NYU vs. Columbia

[fcama]

Hello everyone!

I am down to deciding between these two schools. I realize, I cannot really go wrong with either, but I would appreciate any constructive comments and advice you might have. I received a ~$50k need-based award from NYU for 2016-2017, and a full tuition scholarship (4 years) from Columbia.

Here are my basic interests, questions, and pro/con's:

INTERESTS:
1) Diverse patient population, linguistically, socioeconomically, age, etc.
2) Clinical medicine (unsure what specialty, but probably not 100% surgical)
3) Global health, sociopolitical influences on health.
4) MPH possibly...
5) Outside of medicine - dance, cooking, foreign languages
6) I have taken a few years off since college, and I am worried about being surrounded by 22 yo's.

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS:
1) What's the global health scene at Columbia vs. NYU? Which is more prestigous internationally?/ has more connections
2) How is Columbia's social life? Is NYU sometimes "too" social?
3) How are both school's administrations? Are they receptive to students?
4) Any info on NY Presbyterian
5) Any info on Columbia's preclinical learning technology (saw NYU's at 2nd look)

NYU PRO's:
1) Modern technology in preclinical years (we saw the teaching apps and resources during Second Look)
2) Bellevue
3) Closer location to NYC friends and family
4) Seemingly more social
5) Financial aid package includes substantial subsidized loans, in case my family cannot cover the remainder of COA.
6) Really fantastic Second Look event, they know how to market themselves!

NYU CON's:
1) Not a full guarantee that the $50k will last for all 4 years
2) Potentially "too" social. I like bars, but I don't know if I want to party as often as some of the NYU students.
3) Unsure of its global health reputation
4) I didn't have as strong an immediate connection with NYU, only got that after Second Look.

Columbia PRO's:
1) I had a fantastic interviewer, who really stands behind me, that I hope to work with (we have overlapping health interests)
2) Established Asylum Clinic (at NYU I would have to start it myself)
3) Cheaper NYC location
4) Guaranteed full tuition scholarship for all 4 years
5) Established abroad rotation locations, in very specific, but random, places that I want to go on
6) Great global health reputation
7) Really strong, post-interview "connection" to the school. Was my top choice until NYU gave me money and I seriously considered it.

Columbia CON's:
1) Washington Heights is farther from NYC friends and family, along with the workout studios I like (#classpass)
2) The whole primary care snafoo last year left a sour taste in my mouth - I heard the background, and I realize it wasn't the school's fault, and the decision was reversed, but still. (I do not think I will go into Family Medicine, but I want my school to value it).
3) A recent graduate told me he was never taught or permitted to draw blood at NY Presbyterian, don't know how true this is...what is NY Presbyterian like?
4) Rumors that students are not fun and social (FYI, I did not so much get this vibe...but I keep hearing it from trusted sources)

THANK YOU!!!!!

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[WedgeDawg]

Hi there, I'm an MS1 at Columbia and I'll do my best to answer your questions (and yes, you posted this in the right place!)

Columbia has a fantastic global health scene - I have friends who will be in many different corners of the world this summer doing medical work and we have patients come in from all over the place as well. There is also an MS in global health if you're interested in doing a dual degree.

As for location, yes Washington Heights is a little far, but the express A train makes it easy to get downtown, as does easy access to the 1 (the C sucks and runs local along the A line and I rarely ever use it because the 1 and A are so much better). People go all over the city on any given day without too much issue.

Yeah, the primary care thing was weird last year, but it was an NYP initiative, not a CUMC one and the CUMC backlash (from faculty, residents, and students) was ultimately what caused the decision to be reversed. Columbia does value primary care.

We are absolutely taught how to draw blood at CUMC - you can actually do it your first year in at least one of the free clinics (of course, you will have an older student or resident watching/helping you!). I'm not sure where you heard this, but I can tell you its not true at least at Columbia. I have also heard from older students that the clinical training here prepares you extremely well for sub-Is and residency. I wouldn't be concerned about learning your clinical skills at Columbia.

Students here are super super super social. Very much work hard play hard attitude... again not sure where you're getting your information but I can personally attest to the sociality of the students here (and I'm sure other first years here would back me up on that). It's possible that it varies class to class, but I know that 2019 and 2018 at least are very social classes, and from what I saw at revisit, 2020 is likely to be as well. That doesn't mean that we don't work hard, just that we are willing to set things down once in a while and go out and have fun (however you define fun - doesn't have to involve drinking or partying or a bar scene at all).

+ attending Columbia for free would be awesome

Please let me know if you have other questions!

 

[fcama]

Hi there, I'm an MS1 at Columbia and I'll do my best to answer your questions (and yes, you posted this in the right place!)

Columbia has a fantastic global health scene - I have friends who will be in many different corners of the world this summer doing medical work and we have patients come in from all over the place as well. There is also an MS in global health if you're interested in doing a dual degree.

As for location, yes Washington Heights is a little far, but the express A train makes it easy to get downtown, as does easy access to the 1 (the C sucks and runs local along the A line and I rarely ever use it because the 1 and A are so much better). People go all over the city on any given day without too much issue.

Yeah, the primary care thing was weird last year, but it was an NYP initiative, not a CUMC one and the CUMC backlash (from faculty, residents, and students) was ultimately what caused the decision to be reversed. Columbia does value primary care.

We are absolutely taught how to draw blood at CUMC - you can actually do it your first year in at least one of the free clinics (of course, you will have an older student or resident watching/helping you!). I'm not sure where you heard this, but I can tell you its not true at least at Columbia. I have also heard from older students that the clinical training here prepares you extremely well for sub-Is and residency. I wouldn't be concerned about learning your clinical skills at Columbia.

Students here are super super super social. Very much work hard play hard attitude... again not sure where you're getting your information but I can personally attest to the sociality of the students here (and I'm sure other first years here would back me up on that). It's possible that it varies class to class, but I know that 2019 and 2018 at least are very social classes, and from what I saw at revisit, 2020 is likely to be as well. That doesn't mean that we don't work hard, just that we are willing to set things down once in a while and go out and have fun (however you define fun - doesn't have to involve drinking or partying or a bar scene at all).

+ attending Columbia for free would be awesome

Please let me know if you have other questions!

That is super helpful in addressing my fears re Columbia.

Can you share any specifics about the pre-clinical years? NYU seemed to have really modern tech (in anatomy, path, regular lectures, etc.) but I did not see any of Columbia's learning tools while at Second Look. I had the feeling that the pre-clinical years might be better taught at NYU, but they also might just be better at marketing themselves.

Also, any general comments on NYP? I recall that you are an MS1, but if you could share anything you have overheard from friends, that's also appreciated.

 

[WedgeDawg]

That is super helpful in addressing my fears re Columbia.

Can you share any specifics about the pre-clinical years? NYU seemed to have really modern tech (in anatomy, path, regular lectures, etc.) but I did not see any of Columbia's learning tools while at Second Look. I had the feeling that the pre-clinical years might be better taught at NYU, but they also might just be better at marketing themselves.

Also, any general comments on NYP? I recall that you are an MS1, but if you could share anything you have overheard from friends, that's also appreciated.

There are 3 semesters of preclinical years that are broken up into 2 major units. Your first "unit" consists of your basic sciences broken up into 5 blocks (biochem, histo/path, embryology, pharmacology, genetics) as well as anatomy broken up into 3 blocks (musculoskeletal, head and neck, viscera and pelvis). Anatomy lab here is absolutely amazing and the main instructor whom you will come to know very well is absolutely fantastic. You will be walked through each dissection with an ipad dissector ibook written by previous P&S students as well as the anatomy department and that you'll have access to at home. For the basic sciences (called Molecular Mechanisms or MM for short), you'll be mostly in lecture with a very small component of small group learning. Your second and third semesters, the main part of your learning will be in a curriculum called BHD (Body in Health in Disease) where you go system by system and learn the ins and outs of it. You'll be taught primarily by PhDs in MM and MDs in the field of your current system in BHD. Currently we are on our renal unit and all of our professors are nephrologists or renal pathologists. All lectures are recorded (though sometimes there are problems with the recording, in which case they'll upload a previous year's lecture which is essentially the same thing). BHD is more or less half lecture half TBL.

Also you guys will have the nice fancy new building!

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "learning tools" - could you elaborate?

Your experience here is going to be more impacted by the CUMC part of NYP rather than NYP as a whole - what happens in the Cornell side of NYP generally doesn't trickle over to us. In my experience, the CUMC clinical faculty are very eager and willing to get med students involved in any way they can (transplant runs, shadowing, research, doing stuff in clinic, etc).

 

[fcama]

There are 3 semesters of preclinical years that are broken up into 2 major units. Your first "unit" consists of your basic sciences broken up into 5 blocks (biochem, histo/path, embryology, pharmacology, genetics) as well as anatomy broken up into 3 blocks (musculoskeletal, head and neck, viscera and pelvis). Anatomy lab here is absolutely amazing and the main instructor whom you will come to know very well is absolutely fantastic. You will be walked through each dissection with an ipad dissector ibook written by previous P&S students as well as the anatomy department and that you'll have access to at home. For the basic sciences (called Molecular Mechanisms or MM for short), you'll be mostly in lecture with a very small component of small group learning. Your second and third semesters, the main part of your learning will be in a curriculum called BHD (Body in Health in Disease) where you go system by system and learn the ins and outs of it. You'll be taught primarily by PhDs in MM and MDs in the field of your current system in BHD. Currently we are on our renal unit and all of our professors are nephrologists or renal pathologists. All lectures are recorded (though sometimes there are problems with the recording, in which case they'll upload a previous year's lecture which is essentially the same thing). BHD is more or less half lecture half TBL.

Also you guys will have the nice fancy new building!

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "learning tools" - could you elaborate?

Your experience here is going to be more impacted by the CUMC part of NYP rather than NYP as a whole - what happens in the Cornell side of NYP generally doesn't trickle over to us. In my experience, the CUMC clinical faculty are very eager and willing to get med students involved in any way they can (transplant runs, shadowing, research, doing stuff in clinic, etc).

Sorry for being so vague on the learning tools! NYU showed us a bunch of their apps and web portals - it seemed like a nice system for students and instructors to collaborate, share extra info that might be valuable for studying, ask quiz questions, etc. I live in the Silicon Valley area right now and worked in tech, so that stood out to me. But, it sounds like something similar exists for Anatomy, and the SSN would fill in any other gaps.

Thank you SO much for sharing all your insights, it has been super helpful.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Sorry for being so vague on the learning tools! NYU showed us a bunch of their apps and web portals - it seemed like a nice system for students and instructors to collaborate, share extra info that might be valuable for studying, ask quiz questions, etc. I live in the Silicon Valley area right now and worked in tech, so that stood out to me. But, it sounds like something similar exists for Anatomy, and the SSN would fill in any other gaps.

Thank you SO much for sharing all your insights, it has been super helpful.

We have a thing called courseworks for both SSN and class related files, we use piazza for asking questions that professors or other students can answer, and we use facebook for sharing study materials