So yeah, it is 1.5 years preclinical. All the lectures/anatomy/sim center stuff happens in that new building, which is nice. Some patients come to visit us, and often we do visit patients in the hospital. You are right, they do provide many clinical experiences throughout these 18 months. Half of them happen off site, at homeless shelters, stand alone clinics, Bronx VA, Harlem Hospital etc. You have no control over that environment. But still, the bulk of the time is spent in an open and modern environment with plenty of natural light during these 18 months. We then spend a year doing rotations at our main teaching hospital, then go back to the library to prep for Step 1. In our 4th year we are required to spend 4 months doing a scholarly project in addition to electives and aways. So if you count the amount of months we spend in lecture, small group, at affiliated sites, scholarly project, step study, rotations etc. I would say that we spend a major chunk of our time in that new building. I am not sure what you are arguing here, but having it is a significant improvement. People don't have to fight for a tiny study space in some corner in some basement anymore.
Regarding our clinical facilities, don't let the exterior facade fool you. Our OR's are not closet sized as your comment may imply. Heating and cooling works fine too. As I said earlier, Milstein Hospital has fairly modern facilities and the hospital as a whole is continuously improving it's infrastructure (ie: our ED). I think most academic NYC hospitals do a decent job modernizing their internal infrastructure. Sure, the exterior is not pretty, but the functionality and an ambience conducive to work is there. I agree that there is not much eye candy but your clinical training won't get hindered by the lack of floor to ceiling glass windows.
I thought you were being a little sarcastic earlier but now I am sensing animosity in your comments toward Columbia. Not sure why. Most NYC hospitals/medical schools are physically outdated. Any revitalized space that can make studying more enjoyable is a welcomed addition. Especially when you spend 22+ months in that new building.
The Step 1 comment was probably a little tongue-in-cheek since otherwise it would be an inflammatory statement based on zero facts. Unlike most schools, we take our Step 1 after our clinical year (so 2.5 years after starting med school). Most students during their preclinicals are not focused on the Step 1. We are more concerned about our performance on the wards since Step 1 is such a distant test. Going to have to relearn all the Step 1 minutia after clinical year.
