I'm currently an Einstein student and LOVE this place. Montefiore is the main academic teaching hospital, but we're also affiliated with Jacobi (inner city hospital, also a trauma center), Weiler (more private hospital-type setting), Beth Israel (in Manhattan), and more. The clinical experience here is superb - you see anything and everything in terms of patient pathology (the Monte health system takes care of a huge number of Bronx patients. Many come into the hospital at late stages of their diseases and so you see pathology from the beginning to end stages) and you'll gain skills becoming comfortable and competant taking the initiative to care for any type of patient under your wing. Hard to put in words how great I think the clinical experience is, but just know this is one of the strengths of Einstein and one of the reasons I came here.
Location - yes, we're in the Bx, but we're a 20 min drive into the city and there're options to take an express bus and subway into the city. If you do a required rotation at Beth Israel (BI) in the city, Einstein has free BI housing right across the street from the hospital. Back to the Bronx - a new Starbucks opened a few months ago that's just a 5 min walk from our apts. The new (and huge) research building will be opening this year and really makes a beautiful addition to our campus. We have a new Dean as of 2007, and already we are seeing tons of changes for the better. There are plans to beautify the campus even more over the years, add a bookstore (not a big deal to me that we don't have one, but apparently students would like it so its in the works), etc. (And we have a new website as of a few weeks ago. Check it out if you haven't already!)
Support - we have a LOT of it. The school is incredibly receptive to feedback by students. We get feedback surveys about each academic class we took, each third year rotation we completed, and general surveys about school improvement. There are free tutoring services, lecturers are always more than willing to meet with students after class for questions, and the list goes on.
Research - lots of it. There are more than enough opportunities for bench research. More clinical research opportunities at the hospital sites. Don't really have much else to add - we have research, most students find a mentor and get involved at some point, many end up publishing or producing abstracts/posters. As in any school, you just have to find the right mentor and right project that fits you time frame.
Ultimately, I have zero complaints about Einstein. The new dean is wonderful and I only wish I can see the improvements in the upcoming years (I'm graduating this year) - which I'm sure there will be a lot of. While Einstein has always been a strong school with a well-known reputation, especially in the NY area, who wants to stay stagnant, right? He has visions to make Einstein bigger and better. With what I already see happening in the short time since he's been here, I have no doubt Einstein will continue to flourish.
I can't speak for RWJ, since I've never been there nor have any friends there. The only objective advice I could give you is to consider it higher if it offers you a scholarship and that's a big deal to you. Otherwise, Einstein has a great finance office here that works closely with students. I've never heard any einstein student having a problem borrowing $.
I could probably go on and on, but PM me if you have other questions.
