NYCOM students: What is the student life like -- classes, social, recreational..etc.

[theDr.]

NYCOM students: What is the student life like -- classes, social, recreational..etc Have you enjoyed your time at NYCOM....how do you feel about the education you have received. Finally, do you have free time to do the things you enjoy...sports...hanging with bf/gf..etc. Bascially, would you promote students to attend your insititution. THANkS!!!!!

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[sia_simba]

It is different between people who live at homes and those who are from out of state or not from the area. Studying wise, 4 hrs a day after class and 6hrs a day on the weekends should be fine. You get the evening to yourself and friday, saturday night you can go out and hang out w/ your friends. Gives a good balance between personal time and time w/ others. If you have a bf/gf who is in the area, I dont see how that could be a problem.

However, there are weeks during exams where you won't be able to do all of that and just study, but I think that is understandable in all medical school life.

 

[theDr.]

are exams given every monday? or in blocks...how does it work? Thanks

 

[PublicHealth]

Where are most of the clinical rotations? The Long Island Expressway can get pretty clogged up, so students commuting from the Old Westbury/Glen Cove area will have quite a time getting to rotations in Manhattan and surrounding areas. Is there a train that takes you into the city?

 

[Chrisobean]

LIRR silly! travel in style.... its real quick from there (half hour?), you will just have to leave your car at the train station.

 

[PublicHealth]

Thank you, bean! I'm not a New Yorker, so I had to ask. Are you going to join NYCOM this fall!?

 

[Chrisobean]

Originally posted by PublicHealth
Thank you, bean! I'm not a New Yorker, so I had to ask. Are you going to join NYCOM this fall!?

mos def

 

[sholly]

there are only 2 hospitals in manhattan to do clinicals, right? also how do you get assigned to the hospital?

 

[sleep deprived]

Through the match stix. You rank the hospitals for each rotation 1-35 in the order you are most interested. Then the computer program does it's best to give everyone their top choices. It doesn't mean you get your #1 choice, you might very well. We are told that the worst you will get is your #5 choice. And that most people get 1, 2 or 3.
A regional campus model was started this year. This is where you spend the whole year at a cluster of hospitals in NJ, or 1 hospital in Brooklyn, or 1 on long island, get the idea? It is for people who want to stay in the same place for the whole year. You apply and interview so that the DME can be sure that they like you. They don't want to be stuck with someone for an entire year who they feel is not compatible. If you don't get the regional campus (I didn't), you do the matchstix with everyone else. No big deal.
There was actually a really big interest in the regional campus this year, and that is why lots who wanted it did not get it. There were only 16 spots for the NJ regional campus, and 41 applicants. However, there are an addittional 12-15 spots with in the NJ hospitals left for the matchstix. So, I may very well end up in the NJ hospitals anyway, since I ranked them as #1 for each rotation.

 

[PublicHealth]

sleep deprived,

Can you share with us your experiences at NYCOM? How are years 1 and 2? Workload? Clinicals? Social life? Do you enjoy being a NYCOM student?

Any other advice that you think would be helpful to incoming students would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

PH

 

[sleep deprived]

NYCOM will challenge you, as you should be. The education is rigorous.
Everything is very high tech, the campus is beautiful. It is wireless, and laptops can be checked out from the library.
Simulation exam rooms are in the process of being built for standardized patient exams.
All the lectures are streamed over the web, so you can go to class or watch them from home. It's better to go to class, staring at the computer screen for hours on end is hard.
I have had a good expereince.
The school has roughly 35 hospital affiliations. Lots of opportunity for networking in lots of hospitals. You can set yourself up to do each rotation in a different hospital if you wish. Why is this good?
You will open doors for yourself when you apply for residency. You have a better shot at getting a residency where they know you for doing well.
So, I give NYCOM two thumbs up.

 

[1max2nv]

when are the patient simul supposed to be finished by? All in all do you get to see fake patients from day one so that you have clinical experience building lil by lil so by the time you are in your 3rd year, interacting with patients is easy as a b c's?

also do you get to do preceptorships where you shadow d.o. in the real deal environment and perhaps get some hands on expierence as well from 1st yr?

 

[sleep deprived]

From the first year, you will have standardized patients to practice on. You will also examine one another.
There is a clinic on campus where DO's practice, and you are free to shadow them whenever you want, however much you wish, as soon as you start at NYCOM. You just have to sign up to do it. You even earn extra points for doing so toward your grades.
Like any medical school, you get back what you put in. The experience is what you make of it.
My only personal advice which may not be received well is to leave any boy friend, girl friend behind before you start school. It makes things to complicated. Your job is to become a good Dr. now. Just my personal opinion, I know lots will disagree. It's okay, I dont' want to debate. It is just my advice.
I am studying Pharm right now. I sit at my desk, study with my lamp and coffee, and occasionally post on SDN when I need a break.

 

[labruy69]

I'm also a second year at NYCOM. I have basically enjoyed the past 2 years. The block system is great and allows ample time to study and socialize. bf/gf time can be worked out if the person is close to school, but long distance can work. I know people who travel across the country almost every weekend to see thier spouses and kids. I personally could not handle this, but for some people it works. I got married right before medical school and my husband moved here with me. So far juggling time with him and school has worked out fine.
As for the education, I'd say it's comparible to most other med schools. We do have the advantage of video streaming and Dr. Elkowitz (one of the best teachers at NYCOM). Plus our 3rd and 4th year rotation sites are pretty diverse and give you a chance to really get your name out there for possible residency programs.