Hackensack vs. SUNY Downstate

[Snapdragon1234]

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I'm currently deciding between Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and SUNY Downstate in Brooklyn (NY resident). Any opinions or advice?

 

[liketb12]

Any pros and cons you can provide? Whats the cost difference? Is that a huge factor to you? Just off the cuff ik Hackensack is pretty infamous for a ~120k per year COA.

So that versus Downstate’s 80k makes it a 40k per year and 160k debt difference across 4 years. I think that’s significant enough to warrant easily picking Downstate!

 

[Snapdragon1234]

Any pros and cons you can provide? Whats the cost difference? Is that a huge factor to you? Just off the cuff ik Hackensack is pretty infamous for a ~120k per year COA.

So that versus Downstate’s 80k makes it a 40k per year and 160k debt difference across 4 years. I think that’s significant enough to warrant easily picking Downstate!

Thank you so much for replying to my thread!

Yes, the cost difference is very large. Hackensack is a three year program so if I only do the three years it ends up being around the same price as Downstate. However, if I end up doing a fourth year at Hackensack for research or clinical work it will end up being around 100k more than Downstate. So I would pretty much be forced to do the three year program at Hackensack, but the con with that is I would have to do a residency at a Hackensack hospital in New Jersey and they only have specific residencies.

The only major thing that concerns me about Downstate is finding an affordable place to live and the potential closing of the teaching hospital.

Thoughts?

 

[liketb12]

Flatbush/Crown Heights area is super cheap - if you're living with roommates, you will easily be able to pay anywhere from $800-1400 on average for pretty nice places. The teaching hospital was also officially no longer closing and even better, got a significant new commitment for funding. I would honestly say Downstate here!! Congrats either way and good luck. 🙂