NYMC vs SUNY Downstate (IS) vs SUNY Buffalo (IS)

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Which would you choose?


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Giantra Volta

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Hey guys, I've been lucky enough to have a few medical school choices this cycle. However, tomorrow is May 15, and I still am unsure of which school to pick. I really don't want to come off as a whiny accepted student, but as much as I've tried to wrack my brain on the issue, I can't seem to come up with a clear cut choice.

So the schools I'm stuck between are NYMC, SUNY Downstate and SUNY Buffalo. Here's my personal take on each school:

SUNY Downstate

Pros
- State tuition
- Could feasibly live at home for part of my medical education (to save money/reduce debt)
- P/F grading system
- Close to family & friends (and I personally like NYC and the surrounding areas)

Cons
- The area isn't very safe
- Downstate's hospital system is facing major financial issues - which seem to get worse by the week. Both of the school's owned hospitals are in significant danger of closing (according to a recent article, they'll have to close within 12 months if no intervention is made), and the president of Downstate's Medical Center was quoted saying that the financial issues threaten the viability of the medical school. (Really, THIS is the reason why I am not sure of what to do. If these issues were not present, DS would 100% be my choice).

NYMC

Pros
- Still close to home, family, friends, NYC, etc.
- Definitely my favorite location out of the three schools
- Great reputation for matching students into radiology

Cons
- Cost --> It'd be ~$20k/yr more than DS or Buffalo (This is my major issue here)
- H/HP/P/F grading system
- Not close enough to have the option of living at home during rotations

SUNY Buffalo

Pros
- State tuition (Major plus here)
- Impressive facilities

Cons
- The area isn't very safe
- Very far from home, family, friends
- Not a fan of the cold/snow (though I realize Brooklyn and Westchester aren't exactly tropical)
- H/HP/P/F grading system
- I feel that, if all other factors (besides location) are constant, it'd be harder for me to match into a residency program in NYC/LI/Westchester coming from Buffalo when compared to DS or NYMC. Just to stress the point, I in no way feel that Buffalo is a lesser school than the other two. I just feel that it'd naturally be easier to match into a program in or near NYC if I went to medical school in or near NYC. As a premed, I'm not sure if this logic holds, but it seems like it would to me.


So in conclusion, would you guys pick a school that pretty much had everything you wanted (price, location, etc.), BUT was in the midst of a financial crisis (maybe this will limit school resources, or adversely affect LCME accreditation). OR, if that wasn't a good choice, would you go with the more expensive school that still had most of what you were looking for, OR instead choose the state school (with the lower tuition) which was situated significantly far away from where you wanted to be?

Any input would be welcomed! (And sorry for rambling)

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I'm in the same exact position. Kind of leaning towards Buffalo but still unsure of distance. Interested in hearing other people's thoughts
The grading at Buffalo is not curved (ie everyone can get honors if everyone gets the grade).
 
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I wouldn't worry about Downstate's affiliated hospitals closing. I'm sure the medical school is smart enough to have other clinical options open for rotations. My friends are currently having a great time there - tuition is cheap, the students are amazing and very supportive (no gunners), the professors are supportive and helpful, and research opportunities are abundant. Don't like research at DS? Go to Sinai or Columbia, etc. The city is just amazing, and I hope you pick DS!

P.S. Yes, the area is "unsafe", but what great medical school does not reside in a so-called "shady" area? Take a look at Johns Hopkins and Columbia.
 
Echoing one of the OP's concerns....I too am interested in returning the NYC area (or maybe Boston) for residency. I am under the impression that attending Buffalo would not put a residency applicant at a disadvantage when applying to city residencies. Is this an accurate assumption?
Would an NYMC have a huge advantage in this sense?
I assumed that when you're not talking about the Top 10 schools, the school you attend doesn't really impact your residency prospects. However does the fact that NYMC is more regional give students a leg up? Aren't NYC PDs familiar with Buffalo?
 
I would pick Buffalo I guess-- definitely a hard decision. Is the grading at Buffalo curved?

Lol well I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking this is a tough decision. Thanks for the input, and to the best of my knowledge, both SUNY Buffalo and NYMC are non-curved based in their tiered grading systems.


I wouldn't worry about Downstate's affiliated hospitals closing. I'm sure the medical school is smart enough to have other clinical options open for rotations. My friends are currently having a great time there - tuition is cheap, the students are amazing and very supportive (no gunners), the professors are supportive and helpful, and research opportunities are abundant. Don't like research at DS? Go to Sinai or Columbia, etc. The city is just amazing, and I hope you pick DS!

P.S. Yes, the area is "unsafe", but what great medical school does not reside in a so-called "shady" area? Take a look at Johns Hopkins and Columbia.

Hey OwlPower22, thanks for your input! Yea I know DS has quite a few affiliated hospital sites within the 5 boroughs and surrounding area. My main concern with DS would be in regards to the longevity of the school in general I guess. Otherwise, it's cool to hear that your friends are enjoying themselves there and that there is a supportive atmosphere amongst the students and faculty. The safeness of the neighborhood isn't a major factor in my mind. I'm from NYC and know how to be smart about living in an area like that, lol. But since one of the alternatives (NYMC) is in a nice area, I figured it was worth listing as a relative negative.

Echoing one of the OP's concerns....I too am interested in returning the NYC area (or maybe Boston) for residency. I am under the impression that attending Buffalo would not put a residency applicant at a disadvantage when applying to city residencies. Is this an accurate assumption?
Would an NYMC have a huge advantage in this sense?
I assumed that when you're not talking about the Top 10 schools, the school you attend doesn't really impact your residency prospects. However does the fact that NYMC is more regional give students a leg up? Aren't NYC PDs familiar with Buffalo?

Hey Parks, all I really feel is that, if you are able to rotate in hospital X in NYC during your clinical years of medical school, then it'd probably be easier to make connections and get your foot in the door there, which may help in terms of getting a residency match there. (And then this phenomena would be times the amount of hospitals you spent significant time rotating at during clinical years). I'd definitely be interested in hearing a medical student's or resident's perspective on this though, since as I said, that is just speculation on my part.



And thanks to everyone who contributed to the poll!
 
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What did you end up choosing!?
 
What did you end up choosing!?

Ughh, well I called up NYMC to ask about the likelihood of grant money (because if they made the cost difference smaller, I'd probably just go there), and was told I wouldn't find out until June. And I was essentially advised to just hold onto the spot (to wait and see) and lose my deposit. And for Buffalo, my acceptance letter said I was being considered for a scholarship. But they also haven't gotten back to me on that yet. So honestly, I am sort of at a loss. Even regardless of the turmoil at Downstate, I don't know how a student could make a definitive choice on a school if they have no idea what kind of financial package they are going to receive.

As it stands now, I'm leaning towards Downstate. It's frustrating to have to lose $200 on deposits. I'm hoping these schools will get back to me soon so I can release the spots. If neither Buff nor NYMC give me some type of grant money, I will choose Downstate.

How about you? What did you decide on?
 
I'm in a similar position. I'm deciding between Downstate (IS) and NYMC ( with scholarship). Since the costs are similar (NYMC might be cheaper with scholarship) I'm leaning towards NYMC. Just like you, I liked the location of NYMC but I just keep thinking about the great clinical exposure at Downstate.
 
I'm in a similar position. I'm deciding between Downstate (IS) and NYMC ( with scholarship). Since the costs are similar (NYMC might be cheaper with scholarship) I'm leaning towards NYMC. Just like you, I liked the location of NYMC but I just keep thinking about the great clinical exposure at Downstate.


I vote for Downstate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That said, it's definitely hard to turn down scholarships.....
 
I'm in a similar position. I'm deciding between Downstate (IS) and NYMC ( with scholarship). Since the costs are similar (NYMC might be cheaper with scholarship) I'm leaning towards NYMC. Just like you, I liked the location of NYMC but I just keep thinking about the great clinical exposure at Downstate.

Wow, congrats on the scholarship!! Out of curiosity, is it guaranteed for all 4 yrs of med school? I definitely hear you on the clinical exposure aspect. However, I can't imagine that NYMC's clinical exposure is lackluster, given that Westchester is a pretty diverse area (culturally, economically, etc). And apparently, a lot of the med students there do their rotations in Manhattan, so I'm sure that'd be an interesting experience, lol. If NYMC gave me a large scholarship like that (and it was guaranteed for the 4 yrs), I would probably choose them - since Downstate's issues do worry me to an extent.

Good luck in your decision making process!!
 
I vote for Downstate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That said, it's definitely hard to turn down scholarships.....

Thanks for the response! I know exactly how you feel about Downstate. The scholarship is definitely an added bonus though!
 
Wow, congrats on the scholarship!! Out of curiosity, is it guaranteed for all 4 yrs of med school? I definitely hear you on the clinical exposure aspect. However, I can't imagine that NYMC's clinical exposure is lackluster, given that Westchester is a pretty diverse area (culturally, economically, etc). And apparently, a lot of the med students there do their rotations in Manhattan, so I'm sure that'd be an interesting experience, lol. If NYMC gave me a large scholarship like that (and it was guaranteed for the 4 yrs), I would probably choose them - since Downstate's issues do worry me to an extent.

Good luck in your decision making process!!


Thank you!!! The scholarship is renewed for each of the consecutive years as long as academic performance is satisfactory. It's also good to know that NYMC's clinical exposure is adequate. My NYMC Big Sib has done a pretty good job on convincing me to go to NYMC too :) !

Hopefully you hear back from them soon with a good financial package. Good luck on deciding too! I don't think you can go wrong with either schools!
 
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Wow, congrats on the scholarship!! Out of curiosity, is it guaranteed for all 4 yrs of med school? I definitely hear you on the clinical exposure aspect. However, I can't imagine that NYMC's clinical exposure is lackluster, given that Westchester is a pretty diverse area (culturally, economically, etc). And apparently, a lot of the med students there do their rotations in Manhattan, so I'm sure that'd be an interesting experience, lol. If NYMC gave me a large scholarship like that (and it was guaranteed for the 4 yrs), I would probably choose them - since Downstate's issues do worry me to an extent.

Good luck in your decision making process!!

I don't think you should worry about Downstate's financial problems. Downstate is one of the top schools in the country and NYC is full of very influential people who will not let it fail. Good luck on your decision, but Downstate is the pride of NYC and it's considered the TOP school for NYC residents! The state of New York will not let it fail!
 
I don't think you should worry about Downstate's financial problems. Downstate is one of the top schools in the country and NYC is full of very influential people who will not let it fail. Good luck on your decision, but Downstate is the pride of NYC and it's considered the TOP school for NYC residents! The state of New York will not let it fail!

Thanks for the insight! I think (and hope) you are right about that. After all Downstate is the only medical school in Brooklyn, as well as the only public med school in NYC. And since their classes do well in their Step scores and Match results, I don't think the City/State will let them collapse. Here's hoping for some more (hopefully positive) news on DS's situation while these other schools take their sweet time letting me know about my financial aid packages, lol.

Again, thanks for the post!
 
Thanks for the insight! I think (and hope) you are right about that. After all Downstate is the only medical school in Brooklyn, as well as the only public med school in NYC. And since their classes do well in their Step scores and Match results, I don't think the City/State will let them collapse. Here's hoping for some more (hopefully positive) news on DS's situation while these other schools take their sweet time letting me know about my financial aid packages, lol.

Again, thanks for the post!

Awesome! I hope you will choose Downstate! My husband and I look forward to meeting you!:luck:
 
Ughh, well I called up NYMC to ask about the likelihood of grant money (because if they made the cost difference smaller, I'd probably just go there), and was told I wouldn't find out until June. And I was essentially advised to just hold onto the spot (to wait and see) and lose my deposit. And for Buffalo, my acceptance letter said I was being considered for a scholarship. But they also haven't gotten back to me on that yet. So honestly, I am sort of at a loss. Even regardless of the turmoil at Downstate, I don't know how a student could make a definitive choice on a school if they have no idea what kind of financial package they are going to receive.

As it stands now, I'm leaning towards Downstate. It's frustrating to have to lose $200 on deposits. I'm hoping these schools will get back to me soon so I can release the spots. If neither Buff nor NYMC give me some type of grant money, I will choose Downstate.

How about you? What did you decide on?

I'm going to Buffalo! Actually I failed to mention that I'm on hold at Downstate so that wasn't an option for me. Sorry about that. I absolutely loved Buffalo so I am very happy with my decision. Best of luck to you!!
 
Hey guys, I appreciate you guys taking the time out to post on my thread/ participate in the poll. I ended up choosing SUNY Downstate! It's price and general location made it too hard for me to turn down. And I'm just going to try to have some faith that NYS would back the school if it turned out to be in any danger of closing. I've withdrawn from SUNY Buffalo and NYMC, and I hope the spots go to you fellow SDNers!

I wish you guys luck in all your medical school related endeavors!
 
Hey guys, I appreciate you guys taking the time out to post on my thread/ participate in the poll. I ended up choosing SUNY Downstate! It's price and general location made it too hard for me to turn down. And I'm just going to try to have some faith that NYS would back the school if it turned out to be in any danger of closing. I've withdrawn from SUNY Buffalo and NYMC, and I hope the spots go to you fellow SDNers!

I wish you guys luck in all your medical school related endeavors!

hurray! :) HELLO CLASSMATE
 
Haha HELLO!! I'm definitely glad to have closure on the whole med school thing. Lookin forward to starting on Aug 5th!

Do we know for sure that the white coat ceremony is on the 5th? Trying to arrange for family to come.
 
Do we know for sure that the white coat ceremony is on the 5th? Trying to arrange for family to come.

I believe that's just when orientation starts. I want to know when the WCC is, too, so I can tell my family :)
 
I believe that's just when orientation starts. I want to know when the WCC is, too, so I can tell my family :)

Someone mentioned August 5th on the Downstate thread as the White Coat Ceremony Day. My parents went ahead and bought their flight but they can change it if it's not the right date.... hopefully it is though.
 
I don't think you should worry about Downstate's financial problems. Downstate is one of the top schools in the country and NYC is full of very influential people who will not let it fail. Good luck on your decision, but Downstate is the pride of NYC and it's considered the TOP school for NYC residents! The state of New York will not let it fail!
Top school for NYC?........I think Cornell, Coumbia and Sinai are also in NYC, Manhattan to be exact.
 
Someone mentioned August 5th on the Downstate thread as the White Coat Ceremony Day. My parents went ahead and bought their flight but they can change it if it's not the right date.... hopefully it is though.

Hey guys, the WCC is on the Thursday of orientation week (August 8th). At least this is what I was told when I called the Admissions Office. I hope that doesn't mess up your parents' travel plans!
 
Top school for NYC?........I think Cornell, Coumbia and Sinai are also in NYC, Manhattan to be exact.

I think the poster meant in terms of Residency (like the residency of physicians in NYC). You know the whole " More physicians practicing in New York City graduated from Downstate's College of Medicine than from any other medical school." And I think 1 in 3 physicians in Brooklyn graduated from Downstate. And in that context, I do think the NYC/NY State would do everything it could to ensure the schools succeeds.

I don't think anyone would deny the high caliber of the schools you mentioned, lol.
 
I think the poster meant in terms of Residency (like the residency of physicians in NYC). You know the whole " More physicians practicing in New York City graduated from Downstate's College of Medicine than from any other medical school." And I think 1 in 3 physicians in Brooklyn graduated from Downstate. And in that context, I do think the NYC/NY State would do everything it could to ensure the schools succeeds.

I don't think anyone would deny the high caliber of the schools you mentioned, lol.

This. Thanks GV!
 
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