I am going to take this opportunity to disagree with you on Cornell again, mainly because my impression is that no one there will even argue with you too much that NYU gives the stronger CLINICAL experience (by stronger, I mean you run the service and really act as the attending... they might argue you get exposed to and learn from better surgeons, but the level of operating for the resident is less) but probably no one will argue that the ACADEMIC/RESEARCH experience is probably stronger at Cornell over NYU. Columbia even touted that a Lap Chole is a PGY1-2 case, end of story, whereas on my 2nd look to Cornell, I PHYSICALLY saw a PGY5 resident essentially 1st assisting the attending on a Lap Chole...
This again just demonstrates how all of these lists are subjective and there really can't be an objective meassure of this. To Flank Pains lists, I'd argue adding my new program, UMDNJ-NJMS to the Academic Programs Training Academic/Practicing GS's... also would argue add to NYU to that list (or list A)... I mean, we have argued on this forum that Surg Onc is probably the 2nd or 3rd most competitive fellowship (definately behind Ped Surg, +/- with Plastics), so for NYU to send 6 residents to MSK over the past like 7-8 years, arguably one of the top 2 most competitive fellowships within Surg Onc [along with MD Anderson], you have to consider it a top place for sending fellows... I don't think any of those other on the list can boost those type of numbers... and UMDNJ-NJMS, well, it isn't as flashy of a name, or in as flashy of a city, but they both place well for fellowship (multiple into Surg Onc, including FMG's, 2 into plastics just this year, and then top places for the 'easier' to match fellowships like CT at MGH/UCLA, Vascular at WashU, Transplant at Columbia), and train the **** outa their residents, but again, that is a very subjective meassure (but good enough to recruit me and for me to recommend anyone else applying to take a look at it).