Hello! So....I'm trying to decide between Wake Forest and Suny Downstate....I know the schools are very different, but I wanted some input
I cant decide between URochester and Suny Downstate. Im from Long Island. Any Suggestions?!?!?
Why downstate?
Thanks
Hey guys,
Sorry you haven't gotten a response in so long... the last couple weeks were intense for second years (finishing the year) and first years (finishing a block, starting a difficult new block).
I can't comment on Rochester or Wake Forest... I don't think I even applied to either of them, but I can tell you why I chose downstate and why I'd definitely chose it again, hands down.
1. Curriculum. The block system is the best thing that ever happened to med school. Our blocks are all organ-system based, the only exception the first block of MS1 which is Genes to Cells - basically it's a 1 month molecular genetics and cell bio course to get everyone on the same page. All the other blocks are based on organ system and integrate all disciplines - embryology, physiology, histology, gross anatomy, etc. This is true throughout MS1 and MS2. I guess it sounds good on paper, but why is it so great in practice? Firstly, if you have trouble with one discipline you don't have to worry about failing the block because there's a lot more room to make it up. So if anatomy just doesn't work for you, you can still pass blocks (versus if you're at a school that has anatomy as a separate course). Anatomy is tested via a practical in 4 or 5 of the blocks and there are also anatomy questions on your exams, but the exams cover a lot more than just anatomy (granted, the amount of anatomy varies by block). Same idea for histo, physio, etc. Secondly, it spreads things out so you don't look at the same type of material over and over again. Some schools have separate anatomy, physio, pathology courses, etc. I'd go crazy if I had to study the same thing for a couple months straight. So while the workload will be high no matter what, the workload at Downstate will feel like a few smaller things to tackle rather than one monster to take down. Thirdly, it teaches you to multitask - a skill that's surprisingly not easy to learn. In college I only studied for one test at a time. Here, yes, you're only studying for one test but it's multiple disciplines so you learn to balance them. Fourthly, it's integrative. Professors in physio lectures will discuss histology, histology lecturers will talk about anatomy, anatomy lecturers will talk about embryology and physiology. This obviously helps with the multitasking, and it makes the material MUCH less daunting.
2. The WEALTH of resources at your disposal. Live lectures, podcasts (digital recordings) of each lecture, transcripts (someone types out what the professor says word-for-word), course packs (notes, outlines, explanations, etc for each and every lecture, written by the professors specifically for us students). If you're not a textbook person (like me), then don't worry, you'll pretty much never need one (aka I used a textbook for 5 lectures in all of MS1 and MS2, not kidding). If you ARE a textbook person, don't worry, because there's recommended textbooks for all courses, and the cover page of each lecture's handout in the course pack gives textbook references.
2.5. Tutors. This needs to be a topic of it's own because it's SUCH a good resource. There's an office of academic development that hires MS2s, MS3s and MS4s to tutor various subjects. There's anatomy tutors, histology tutors, neuroanatomy tutors and USMLE Step 1 tutors who will run review sessions with groups that they run. It's nice because you as a student will end up staying with the same tutor for all of anatomy or all of your step 1 studying, so you learn each other's styles and will develop a strong working relationship. There's also individual 1-on-1 tutoring if you need help with one thing in particular, like biochemistry or endocrine or anything else. You would just go to the office of academic development and ask them for a tutor and they'll help you find one.
3. Location for clinical years-Brooklyn/Manhattan. You'll see common diseases no matter where you go, but you'll see them much more advanced here in Brooklyn. For example, you're much more likely to see someone with kidney failure, poor vision and foot ulcers from diabetes than you are, I'm guessing, anywhere else. You'll probably also see more rare conditions. Why? First of all, diversity of the population. Depending on where you are in Brooklyn you've got patients from the Caribbeans, Italians, Hispanics, Ashkenazi Jews, Eastern Europeans, Russians... the list goes on, and diseases have a higher prevalence in different populations. Also, these patients bring conditions that are common in their country of origin here with them. Example: malaria - NOT endemic to the US, but I was told that about 25 cases a year come to King's County, mostly people from African countries. Another reason you'll see a lot: relatively poor diet of a lot of populations in Brooklyn, smoking (20% in Brooklyn vs. 12% nationally), alcohol abuse, etc. All these conditions exacerbate or cause different diseases and you'll see them, and you're more likely to see them in their advanced stages. For example, I saw a patient with an extensive alcohol abuse history with a roughly 8x10x10cm tumor that in his throat. Another reason (tied to the last one) is that a lot of patients here are uninsured, underinsured, or otherwise just don't go to doctors regularly, so you'll see advanced cases like the one I just mentioned. If patients have been avoiding medical care for 10 years for whatever reason and then they all of a sudden decide to come to the hospital today, something really serious must be going on. Next, responsibility and reward. If the person hasn't seen a doctor in 5 or 8 or 10 years and then they come in and see you, you're playing a huge role in their life. Even as just a med student it's rewarding to be a part of their health care team. Finally, trauma. Kings County = the only Level 1 trauma center in all of Brooklyn (and Queens also, i think). Car accident? Kings County. Gunshot victim? Kings County. Stabbing or other violent crime? Kings County. Even more awesome (and I just found this out a few weeks ago) - there's a trauma surgery elective in MS3 which I CAN'T WAIT to take!! The administration of the school knows ALL of what I just said and therefore makes it mandatory that you do at least half of your medicine rotation, at least half of surgery and all of ER at Downstate or Kings County.
3.5. Residency. We heard a statistic last year that was really surprising: 40-50% of practicing physicians in the NYC area are Downstate graduates. If you want to move to NYC for your residency, this is the place to start. People like Downstate grads for a number of reasons. First of all, all of #3 on this list-o'-reasons to pick Downstate. For all those reasons, Downstate grads
know what they're doing. Downstate grads are coming from understaffed hospitals in underserved areas. Because of that, we get a lot of hands on clinical experience during our clinical years. Hospital staff need all the help they can get, and we serve as an extra pair of trained hands. For example, I haven't heard this from others but I'm SURE Downstate students have intubated and extubated patients before - something not taught till beginning of Residency or end of MS4 (I'll put money on that). When I was an undergrad at Stony Brook doing some work in the ER, I spoke to the Emergency Dept. residency director. He said that he prefers Downstate grads over all others because they already know what they're doing, they're coming in with more knowledge and training than other grads, and therefore can become a more productive and efficient member of their staff much more quickly.
4. Research opportunities. I'm not a fan of research (at all), but if I wanted to do some research, I'm sure I could start in a week or 2 if I started trying to get something today. There is a LOT going on here, I just don't know specifics. Apparently Downstate is "the Mecca of memory research" according to a Neuropathology professor we had. She cited that as the reason she came here from Emory a few years ago. Our Dean of Students also sends out a monthly newsletter that lists research opportunities and other summer opportunities also. We've got an Alumni Association Office that helps students coordinate research - getting in touch with professors, putting together a project, getting paid, etc. Point is, there's def. not a shortage of research here.
5. Location to enjoy life. Brooklyn, Manhattan. That should cover it.
6. Close to home yet far from home. If you're coming here from California or Texas, I guess this won't apply, but it was a factor for me. I came to Downstate from Long Island. I'm still close to home, I still see my family, I still go home whenever I want. But at the same time I'm not living at home or so close that I'm expected to come home very often.
Those are the big reasons that I had for deciding to come to Downstate, then being here for 2 years just validated everything that I thought beforehand. If I could do it all over again, I'd come here in a heartbeat for all the same reasons. I couldn't be more happy with my choice of med school.
Hope to see you next year. Good luck no matter what you chose!
And I've already joined the FB group 
