2017-2018 SUNY - Downstate
Started by gyngyn
Get help with your application
Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.
I wasn't placed on hold before.
Any current students here? Was wondering if you guys had any complaints about Downstate or if there's anything you really like about the school?
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Yeah, I'm a current MS1. First of all, I love the location. Being in NYC for med school has been fantastic so far. A lot of my friends from college work in Manhattan, and getting to see them when I have free time is great.
I'm a big fan of the P/F preclinical curriculum. I'd say it definitely takes some of the stress out of the first two years. However, it's not truly P/F, since AOA takes preclinical grades into account (even though preclinical grades are not factored into our class ranking--AOA is weird like that). In any case, I feel like the P/F curriculum has made our class more collaborative and cooperative. I don't know of anybody in our class that tries to bring anybody down; there are definitely people who are really competitive, but they're mostly just trying to do their best for themselves. Everybody shares resources on our private Facebook page, and overall it feels like there's a low of camaraderie here.
I'm also a big fan of how early we get clinical exposure. A few months ago, I was working with a physician who let me take the history and do a physical exam on a real patient by myself, alone, in a room. This was only two or three months into med school, so it was terrifying at first, but I think I learned a lot in those weeks that I worked with her.
You may also have heard that Downstate is not a research powerhouse. This is probably true compared to the schools in Manhattan, but I can only comment on my experience here. There are MS1's doing research in every department. I feel like there are 30-ish of us doing research in ortho right now, and I know people are already getting posters, abstracts, and some publications out there. I also have friends doing research in dermatology, ENT, ophtho, and urology. Department chairs are often eager to meet up with MS1's to talk about summer research projects, which is really helpful. A lot of the time, you get to work with them directly, or they'll hook you up with somebody in their department. I also feel like we match really well into ophthalmology and urology, for some reason; I think our attendings in those departments are just really well-connected. Our match lists for the last 20 years are on the school's website, so you can Google that and judge for yourself.
That's all I can really say about Downstate. Maybe I'm still starry-eyed and excited about being a medical student at all, but I really like it here. I'm sure I'll have a lot more to complain about once I hit MS3 and MS4, but at least for now, I'm fairly satisfied. As a side note, I also get the feeling that as East Flatbush becomes more and more gentrified, Downstate will become a more desirable place to go to med school, and it will become slightly more competitive as time goes on. But that's just my guess.
Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.
10/16/17: offered a II
11/15/17: Interviewed
12/22/17: Placed on Hold for Spring Consideration
1/02/18: Peer interview
2/09/18: Rejected
2/09/18: Unrejected
3/07/17: Accepted
First acceptance, so I'm ecstatic. I really wanted to go to a city MD school.
11/15/17: Interviewed
12/22/17: Placed on Hold for Spring Consideration
1/02/18: Peer interview
2/09/18: Rejected
2/09/18: Unrejected
3/07/17: Accepted
First acceptance, so I'm ecstatic. I really wanted to go to a city MD school.
Would agree with what @nythrowaway has said completely. As someone ending his third year, I definitely see the value of that p/f curriculum for the first two years, and how the early clinical exposure has influenced my abilities on the wards now. Also in the first two years having board-based exams truly helped in preparation for step 1. The clinical experiences as a third year are diverse. You deal with a lot of social issues that get taxing, but it has helped me grow as a provider and training at kings pretty much prepares you for anything (residency programs know this). Third year is the most stressful school year I’ve ever had. But it’s rewarding most of the time and the patients here treat you like you are their doctor because, essentially, you are. We get a LOT of responsibility on the wards (in most rotations).
congrats! Agh I'm trying to make sense of the HFS list, but after seeing someone who got put on in the end December get in before someone put on in the end of October, I have no idea. Especially since I was put on it at the end of November. Is there anything we can do other than send in a letter of intent?
I’m not sure if there is rhyme or reason. I did not have any communication with them between being placed on hold and now being accepted. I did not send any letters or updates.
woah did they accidentally reject you via emaiL???? and then call you and said you got accepted?
Congrats! do you mind sharing your stats?
Basically, although I received an acceptance email not a phone call.
Just got an II today, is it even worth it? Am I just going to the waitlist since its so late?
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
So strange, I am still in silence since my Nov hold for spring consideration decision, blah
Looking for some advice from any current students, I am on hold for spring consideration and this is my top choice. I was accepted at one other MD school (My state school) and a DO school. I am on the wait-list at two other programs. Did any of you write a letter of intent for SUNY Downstate after being placed on hold? I am considering doing that now. But, just wanted advice/or opinions on when is a good time and how the school weighs letters of intent. Any input would be greatly appreciated!
Are you in-state? I updated them after being placed on hold. If I were you I'd update them soon with a comprehensive list of your activities and recent achievements and a detailed explanation of why you're a great fit for the school.
I am not in-state, but am from the tri-state area and have not sent them an update, but am planning to do that/ essentially write a letter of intent that they are my number one choice?
I also interviewed in January and my peer-to-peer interview was 4 weeks ago. Still no decision yet.
I interviewed early Jan and peer interview a month later and heard back mid Feb!
I interviewed late Jan, had my peer interview late feb and heard back early March.
I interviewed here on Jan 23, had my peer to peer conversation on Feb 19, and put on hold for spring consideration today.
Anyone know the prognosis of being on hold for spring consideration? Wondering if I'm better off on hold than waitlist
If you look at previous years’ threads, some people get accepted off the HFS, but the remainder (majority) end up transferred to the alternate list at some point in the spring, as the class gets filled up. Last year this happened at the end of March. The alternate list seems to move a lot in early May.
Is anyone in my same boat? I interviewed 10/16, had my peer interview 11/3 and it has been silence since then.
Oh wow, sorry. I interviewed 2/13, peer interview 3/6 haven't heard back but next week will only be the minimum wait time of 6 weeks so patiently waiting. Have you contacted admissions? I was told 6-8 weeks for a decision.
My interview here went really well. My interviewer and I really seemed to vibe and I had a good feeling about getting an acceptance here. However, my peer to peer interview was pretty bad (didn't have many questions for student, and eventually when things seemed over to me I kind of ended the conversation/call rather than the student doing so). Should I be worried?
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Even if all went absolutely perfect, one may still worry, because that is sometimes in our nature. So the only question I have for you is do you have faith? If so, then there is no need to worry because worrying will not change your situation. Regardless of how your peer interview went, I hope you still thanked him/her for their time and reiterated your interest (if that's the case) to attend Downstate. This entire process is nerve racking but you have to just try your best and leave the rest to God (if you are a Christian or whoever you put your trust in). What's yours will be yours. So all the best! Hope to have you as my classmate if that is your desire, it certainly is mine, and if it's in His will. Remain blessed.
Interviewed 2/5. Had peer to peer call 3/8. Hopefully will hear back soon!
A good mix of dorms or nearby, with students often moving farther in later years. I was OOS so I always lived off-campus, but I'd say most of my friends lived in the dorms 1st year, with some staying throughout and others moving off-campus after 1st year.
As far as living off-campus, which neighborhoods or areas do most students live? or is it all over?
Any insight on apartment prices in the area? (with 1 or 2 roommates)
The dorms look pretty pricey for what they are offering
The dorms look pretty pricey for what they are offering
A good number live in the immediate area (East Flatbush). Nicer/more fun/pricier but still commutable neighborhoods are Crown Heights and Park Slope, mainly. People definitely do live all over, including some in other boroughs (though I wouldn't recommend it if you don't already live there).
Not sure about the dorms specifically, but I found mine by posting in our class's FB page (the unofficial one) and also on the Downstate COM Marketplace page.
I lived in a 3br all 4 years with 2 roommates, total rent was $2000-2200 which is reasonable for the immediate area, on the lower end (b/c I lived a farther walk from the subway). I would think it's ridiculous to pay >$1000 per bedroom in the area, though that's probably par for the course in Park Slope. My monthly share of the rent was always <$800/mo.
Yeah I emailed them late December and all I got was a scripted response... that a decision has not been reached yet. It’s about to be April though. A bit ridiculous
Nope. Am planning to go to their research day though on the 11th of April.
I interviewed 12/18 and STILL haven't had my peer-to-peer interview yet. Called and e-mailed multiple times and I get the same response every time
. I haven't even received a follow-up email that they told me they'd send two days ago. I really love SUNY Downstate as a school but they're definitely not making me feel very welcomed! Anyone have any idea how they're assigning students for peer-to-peer interviews or where should I proceed from here? I know someone else said they waited up to four months before their peer-to-peer interview.Don’t worry about it. I was in a similar boat - interview went really well but was a stumbling wreck during the peer to peer - but was accepted. I’m sure they don’t place a heavy consideration on the peer to peer convo (as long as you don’t come off as neurotic or douchey), especially since this is their first year doing it.
I just got an II here. I would have to travel pretty significant distance, but qualify as IS, because my permanent residence is NY but I’m not studying locally.
Is it worth the travel expenses and annoyance or is it a WL interview?
Is it worth the travel expenses and annoyance or is it a WL interview?
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Ditto. Interview went well but Peer-to-Peer went horribly. Still accepted.
You can leave right after the tour so around 1PM. Hopefully with your 9AM interview you can go on the morning housing tour but there's another offered at 3 if you want to go on that.
When is your interview? I'm wondering how many more they have scheduled while so many are still awaiting decisions...
Me too!
