to use? Didn't get a financial aid packet yet but a helpful nudge to the right lender would be appreciated.

Anyone look into getting a new bank account at that Federal Credit Union bank?

Anyone going to be in the area before 8/22?

Any input would be appreciated to ease the transition in August (still working full-time). I'm psyched to meet you all soon.


Hey McCram,

Welcome to the Class :)

You did miss some relevant information at the pre-orientation regarding the purchase of a lap-top computer, financial aid, and housing. I assume you have housing or are working on getting it because that is quite important. They did emphasize taking care of all housing issues prior to the start of orientation, including moving into your new residence (if in fact you are moving).

Also, the Bank and plan they suggested we choose is the classic option offered by Bank One I believe. Over the long run, who knows how long, it will end up saving you/us the most money. However, there are slight differences that you should read about and make the decision for yourself. You should get all this information in the financial aid packet. When you receive this you can ask Grave Agnetti directly.

I don't know that much regarding the orientation week. I'm assuming they will send out some information, whether my snail mail or email, sometime before it.

Also, it seems like we won't be provided scrubs for anatomy. I don't think its necessary to wear scrubs. However, any clothes you wear into lab can no longer be worn outside (so they say). So if you're currently in a lab/hospital environment try to get your hands on some extra lab coats/scrubs. Also, try to get a few boxes of nitrile gloves as well, I don't know if they provide these but I'm sure if they don't it'll cost a bit.

They also said you should purchase a car. I grew up in Stony Brook/Three Village area so I can say this is certainly true. You will definately need a car by third year during rotations because we will be shipped off to a few other locations.

Lap-tops...the tech guy is sending out emails about this. I'm not sure if you're receiving them yet. He basically says you can use any type of lap-top you wish only to make sure the battery life is good. He suggests you get windows because there might be possible software which won't be compatible with Mac. I'm not sure if this will affect you. Although, there is a program called virtual pc which creates a windows environment in mac thus allowing you to use any pc software. This guy should know about that software but alas he said nothing of it in his latest email (maybe I should take his job, jk).

Anyway, if you haven't taken care of housing and financial aid, I would suggest you get on those things first. Then move on to the other minutia.

Congrats again and see you in August.

-j0v

TFCU is great. I've had an account for awhile because my father works for the university. They offer much higher interest than other banks and I don't think you are required a minimum balance to avoid fees.

Plus there's a branch in the hospital itself! Ultimate convenience.

Thanks for all the great tips. Almost instant gratification. Real scrubs for anatomy? How about an old set of PJs?

I got the email from Moises E. today regarding laptops. Did they say that we would be using a computer everyday?

Housing and securing financing are my top priorities. Do you know if the prices are reasonable for the suggested apartment complexes? I've driven by Stony Brook a ton of times and never saw any apartments. Curious.

I saw someone in a prior post mention a scholarship but does SUNY SB really have much to offer in this regard?

Again, thanks for the feedback.

TFCU is great. I've had an account for awhile because my father works for the university. They offer much higher interest than other banks and I don't think you are required a minimum balance to avoid fees.

Plus there's a branch in the hospital itself! Ultimate convenience.

Hey all, another last minute acceptee here (gotta love linkage). Just dropped off all the preliminary paperwork today, it's nice to finally go to a school where the office people are friendly. I talked to Dean Agnetti today, and she said info about orientation will be coming soon, and that more financial aid stuff will come with your award letter, along with health insurance info (insurance will be covered at orientation as well). Anyone out there sticking with a Mac for a laptop? I just bought one in January to help with the MCATs, so I can't see buying another so soon. I think they're necessary because most of the course content (lectures notes, handouts and, according to one MS-3 I saw at my interview, we'll be the first class to get audio of all the lectures as well). I'll definitely second a car being necessary, as Stony Brook is kinda isolated if you consider it from a walking POV. Enough late night rambling, congrats to all and see you in about a month!!

Jeff

Hey all,

Financial aid is being real slow. I was accepted in June, and submitted my paperwork about 3-4 weeks ago, and i keep hearing that letters will be sent out this week or next.

Re: apartment complexes, there are a bunch within about a 10-15 minute drive, but rents for 1 bedrooms are 1100 and up. The website has a ton of info and contact info on housing in the area, basically housing where people have converted basements/garages/spare rooms into rooms for students. I guess if you have 3-4 people, you could get a nice house, don't know much about that.

I plan to drive up to stony brook on the 18th. Want to have atleast the weekend to move in and get settled before orientation.

See you all soon!

Okay...finally some posts here!

I tried to post last night, but the computer I'm on timed out and blah blah blah, so anyways...

McCram - I kinda got lucky with the studio I found, it is really the reconfigured garage in a house in Port Jefferson Station, which sits about 4.4 miles from Stony Brook, if my car's odometer can be trusted. The group renting the upstairs is 3 medical students, so that'll be cool - they're actually still looking for the third student, so lemme know if you're interested, and I'll put you on. It'll be like 550/mo there. My place is the size of a hotel room, and it's 700. When I called the listed apartment complexes, there was one for 999/mo, the rest were all 1100 and up - for one bedrooms.

The computers will be used for all exams I believe; you hopefully got the other email that gave you the recommended Stony Brook specs. Lemme know if you didn't get it.

Scholarships, I think, are limited at SB, as they are at most of the SUNY schools. But I think that beating around the bush or waiting for someone to offer you money is somewhat fruitless, so I say call or email financial aid and ask: 1) what the scholarships are, 2) how to/who qualifies, and 3) can you have some of the money. Kinda like getting the airline upgrade to first class - they may have it but they won't offer unless you ask. Anyway, there is a bit of some info on the school's website regarding scholarships that you may wanna look into.

Good luck with it.

And, guys, lets keep the posts coming!

dc

hey! welcome to the class! I wanted to let you know that I have a powerbook and will be brining it this coming Fall. Its about 2 years old but it runs great and has been perfect for me. Although I' ve thought about buying a new PC laptop, at this point I can't justify it. I think everything for the most part will run fine since you'll probably use most of your computer for exams, notes, lectures, etc...that being from my impression it seems like we'll be using our computers pretty often.

BigDan, still looking for housing...i'd prefer an apartment but its a bit pricey out there!

HED-

You want the hookup then?

We're in Port Jefferson Station. One guy has the lease on a three bedroom, and he's got one other guy with him. I was originally be guy number three, but I took the studio apartment below the three bedroom apartment in the same house. We've got the wireless internet setup thing going in the house. It's like 4 miles from school, right off of 347, near the WalMart.

Tell me if you want the numbers to contact the landlord and the guy with the lease.

dc

hey all...

BigDan thanks for offering to help out with the info. I really appreciate it. I actually ended up finding housing today! I'm renting out a place in stony brook so its like 2 miles or so away from the school...but up by the train station and the other side of 25A. i'll be happy there...works out for what i need and although it was a little more than i wanted to spend its a private apartment and its close by and it was late in the game for me anyways. I just can't move in until September...but that's not a big deal. I can commute or something. I don't think school starts up really until then.

anybody thinking of getting a PDA? i know we'll end up needing one later on but now it'd just be for basic stuff...any thoughts?

I have a real basic one now, Palm Zire 21 i think, black and white screen, no real apps., basically just enough to take down assignments and enter a schedule into it. From what i've read, we don't really need one until 3rd year, and like most electronics, if you bought one now you'd need to replace it anyways.

One thing I've been thinking about is how are you guys planning on attending lecture? A few students I saw at my interview claimed they didn't even attend and only studied out of their textbooks and the note service. I personally learn better when I listen to someone and take notes, even if the notes don't make any sense. I guess it's just the process of writing that helps, but I was just curious what you guys were thinking of doing? Less than a month, it's getting close!

Hi guys!

I'm glad to see this thread is active again - last time I posted was nearly two months ago. Anyways, like many of you, I'm super excited and can't wait! I'm also nervous because I want everything to go smoothly but it seems like there's so much I still have to do in preparation...still looking for housing, recently realized I need to take out loans (rents pulled the rug out from underneath quite suddenly), not to mention the actual academics! Is anyone still looking for housing? If you're female, would you be interested in rooming together? I think it works out cheaper when you share. How many of you are living in single studio apartments? Also, and I feel like an idiot, but those of you familiar with the loan process - I just started looking at Stafford loans...can someone brief me on the process so that I don't look like a complete idiot when I call up the financial aid office? I haven't even filled out the FAFSA form - is it too late? I feel like putting my fist through the wall for being so clueless.

Anyway, it's great to see a bunch of you online! I can't believe it's so close...I graduated in December and I was wondering what I would do for these past 7 months but somehow the time passed quickly. Sigh, and everyone keeps saying how we need to cherish our freedom before the pain of med school sets in. At least we'll all be in the same boat :) Congrats to everyone who got off the waitlist!! I'm excited to meet you all, and in the meantime enjoy the rest of your summers! Yay Stony Brook!

-Realest

Congrats! As for the Stafford loans, the packet with all the initial paperwork I think addressed them to some extent, but I think there is a cap as to how much of them we can get, and that private loans will mostly likely where most of the $$ comes from (don't hold me to this). As for FAFSA, I just did mine last week, so it's not that big of a deal, but the Financial aid office said it takes about a month from when you submit yours to get everything straight, so I'd try to do it this week so that once school starts you can just concentrate on studying. If you comfortable with it, do the whole thing online as it saves almost a week processing time. They (the financial aid office) seemed really cool about everything, i.e. they'll understand if your money isn't in on time and wouldn't expect you to pay for school until then. Hope this helps.

Jeff

Congrats! As for the Stafford loans, the packet with all the initial paperwork I think addressed them to some extent, but I think there is a cap as to how much of them we can get, and that private loans will mostly likely where most of the $$ comes from (don't hold me to this). As for FAFSA, I just did mine last week, so it's not that big of a deal, but the Financial aid office said it takes about a month from when you submit yours to get everything straight, so I'd try to do it this week so that once school starts you can just concentrate on studying. If you comfortable with it, do the whole thing online as it saves almost a week processing time. They (the financial aid office) seemed really cool about everything, i.e. they'll understand if your money isn't in on time and wouldn't expect you to pay for school until then. Hope this helps.

Jeff

I would take care of the financial aid stuff ASAP. As in, drop whatever you are doing now and take care of the FAFSA.

I do not think you will be able to start your studies this fall if you haven't given your first payment to the Bursar. You are dangerously close to not being able to start school on time.

Call student affairs office immediately and get steppin' on those things.

pan-

I´m planning on attending all the lectures; I have heard from others about just getting notes and reading, but I´m in the same boat that you are regarding liking to hear it and then writing it down. And for 41K/yr, I´m gonna get my money´s worth.

dc

hey its great to see more people posting!

As for the financial aid...i agree that the faster you do the better of you'll be. Since the FAFSA is online it doesn't take that long to do and if you can do it at all hours of the day. I think that's the real limiting step. Once the school has the FAFSA application (takes a few weeks for the government to process it), then its in the hands of Stony Brook. Once its in their hands I think they'll move pretty darn fast. I know for some schools that I was waitlisted at, but ended up turning down, they were able to use my FAFSA and get me a financial aid package a day after I was accepted so I could better make my decision.

I think once you get that paper work done, things are way more in your favor for everything running smoothly. Best of luck!

hi all!! i was just wondering what kind of bank(with atm) is on the stony brook campus? i heard it's bank of america? i'm closing my hopkins bankaccount and opening another one that can be used in stony brook.
anyone has any ideas? thanks!! :D

hi guys!
i heard the orientation's only for one day? and not for a whole week?
is anyone living on campus? (no car...) they said i can't move in until the 26th... that sucks. can't hang out with the rest of the new 1st yrs after orientation!

Really? nycjhu22 are you asking or telling the rest of us? (Wasn't sure by your "?" marks.)

A whole week of full-time orientation seems a bit excessive. It would be great to have a few more days off to get my life in order before the start of class and meet the rest of you outside of school.

hi guys!
i heard the orientation's only for one day? and not for a whole week?
is anyone living on campus? (no car...) they said i can't move in until the 26th... that sucks. can't hang out with the rest of the new 1st yrs after orientation!

Hi All,

I'm pretty sure that we have a full week of orientation based on what I've heard, as well as from the calendar:

https://cbase.som.sunysb.edu/conet/calendar/stud_mainFrame.cfm?CFID=153504&CFTOKEN=67012962&jsessionid=80302025561122916086778

In the most recent correspondance I got from SB, Ms. Allen indicated that we would be receiving more detailed information about orientation at the beginning of August.

On another note, a couple of weeks ago I got a letter from the Stony Brook Chapter of AMA and the Medical Society of the State of New York. The letter highlighted what these organizations do and offered membership to me as an incoming medical student. How many of you plan on becoming members?
Just wanted to get a general idea if medical students join these organizations even though they are still students.

Thanks for reading this everyone and I'm really looking forward to meeting all of you in about 20 days!

yea i called the housing office to ask about move-in date for on-campus housing, and she told me the 26th. i was confused because i thought orientation is going to be for a whole week too starting the 22nd. she said it's only the day of the 22nd.

yea i called the housing office to ask about move-in date for on-campus housing, and she told me the 26th. i was confused because i thought orientation is going to be for a whole week too starting the 22nd. she said it's only the day of the 22nd.

That's really weird - maybe it's because the housing dept is for all of SB not just the med school, so they wouldn't really know... I'm pretty sure it's the whole week tho, or we're going to be killing a lot of time!

Did you guys buy texts yet or will they brief us on this during orientation?

Last year, the first day of orientation was the only full-day of orientation, while the rest of the week we had lots of social events in the afternoon and evening for the first and second years. The rest of the time is still worthwhile, since you'll get your SOLAR/email account set-up, meet the first-year faculty, learn about the note service, etc. Most of the class signed up for AMA and AMSA because they were bundling memberships with a copy of Netter's Atlas or Stedman's dictionary. The textbooks will be sold at Matthew's bookstore and you will be informed about that by the professors or a second year.

Last year, the first day of orientation was the only full-day of orientation, while the rest of the week we had lots of social events in the afternoon and evening for the first and second years. The rest of the time is still worthwhile, since you'll get your SOLAR/email account set-up, meet the first-year faculty, learn about the note service, etc. Most of the class signed up for AMA and AMSA because they were bundling memberships with a copy of Netter's Atlas or Stedman's dictionary. The textbooks will be sold at Matthew's bookstore and you will be informed about that by the professors or a second year.

Are we able to sign up for SOLAR ahead of time? Same for CBASE - is this something we figure out during orientation, because when I called up the housing dept asking about on-campus housing they said I should have logged in already. Apparently we received ID#s with our acceptance letters. Frankly, I think the housing office is just screwing with us ;)

Before orientation we received an email on Thurs, Aug 19 from Michael Silverberg with our own randomly generated password for CBase/Email. If you didn't receive it, you can request it during orientation. The default SOLAR password is your date of birth, so if you already are given your student ID then you can try logging on.

Before orientation we received an email on Thurs, Aug 19 from Michael Silverberg with our own randomly generated password for CBase/Email. If you didn't receive it, you can request it during orientation. The default SOLAR password is your date of birth, so if you already are given your student ID then you can try logging on.


Thanks! What other stuff do they go over during orientation? Do they brief you on classes and hand out syllabi or do you just plunge right in on the first day? I guess what I'm asking is how prepared do you feel by the first day because I'm really nervous :o

o shoot do i have to commute everyday until the 26th when housing lets me move in? that sucks!!

also - anyone knows about banking in stony brook? what's the bank's on campus? i heard it's bank of america?

o shoot do i have to commute everyday until the 26th when housing lets me move in? that sucks!!

also - anyone knows about banking in stony brook? what's the bank's on campus? i heard it's bank of america?

I thought it was bank one...

I thought it was bank one...

there is a bank of america ATM on campus as well as the teachers federal credit union.

so bank one is where we get the loans from - but there isn't one on campus? i never heard of bank one before doing financial aid for stony brook.

thanks guys for all your responeses!

anyone doing on-campus housing for next year?

Thanks! What other stuff do they go over during orientation? Do they brief you on classes and hand out syllabi or do you just plunge right in on the first day? I guess what I'm asking is how prepared do you feel by the first day because I'm really nervous :oDr. Stern gave us a sample one-hour anatomy lecture on muscles of facial expression to demonstrate the pace of the course. It definitely scared the pants off of everyone (the ones that remained awake). Then there were a few hours devoted to team-building exercises, Myers-Brigg personality test, studying strategies, financial aid, academic difficulty, honor code, etc. The first day will soon feel like every other day, so don't worry about not being 100% prepared.

Dr. Stern gave us a sample one-hour anatomy lecture on muscles of facial expression to demonstrate the pace of the course. It definitely scared the pants off of everyone (the ones that remained awake). Then there were a few hours devoted to team-building exercises, Myers-Brigg personality test, studying strategies, financial aid, academic difficulty, honor code, etc. The first day will soon feel like every other day, so don't worry about not being 100% prepared.


Spanks - that puts me at ease :cool:

has anyone received this orientation information that is rumored to be arriving "early august"?

i just need something else to waste time reading instead of doing anything actually productive...

and while im here...

does anyone know if there are any type of intramural sports or semi-organized athletic activities within the medschool??

I got a sneak peek at some of the orientation info because I dropped by the school to look for housing (this will be my last act of procrastination before school, I swear) and it basically says: (1) buy a monthly parking pass on the first day for $23, (2) Meet @ 10am for breakfast and white coat, (3) loan disbursement will take place sometime the following week so have some other money handy for the start of school. (from the Student Affairs Office)

Looks like the 2008s are planning stuff for us during orientation too.

btw - Is anyone else homeless still?

has anyone received this orientation information that is rumored to be arriving "early august"?

i just need something else to waste time reading instead of doing anything actually productive...

I got a sneak peek at some of the orientation info because I dropped by the school to look for housing (this will be my last act of procrastination before school, I swear) and it basically says: (1) buy a monthly parking pass on the first day for $23, (2) Meet @ 10am for breakfast and white coat, (3) loan disbursement will take place sometime the following week so have some other money handy for the start of school. (from the Student Affairs Office)

Looks like the 2008s are planning stuff for us during orientation too.

btw - Is anyone else homeless still?


Exciting :rolleyes:

I recently found a place for next year, but for those of you still looking, I recommend going with one of the many apartment complexes in the area if you can find a roomate. I think it's much more convenient and works out cheaper or about the same in the end, plus there's the added bonus of security since it's legal, they have established standards, additional facilties, etc etc.

What have you guys been doing in these few weeks before our freedom is snatched from us? Clearly I've been surfing SDN more often than can possibly be healthy. I'm actually at work though (I know, pretty sweet job). I can't believe it's only 2 weeks away!


And btw, we need more participation on this thread. Even Oklahoma has more than we do :p j/k

looks like orientation's not going to be as fun as college orientation haha. hopefully it'll be exciting once we get there =D

i'm still in hopkins finishing up some stuff at work after taking a one-month vacation abroad. i'm also trying to spend some more time with bf since i won't get to see him as much once school starts... anyone else going to get into a long distance relationship? i'm a little worried about that..

anyone else going to get into a long distance relationship? i'm a little worried about that..

i'd consider yourself lucky, because i feel like one of the only single persons going in! i know of many people who will be testing their relationships with distance, and some have made it work...good luck!

Hey guys-

Hope that things are going well for y'all. I'm knee deep in a roller hockey tournament, and just got done doing some things on SOLAR, which was an adventure in and of itself.

Fear not, realest - there's at least one other single person rolling in (me), and there have got to be more. It is what it is.

If you care, try this link to check me out at the 2005 World Roller Hockey Championships. We're getting our asses handed to us, but it's a good time...
http://www.2005rhwc.com/Picts-7.htm#Germany-USA
I'm number 4, darkskinned with the flag headband, for the USA team. If the link isn't active, lemme know how to do it and I'll give it another shot.

Keep the posts rolling. See you guys soon.

dc

Awesome. Great photos Dan.

I was wondering - if any MSIIs are browsing this page - how much battery power do you need for your laptop? Did you guys find you needed an extra battery? Mine says it lasts up to 4 hours - but with the number of programs I've installed, I bet it will last only 3 or so. Are there places on campus to recharge and do you have enough time to do so?

One week! I wish there was an emoticon that was biting off its fingernails.

Awesome. Great photos Dan.

I was wondering - if any MSIIs are browsing this page - how much battery power do you need for your laptop? Did you guys find you needed an extra battery? Mine says it lasts up to 4 hours - but with the number of programs I've installed, I bet it will last only 3 or so. Are there places on campus to recharge and do you have enough time to do so?

One week! I wish there was an emoticon that was biting off its fingernails.

im pretty sure there are outlets for us to plug the laptops into in libraries and such.

yea!! one week left!! isn't it exciting?? it seems like i'm the only going to be living on campus as a result of lacking a car and a license ;)

im pretty sure there are outlets for us to plug the laptops into in libraries and such.

yea!! one week left!! isn't it exciting?? it seems like i'm the only going to be living on campus as a result of lacking a car and a license ;)


Nah, it doesn't seem like more than 10 or so people from our class are on this thread, so I'm sure you'll find others in a similar situation once school starts and you meet everyone.

Hey Dan,

Awesome pics :)


How did you get into your SOLAR account? The only student ID number I have received from Stony Brook was on the sheet with my financial award. Is that where you got your ID from? I tried using that one and it didn't work when I tried about 3 weeks ago.

I hope you're having a great time and I'll meet you soon :)

Alf-

Thanks for the props. We just won our first game, against England, 5-3.

Anyways, the SOLAR thing is entered by using your SBID #, then enter your password as mm/dd/yy; it will ask you to change that when you enter. I had to do it as a response to an email from the offices at the school which let me know that I forgot something and was in jeopardy of not being registered. I'm sure it'll all shake out at the orientation.

dc

We have our emails! Did anyone check out CBASE and the course webpages? I have crazy butterflies in my stomach...

where do you go to access the SOLAR account? cbase ive found...

hey all! Dan nice pictures! i guess we'll all know who you are come the 22nd!

Check this out...I got my new laptop today from Dell and it arrived with a fuzzy screen so you couldn't read any of the words and the graphics were all screwed up! great way to start things off eh?

does anyone here know when we get our parking permits? or if we can buy them on monday before we park to save some money...i was thinking we may need to have proof of being a student first...not sure how this works. any second years know?

Thanks! I can't wait to meet you all. unbelievable...1 week left! where did summer go!

I'm not a student but I have question.

How is the email set up? (ie first name.last name@stonybrook.edu)

A former classmate who is MSTP (MS1) goes there and I want to get in contact with him. Thanks

I'm not a student but I have question.

How is the email set up? (ie first name.last name@stonybrook.edu)

A former classmate who is MSTP (MS1) goes there and I want to get in contact with him. Thanks

hey, its first.last@mail.hsc.sunysb.edu

a bit of a mouthful i suppose.

hey guys!!
i'm so excited about starting stony brook!! since bigdan put up some pictures, you guys can check out my xanga! http://www.xanga.com/raindropz

i've been packing for school and it seems like i've packed too much... i keep forgetting that i'm living on-campus and won't have too much space for anything. it sucks that the dorm i'm staying in won't have an ac and i'll have to drag over a big fan =(

making one last trip down to hopkins for my soo bahk do (a korean martial art) belt test, and my bf's taking the mcat this saturday (eek!)!

in case you haven't found it - incu, you can access SOLAR from stonybrook.edu

and you can buy the first month's parking permit on monday 8/22 - they have a list of our names apparently

4 more days of summer...soakin it up

It's not worth the money to buy a parking permit for the month of August, since it's ~$22 per month (so $22 for about eight days of parking from 8/22 to 8/31). The admission office will probably reimburse for parking the same way as during interview, or you can carpool, walk, etc.

Here's a preview of the social events planned for orientation week (subject to change):
Monday
5-7:30 BBQ at Dr. Edelman's house
9 Meet at a bar (TBD)

Tuesday
7-10 LI Ducks baseball game

Wednesday
8-12 Bowling and karaoke at Sports Plus

Thursday
1-3:30 Scavenger Hunt
3:30 - 7 Picnic at West Meadow Beach
9 Meet at a bar (TBD)

Friday
10 House Party at (second year students) house

Saturday
1ish BBQ and Softball game at a park

sounds like a busy schedule! Anybody know if all those events are mandatory or what not? I'm so bummed, my last week of freedom and I get an ear and sinus infection at the same time. Hopefully these antibiotics kick in and and I'll be ready to go for next week, looking forward to meeting you all.

-Did everyone get that letter about the kayaking trip? I still haven't decided if I'm going to go or not...

sounds like a busy schedule! Anybody know if all those events are mandatory or what not? I'm so bummed, my last week of freedom and I get an ear and sinus infection at the same time. Hopefully these antibiotics kick in and and I'll be ready to go for next week, looking forward to meeting you all.

-Did everyone get that letter about the kayaking trip? I still haven't decided if I'm going to go or not...

what kayaking trip? hmm i haven't gotten that.. orientation sounds so much fun!! i love karaoke and bars hahahah =D

Just moved everything into my apartment in Port Jefferson Station. It's kinda humid in here - anyone know if dehumidifiers really work? Or any other ways to cool off an apartment that is not feasible for air conditioners?

I didn't get all my mail yet; so I haven't seen anything on orientation from the school. Orientation looks like lots of time in a bar or two. I DEFINITELY have completed the pre-reqs for this part of medical school. Too bad the same can't be said for biochemistry...

Oh well. See you all soon.

hey guys did anyone see this? it's so funny =D

http://theunderweardrawer.homestead.com/scutmonkey.html

read the one on surgery!

Dan, my older brother lives out in Stony right now and uses a dehumidifier...he says he works real well. Cools the place down almost as much as an A/C. Besides, you can get one...try it out and if it doesn't work just send it back. Best Buy has 'em, i think and they have a great return policy.

That kayak trip sounds cool. if the weather is nice i think being out on the water on the north shore would be a perfect day. i'm definitely there...

there weren't too many details about the white coat ceremony...anybody bringing family? what are you guys wearing? i'm thinking the basic khaki/shirt/tie combo? probably doesn't make sense to wear a suit if we're getting a white coat!

Also, does anyone know if the school offers free antivirus software?

HED-

Good look on the dehumidifier. I'm on it.

As for the white coat - dress pants/shirt/tie like you said.

The school does offer some software; I think we get MS Office for free.

Where can a guy go out around here? I did some little ( and I mean itty bitty ) bars in Port Jefferson tonight, but they seemed more like amusement to fill time than a night out on the town.

And keep this thread going! We're really moving here!!!

dc

HED-
Where can a guy go out around here? I did some little ( and I mean itty bitty ) bars in Port Jefferson tonight, but they seemed more like amusement to fill time than a night out on the town.


I'm originally from LI (right around Stony, actually), and Port Jeff is one of the better towns to go out to. But you should definitely check out http://nightlife.longisland.com/home.php, as it has a decent listing of more places.

See everyone at orientation :)

this time of year most people go either south (to fire island and/or a couple of south shore bars) or east (to the hamptons, montauk, etc.) once school kicks in, those port jeff bars get fun (but tend to be younger undergrads), I had a friend go to stony for undergrad and I used to trek out there...From what I remember, there's Billie's, which is the main college/sports bar, a couple other random places, and a second story jazz club that always sounded cool but I never made it to. See you guys on monday!

Jeff

Good look on the link, Sparkle.

dc

np dan.

anyway, what is everyone bringing with them for orientation week?
i was hoping to get by with just a notebook & pen and am still debating whether to bring the laptop.

np dan.

anyway, what is everyone bringing with them for orientation week?
i was hoping to get by with just a notebook & pen and am still debating whether to bring the laptop.

I was thinking of just a planner/notebook and pen but the laptop may be good too. I think we need to setup a Virtual Private Network on campus in the library...that way we can use outlook off campus I think...

so just to clarify...do we just park in the HSC parking lot on a day by day basis for this week and then buy a monthly pass for september? (i think someone said that would be cheaper?)

so just to clarify...do we just park in the HSC parking lot on a day by day basis for this week and then buy a monthly pass for september? (i think someone said that would be cheaper?)

i believe we're supposed to park in the hospital garage the first day, which is physically separate from the hsc garage. (also, if i remember correclty, you can't get into the hsc garage without a monthly parking pass). the hospital garage is the first garage that comes up on your left when you come in through the main entrance. the hsc garages are the ones that come up after you drive past the emergency room, again on your left. hospital garage parking is $1.50/hr or $7.50/day max.

unless you're car pooling with other people, i'd say you're better off buying the monthly pass, even though it is for only two weeks. (there are offices to buy a monthly parking pass in both the hospital garage and in the hsc garage. )

-nk

I think I'm just going pen/notepad for monday at least, as none of the orientation paperwork said to bring it (laptop) for monday, and we'll get info for the rest of the week then. As for the parking pass, I might just buy the monthly anyways to avoid the hassle, even though it's probably cheaper to pay per diem. Anybody pick up any books yet? I just ordered lippincott's biochem, rohen's atlas and netter's anat flash cards over amazon...can't wait to meet all you guys, see you monday!!

Arrghh...

Pan- no hard feelings, but you already have your books? I'm jealous and frustrated. But I must confess that I found a Lippincott Biochemistry months ago and, from someone that has NEVER had Biochem, it's a very good book. Where did you find the book titles that we need to have? On the C BASE? I almost wanna know from the upperclassmen what they think we'll really need to buy; I don't wanna miss out on books, however.

Everyone - I'm not bringing the ol' laptop on Monday. Sounds like White Coat and chit chat for the first day, right? And regarding the parking, I just need to park at that garage that exists right after I pass the entrance to the medical school, right? I think the monthly parking pass will be financially better than daily parking everyday...right or wrong?

Keep this thread alive...we're kicking ass! I'm excited about this whole gig...wonder how long that will last...

dc

dan-

haha, no worries man, the three I bought came as recommendations from the "what books should I have for m1" thread. (the thread is kinda dead, I think it's about 4 pages deep now) I only bought 'em early I wasn't sure if the bookstore stocked them since none of them are the official texts for each class, and didn't want to have to wait for them if that was the case. If you go on Cbase, and click on view courses, you'll see the syllabi which has the books for each class. Biochem has 2 books, and anatomy recommends a huge list to pick from. I'm sure they'll be plenty of time to talk to M2's during orientation and see what the real deal is.

Hi everyone :)

Some advice from an MSIV-

Do not buy books prior to starting!!!! The last person I would use as a resource regarding which books to buy would be the course director- they usually have far-fetched visions as to what you should be reading, and this is probably due to most of them being PhD's.

Look to your upperclassman for advice on which books to get.

Thanks Daisy!

Hey - any advice on what to get and what to avoid from the first year?

dc

Do not buy books prior to starting!!!!

Doh!!!!
:D

Some course specific recommendations-
Anatomy: Core Concepts (Stern's book), Netter and a dissection atlas.
Biochem: Lippincott ONLY
Physio: Costanzo's text on physio (was purple, and I'm not referring to her BRS physio) and also use the BRS version (good for step I), and the syllabi
Neuro: High Yield neuroanatomy, BRS neuro, the syllabus, an atlas that contains cross sectional slices of the brain
IHB: ONLY buy BRS for this course. DO NOT purchase that text they tell you to get for heaven's sake.
ICM: Bate's. DO NOT BUY Dr. Coulehan's touchy feely book on how to interact with patients.
Path: Robbin's- I bought the huge Robbin's and baby Robbin's, and I never regretted doing so. Also, buy Robbin's question book. This book is very useful. I would also highly recommend purchasing Medical Microbiology and Immunology: Examination and Board Review. This book is excellent (I still use it) and the immuno section is all you need for the immunology component of path. Also, buy BRS's path book and use it while taking path. It will help you so much when you are reviewing for step I.

That is all I remember now. Please ask me more specific questions if you want more info :)

Daisy - good look on the info? The Lippincott is really all we'll need for Biochem? Would you say the same for a poor soul like me that has never enjoyed the wonders of biochem? They did a great job of freaking me out at the orientation, with a phrase like "folks that haven't had undergrad biochem tend to fail or low pass the course".

Panerai - Looks like you actually did pretty good with your purchases, from what homegirl has to say. Kudos!

dc

Dan-

The biochem course probably has changed a bit compared to when I was an MSI. Dr. Simon was my course director, and I think Dr. Schecter (sp?) is now the course director. However, I would still say that using the lecture notes (you'll get these from the student run note service), the syllabi, and Lippincott would most likely be enough.

I was a chem major in undergrad and trust me when I say that you won't be at a supreme disadvantage having never taken biochem. The first three weeks of biochem in med school was equivalent to about 2-3 months of my undergrad biochem course. The pace will be fast and furious and you'll be fine as long as you are diligent in your studies. Most people who haven't taken biochem prior to med school probably crap out in the course due to lack of studying.

Med school is not rocket science. Take your coursework seriously and you'll do fine. Make sure you get a hold of old exams since these will serve as excellent study tools.

Daisy-

Thanks for the return of info...thanks for dropping in on us rookies.

Old exams are another thing I should seek to obtain from the uppers, no?

On a lighter note, where do you go out around here? I'm from Upstate NY, not a big ass city so I don't need a 4 floor club, but somewhere to have a brew (or several) and shake my ass...

dc

dan-

there's plenty of places that will start to kick up now that school is back is session...Unfortunately, the major ones are west of stony brook, like the nutty irishman in bay shore (my hometown), the crazy donkey or the nutty irishman II in Farmingdale, mulcahey's in wantaugh, etc. Port Jeff does get it's party on when school is back in, and labor day weekend in the hamptons is fun if you've got the $$$ for it and don't mind waiting in line (both in your car and outside of the clubs).

last minute question for tomorrow-are you guys bringing a change of clothes for the BBQ, or do you think we'll have enough time between orientation and it to change? I only ask cuz hanging poolside in a shirt, dress pants and tie (or a dressy outfit for our female brethren) isn't my idea of a cool afternoon...

...

pan-

I would be doing myself and beer a disservice if I did not get something to drink in a place called the Nutty Irishman or Crazy Donkey. Looks like I'll have to hit those up.

And, yes, I'm bring a change of clothes, but I was thinking of getting out of my shirt and stuff as soon as we are allowed to remove the white coats. But I will certainly change clothes before the Dean's shindig (which, JJ, is indeed on Monday).

See y'all tomorrow.

dc

Welcome to Stony Brook guys!

There will be plenty of fun stuff to do for the next week before the stuff hits the fan! Don't worry...

And for those ladies not in relationships - there are 2 eligible bachelors that live right next door! Just call them Harold and Kumar...

Be nice and don't hook up with anyone until the 2nd week so you can filter out the 1 or 2 that made it through that shouldn't have! Or you might end up married to one of them :eek:

:)

Wait wait wait....

I'm single (and hopefully eligible but pending your opinion, ladies). Don't count me out!!!

In just a few hours, the madness begins...

dc

what's up. i'm the harold mentioned in kassie's post. this anatomy lab thing is exciting. anyone looking forward to the class that will give us our permanent cologne/perfume?

i have better game than dan

any surfers out there?


"when 900 years you reach, look as good, you are not, hmm?" -yoda

i have better game than dan



The game is afoot...

dc

The game is afoot...

dc

the score will be 0-0 for now. the game begins tomorrow at 10am. from what i hear, the class of 2009 is mostly female.

it's on.


don't worry everyone, i'm sure that more people will join this sdn thread as soon as we spread the word of this tomorrow.


"oompa loompah doopity doo. i've got another puzzle for you." -oompa loompas

We gotta make it to the White Coat ceremony tomorrow!

The wolves are out...go seawolves! :laugh:

the score will be 0-0 for now. the game begins tomorrow at 10am. from what i hear, the class of 2009 is mostly female.

it's on.


don't worry everyone, i'm sure that more people will join this sdn thread as soon as we spread the word of this tomorrow.


"oompa loompah doopity doo. i've got another puzzle for you." -oompa loompas

...and I went and got married in July, darn...j/k :D

NPH-Been surfing/bodyboarding for over 10 years now, worked at a surf shop on LI for the past six years (for you non Islanders, yeah we get waves here I swear ;) ) See y'all tomorrow AM!

Jeff C

just a few hours away...and to recap this whole thread i think BigDan gets the prize for most posts! btw, Dan how'd that dehumidifier work for you? i may have to get one now!

I just moved in all my stuff finally and on the way out to dinner..BAM got a ticket from a stony brook cop...not a good way to start the year...already in more debt!

I've only been surfing a handful of times in Florida and in Cali. Anyone around here bike?...both mountain and road? i'm looking for some training buddies...

What kind of ticket? Speeding? Parking? Public intoxication? Nudity?

Holy cow there are so many new posts to sort through. See you all tomorrow.

Mark

just a few hours away...and to recap this whole thread i think BigDan gets the prize for most posts! btw, Dan how'd that dehumidifier work for you? i may have to get one now!

I just moved in all my stuff finally and on the way out to dinner..BAM got a ticket from a stony brook cop...not a good way to start the year...already in more debt!

I've only been surfing a handful of times in Florida and in Cali. Anyone around here bike?...both mountain and road? i'm looking for some training buddies...

that's crazy. BAM must have been really pushing it to get a ticket. suffolk county cops are the most laid back i've ever seen. well, if anyone wants to surf, i've got two boards (6'4" and 5'10") which only work when them hurricanes send us some swell.

will anyone actually figure out my true identity? (anyone get the reference of my sn?)

NEVER!



"redruuuum. redruuum. tony's not here mrs. to