I'm torn...and have to make a decision

[PlasticMan]

I used to work at Columbia University Medical Center. It's expensive, and I saw men and women using the street as a bathroom facility on many occasions. It's kind of a weird feeling to see this happen, knowing that you're paying so much to live there. You might want to spend a few weeks in Washington Heights / Harlem before you really know what you're getting yourself into. I believe this is why they are actively recruiting people who are already from the area. They know what to expect.

Haha. Grossest one I saw was right on 33rd street, only about 1/2 block from penn station... was on my way home to jersey from a yankee game via penn station when suddenly in the MIDDLE of the sidewalk, not the side or alley mind you, a homeless woman suddenly while standing up, bent over at the hips, naked butt glistening in the midnight moonlight and started peeing all over the sidewalk. Should have seen the looks on the people's faces, who were walking right near where she was doing her business when it started.

I don't know if Touro Harlem will be offering on campus housing, but if they're not there is a little known gem of a neighborhood in Manhattan called Inwood. Inwood is the most northern tip of manhattan; washington heights borders it on the south. This area is very affordable, and you can stay inside manhattan. It's perfect for Touro Harlem, b/c it's only a few stops away on the A train; no transfer required. Disclaimer: when looking into places in Inwood, only look into apartments that reside to the WEST OF BROADWAY; I cannot stress this enough. Seriously, if you mapquest it, and see it is even so much as 1 block east of broadway, don't even bother going to look at it. If you find an apartment west of broadway, it can be a very nice place to live. Many of the apartment buildings reside directly across the street from Inwood Hill park; another words, when you look out your windows you can see tons of trees. It's a really nice park with tennis courts, paths to walk along the harlem river, etc. Anyway, just thought I'd let you guys in on this little secret, considering it is one of the last affordable, decent place to live inside manhattan, and it is so close to school. Most people have heard of washington heights, but not Inwood.

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[MaximusD]

Yea, still waiting on that Allopathic school. If it doesn't work out, I'll go Osteo.

A largely irrelevant factor anyway.

 

[jp104]

Haha. Grossest one I saw was right on 33rd street, only about 1/2 block from penn station... was on my way home to jersey from a yankee game via penn station when suddenly in the MIDDLE of the sidewalk, not the side or alley mind you, a homeless woman suddenly while standing up, bent over at the hips, naked butt glistening in the midnight moonlight and started peeing all over the sidewalk. Should have seen the looks on the people's faces, who were walking right near where she was doing her business when it started.

I work on 33rd and 7th in 2 penn plaza. Yeah, that area can get pretty shady!

 

[Orthodoc40]

Orthodoc def head to Iowa (fields of opportunity)

 

[Jinyaoysiu]

Go to KCOM.

Touro often pays hospitals for rotation spots for its students and basically breaking a mutually agreed rule amongst MD and DO schools as a line that should not be crossed because pretty soon you'll have hospitals expecting money for free student labor and the highest bidder gets the rotation spots.

So I wouldn't want to go to a school that's opening up school in every locale, annoying other schools in the area, especially the ones that have residency programs, by not playing fair and when it comes to time to apply for residencies, you'll just be yet another Touro student and residency program director will just have to figure out which one you're from and what's unique about that program. Or you can just apply to one of Touro's own residency programs. Where? and would you want to go? I don't know, but I have a feeling they should have some FP/IM spots somewhere.

 

[doc1228]

jinyaoysiu,

really??

 

[TerpDO]

honestly, you've got the pros/cons down...ultimately, this is a decision only you can make. Our input shows our preference, what school we think would be better, but it doesn't mean whats best for me would be best for you. Consider your residence, location, money, the kind of environment that is most suitable for you and where you can get work done, the demographic of not just where the school is located, but also that of your peers. touro-ny would be a much more diverse group than kcom. these are things only you can decide. Good luck with your decision. Either way, you'll end up where you belong. Be satisfied in knowing that

skimmed the entire thread, and this is probably the best post ^^, happens to be the first. Two things:

1) If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. This is likely why some of us would prefer Touro Harlem over any other school, new or not. Don't be too fired up Clement, most of the responses are from people who are already in school a few years and though they may have a valid point, didn't have the option of choosing to attend school in NYC so I would not be pressing for a comprehensive explanation of their statements. Then there are people who either did not apply (deterred by the $200 app fee) or have not interviewed or gotten accepted so they could be hating on Touro NYC for the many reasons that were already discussed since the school opened for interviews. Don't let any of that bother you, I look forward to meeting you in person in the Fall.

2) amathew, you sound like a very sensible girl and I hope you get accepted if you did not hear from them yet. Best of luck to you.

 

[clement]

skimmed the entire thread, and this is probably the best post ^^, happens to be the first. Two things:

1) If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. This is likely why some of us would prefer Touro Harlem over any other school, new or not. Don't be too fired up Clement, most of the responses are from people who are already in school a few years and though they may have a valid point, didn't have the option of choosing to attend school in NYC so I would not be pressing for a comprehensive explanation of their statements. Then there are people who either did not apply (deterred by the $200 app fee) or have not interviewed or gotten accepted so they could be hating on Touro NYC for the many reasons that were already discussed since the school opened for interviews. Don't let any of that bother you, I look forward to meeting you in person in the Fall.

2) amathew, you sound like a very sensible girl and I hope you get accepted if you did not hear from them yet. Best of luck to you.

True true true...You make a damn good point.
I have noticed a good number of people will say, "go with the older school" hands down, but then they haven't necessarily researched or interviewed at the newer schools. Hope to meet both of you soon.
As for Doc1228, best of luck making that decision. It's a tough position to be in, but I don't think you could go drastically wrong either way (that was the point of most of my previous blabbing)

 

[Jinyaoysiu]

jinyaoysiu,

really??

Yes really. I made a similar response in another thread and below is what I said.

"I guess it's cheaper/easier for Touro to pay for spots at hospitals than to invest in developing/strengthening its own core sites for more rotation/residency spots, which might be okay for now but that's not a sound strategy in the long run, for itself and for other schools in the many areas that Touro will exist. That kind of lack of a long term sincerity and investment is clearly a sign that Touro is in it for the immediate profit. You might say Touro is still young but Touru-Ca has been around for 10 years and many years in planning before that, and it so far only has 3 resideny programs, none of which close to its campus, only one in the same state(but in L.A.), and 2 of which are pure FP programs."

Go to KCOM. However, if you decide on Touro, I think you will get a fine education at TUCOM-NY and medical school is what you make of it. It's the same thing that you could get a very good education at DeVry and it depends on what you put into it, but when people look at DeVry which is in every state they kind of overlook the subtance of the education and somehow value it less due to its locations everywhere. Touro has opened 3 schools in the past 10 years and if this trend continues, I don't think it's far-fetched to say that the image/value of a Touro education will also suffer when you have like 5,6,7 Touro schools in the nation (in)famous for churning out doctors while not having any strong sites of its own for rotations/residencies.

Jiny

 

[Hexanol]

hm wow. i didn't know that.

I'm in a similiar situation. Accepted to WVSOM and Touro-NY and have to decide soon, granted I am still waiting on PCOM's decision and am waitlisted at UMDNJ.

I actually liked WVSOM but the location was kind of a discouragement for me. Small towns are do-able but I'd much rather prefer a city. So just looking at location, for myself, i'd prefer NY but again, I'd like to hear other's thoughts. any ideas/suggestions/advice?

 

[doc1228]

Yes really. I made a similar response in another thread and below is what I said.

"I guess it's cheaper/easier for Touro to pay for spots at hospitals than to invest in developing/strengthening its own core sites for more rotation/residency spots, which might be okay for now but that's not a sound strategy in the long run, for itself and for other schools in the many areas that Touro will exist. That kind of lack of a long term sincerity and investment is clearly a sign that Touro is in it for the immediate profit. You might say Touro is still young but Touru-Ca has been around for 10 years and many years in planning before that, and it so far only has 3 resideny programs, none of which close to its campus, only one in the same state(but in L.A.), and 2 of which are pure FP programs."

Go to KCOM. However, if you decide on Touro, I think you will get a fine education at TUCOM-NY and medical school is what you make of it. It's the same thing that you could get a very good education at DeVry and it depends on what you put into it, but when people look at DeVry which is in every state they kind of overlook the subtance of the education and somehow value it less due to its locations everywhere. Touro has opened 3 schools in the past 10 years and if this trend continues, I don't think it's far-fetched to say that the image/value of a Touro education will also suffer when you have like 5,6,7 Touro schools in the nation (in)famous for churning out doctors while not having any strong sites of its own for rotations/residencies.

Jiny

thanks