- Joined
- Apr 4, 2012
- Messages
- 144
- Reaction score
- 139
I have a week to decide between these schools and have no idea what to do. I'm IS at both and cost will more or less be the same. Both are close to home, but Stony Brook is more convenient in terms of travel time as I could easily drive home as opposed to having a 1.5 hr MTA commute. Both have similar caliber in terms of matching.
Downstate
Pros
(+) P/F grading, unranked/no shadow ranking
(+) Step 1 at 1.5 years preclinical
(+) City life, can live in a nice area of Brooklyn
(+) Hymns about clinical experience
(+) Diverse patient population
Cons
(-) Large class size (190)
(-) Many rotation sites, some as faraway as Staten Island
(-) Dreary/old facilities
(-) "Less organized" administration reputation
(-) Not the safest location
(-) Slightly nervous about everyday city stressors
Stony Brook
Pros
(+) small class size (140)
(+) slightly better reputation
(+) main rotations at Stony/not many super faraway rotations
(+) better research/funding
(+) Safer surrounding area
(+) Has a rep of having a strong community/relaxed feel
(+) Great facilities, good resources
Cons
(-) H/P/F - have heard from students it can be somewhat competitive
(-) Location is both boring and expensive
(-) Homogenous patient population, also rep of patients being more hoity-toity/less receptive to med students
(-) Step 1 at 3rd year, less time to plan for residency apps + figure out speciality in reach
(-) New(ish) curriculum so school is still ironing out kinks
(-) Would have to get multiple roommates (seems most med students live in a house together, although it could be possible pro).
I'm from the Long Island/Queens fringe area, so it could be nice to actually experience real city living. I'm not sure how much stock to put into preclinical vs clinical experiences. I also didn't have the best interview experience at Downstate, but it was one of my first interviews, so I really wasn't sure at what I was looking for and fear I may have judged it too easily. Stony Brook seems more comfortable, but Downstate feels like it'll be more exciting. I'm interested in pursuing competitive residencies, so research will be somewhat important.
Downstate
Pros
(+) P/F grading, unranked/no shadow ranking
(+) Step 1 at 1.5 years preclinical
(+) City life, can live in a nice area of Brooklyn
(+) Hymns about clinical experience
(+) Diverse patient population
Cons
(-) Large class size (190)
(-) Many rotation sites, some as faraway as Staten Island
(-) Dreary/old facilities
(-) "Less organized" administration reputation
(-) Not the safest location
(-) Slightly nervous about everyday city stressors
Stony Brook
Pros
(+) small class size (140)
(+) slightly better reputation
(+) main rotations at Stony/not many super faraway rotations
(+) better research/funding
(+) Safer surrounding area
(+) Has a rep of having a strong community/relaxed feel
(+) Great facilities, good resources
Cons
(-) H/P/F - have heard from students it can be somewhat competitive
(-) Location is both boring and expensive
(-) Homogenous patient population, also rep of patients being more hoity-toity/less receptive to med students
(-) Step 1 at 3rd year, less time to plan for residency apps + figure out speciality in reach
(-) New(ish) curriculum so school is still ironing out kinks
(-) Would have to get multiple roommates (seems most med students live in a house together, although it could be possible pro).
I'm from the Long Island/Queens fringe area, so it could be nice to actually experience real city living. I'm not sure how much stock to put into preclinical vs clinical experiences. I also didn't have the best interview experience at Downstate, but it was one of my first interviews, so I really wasn't sure at what I was looking for and fear I may have judged it too easily. Stony Brook seems more comfortable, but Downstate feels like it'll be more exciting. I'm interested in pursuing competitive residencies, so research will be somewhat important.