Hello!
Here are the answers to your questions:
1. All four years run on a F/P/HP/H system. I personally like it better, because it gives you something to shoot for.
2. Yes. Every lecture is available in a podcast as well as a verbatim transcript word document and all for free. The powerpoints are also put up along with any relevant videos and notes.
3. So this is a question everyone asks and then they come to school and realize that clinical exposure in the 1st 2 years means next to nothing, unless you enjoy shadowing (which i do but alot of people dont). You can get put into the ER to watch the docs in your first month if you want, but you will only be watching. This is pretty standard across all schools...dont expect to be doing too much in a clinical setting til you pass your boards.
We do require a primary care preceptor that you need to do 9 sessions with starting in November. You will be matched up with a doc in a primary care setting and you will interview patients, take vitals, and stuff like that.
4. The days are variable. Usually there are 2-3 lectures in the morning starting at 9 (sometimes 10), then an hour for lunch, then some afternoon activity. Some days youll have anatomy lab, or histo lab, or a small group, or a problem set, or a CBL. Some days you'll simply have off or you'll head to your preceptor.
On average though, the day runs from 9 to 3 (with the 3 being quite variable).
If you really want to get a feel for Downstate, I suggest strongly that you come shadow a student. I'm having a bunch of them follow me and they all seem to love it here.
Best of luck to you.