Official SUNY Stony Brook

[wendywellesley]

I'd like to crash Big Dan, et. al. first year forum . . .

Another 2009 here and first, congrats on your admissions to medical school and specifically, SUNY SB . . . the medical school you may soon love (to hate). JK, sort of . . .

Medical school, overall, will be an awesome experience and like others have said will be as great as one chooses to make it. There are a variety of people from many diverse locales such as Utica, NY all the way to Ronkonkoma, NY.

But I would like to point out that it's not all pretty flowers and happy faces here at SB. =) The students, profs, doctors and admin are really good well intentioned people but there are some quality of life issues even here at the best medical school on Long Island!

(1) If you're old school about lecture slides and prefer printing your study material (rather than using your laptop 24/7), get your own cheapo laser printer. The school does not provide unlimited printing and the student lounge printer is unreliable at the worst times, though there may be a new printer when we return.

(2) If and when you buy a computer, get one with good batery life because there is a serious lack of outlets in some lecture halls and the library.

(3) There is only a small gym with the basics that is free on the undergraduate side of campus, so a gym membership to one of the private local gyms may be necessary.

(4) Bring a light sweatshirt to orientation and keep it handy because the school hasn't quite mastered the complex new technology that is air conditioining.

(5) Other random things that are worthy of mention about our wonderful little school that you may want to know are:
- We have our own aviarium in the library
- If you are someone who finds comfort in little things like good coffee and inspired interior design and architecture . . . perhaps SB might not be for you
- Parking is NOT free
- Drive carefully, many poor drivers on Long Island, including you
- Ask for help, regardless how small the concern, and try to solicit advice from more than one person, be it a teacher or fellow classmate

That's all I can think of for now . . . enjoy the remainder of your summer and come prepared to eat lots of crappy pizza, salads with tons of mayo, and hero sandwiches galore. See you all in the fall and congrats on becoming a student doctor. Feel free to send along any PMs if you have any questions.

Mark Kim

Damn, this is a downer. I know you meant this as a joke but it sounds really bitting. Granted, I haven't started there yet but I've spent a significant amount of time at Stony Brook and I have friends who are at the med school and dental school.

Stony is a state school, so the majority of the people there will be from New York, anyone going to school there should know this before they get there. But we are lucky that New York is one of the most diverse states in the union.

I visited the gym recently and was very impressed. It might be small considering that it serves the whole campus but it's a first class gym as far as I'm concerned and I've been a member of some swanky gyms in the past. There are jacks on all the cardio machines where we can plug in our head sets so we can actually watch TV! Have you SEEN gyms at other med schools? A lot of them are dumps.

As far as the food, even living in the city I always made my own meals and packed a lunch for work. Nothing fancy but nothing greasy and it really doesn't take that much time and will save you a lot of money and I plan on keeping it up at school (hopefully).

I do agree that the drivers out in that part of town are really scary. Parking isn't free but it isn't too expensive either.

The arcitecture there may not be anything special but I will remind you that we are minutes away from several beaches and the campus is surrounded by nature. It's a quite beautiful and relaxing place to live.

Everyone is going to b!tch about their school and a lot of people don't realize what they have until they've seen other places. Med school is a beast anywhere you go, it's all up to you to make the best of it.

I just don't want any of the new comers to Stony Brook to be scared off!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[panerai1]

Mark was simply illustrating some relevant concerns that a majority of our class experienced over the past year, those that more than likely come Nov./Dec. a healthy number of people in your class will have. Good or bad, truthful information regarding the place you'll be spending the next four years will be of great assistance, especially the salient points Mark has made. I don't want to speak for him, but this information was intended to be helpful, not depressing. Stony Brook is a great place to get your medical education, but they do have problems like any other growing University. Knowing some of the in and outs beforehand will save a lot of unecessary stress during the first few weeks of school, which will be stressful enough.

 

[wendywellesley]

Mark was simply illustrating some relevant concerns that a majority of our class experienced over the past year, those that more than likely come Nov./Dec. a healthy number of people in your class will have. Good or bad, truthful information regarding the place you'll be spending the next four years will be of great assistance, especially the salient points Mark has made. I don't want to speak for him, but this information was intended to be helpful, not depressing. Stony Brook is a great place to get your medical education, but they do have problems like any other growing University. Knowing some of the in and outs beforehand will save a lot of unecessary stress during the first few weeks of school, which will be stressful enough.

ah, that makes more sense then. sounds like i miss read the tone of the post!

 

[McCram]

ah, that makes more sense then. sounds like i miss read the tone of the post!

Yes, Wendy I was being somewhat sarcastic but my intent was to be helpful as one of my fellow classmates pointed out.

You'll need a lot of enthusiasm to endure the initiation that is first year. So apologies if I happened to damper your excitement about starting school soon. It really is mostly fun but sometimes the little things can make it all seem like a drag. To make up for being a downer, I'll list some things that you can look forward to at our little school . . .

(1) You'll get a top notch education in Anatomy . . . I managed to impress some docs this summer with what little anatomy I still remember.

(2) You're going to make some new friends among your classmates and maybe even among some instructors who actually care about students who are motivated to learn.

(3) There's room to be a complete gunner or complete slacker and everything in between.

(4) The tuition is half the price of other schools!

(5) None of the distractions of the big city.

Alright, that last one might be a negative. But do take everything you hear about medical school with a grain of salt, including this message. Good luck and enjoy your last month of academic freedom.

m

 

[wendywellesley]

Yes, Wendy I was being somewhat sarcastic but my intent was to be helpful as one of my fellow classmates pointed out.

You'll need a lot of enthusiasm to endure the initiation that is first year. So apologies if I happened to damper your excitement about starting school soon. It really is mostly fun but sometimes the little things can make it all seem like a drag. To make up for being a downer, I'll list some things that you can look forward to at our little school . . .

(1) You'll get a top notch education in Anatomy . . . I managed to impress some docs this summer with what little anatomy I still remember.

(2) You're going to make some new friends among your classmates and maybe even among some instructors who actually care about students who are motivated to learn.

(3) There's room to be a complete gunner or complete slacker and everything in between.

(4) The tuition is half the price of other schools!

(5) None of the distractions of the big city.

Alright, that last one might be a negative. But do take everything you hear about medical school with a grain of salt, including this message. Good luck and enjoy your last month of academic freedom.

m

I really appreciate this post thank you!! I also read your post the day I got in, after much deliberation as to where I should go (thus the impulse to a rebuttal).

I actually didn't know anatomy was so strong at stony brook, it's nice to know.

I guess we (rising first years) don't know what we're up against until we start.

see you in the fall!!

g

 

[panerai1]

I actually didn't know anatomy was so strong at stony brook, it's nice to know.

Haha, consider yourself warned...

jC

 

[thisyearsgirl]

Question for current students -- what happens if you miss one afternoon of anatomy lab?

 

[panerai1]

Question for current students -- what happens if you miss one afternoon of anatomy lab?

Dr. Stern makes you sleep overnight with the bodies....Sorry, had to. Realistically nothing, besides the material lost and whether or not your group mates get mad at you for it. Some labs are messier and more tedious than others, but to be honest very few if any require all four people in the lab group (maybe limbs, but only if you're doing both sides). Four is just nice because then when you get frustrated that you're arm deep in fat and can't find some small nerve you can take a break and let someone else take over...not to mention the advantage to having 4 people when flipping your body over...

 

[thisyearsgirl]

Dr. Stern makes you sleep overnight with the bodies....Sorry, had to. Realistically nothing, besides the material lost and whether or not your group mates get mad at you for it. Some labs are messier and more tedious than others, but to be honest very few if any require all four people in the lab group (maybe limbs, but only if you're doing both sides). Four is just nice because then when you get frustrated that you're arm deep in fat and can't find some small nerve you can take a break and let someone else take over...not to mention the advantage to having 4 people when flipping your body over...

LOL! So as long as I warn them in advance and take them out for drinks afterwards, I should be fine?

 

[McCram]

LOL! So as long as I warn them in advance and take them out for drinks afterwards, I should be fine?

Yes, it should be fine. There's no attendance in anatomy lab, just accountability . . .

Word to the wise, you can choose up to three other people with which to dissect.

(1) Choose people who you think won't stress you out. Consider that you spend 4-5 hours, 4-5 days a week with them over a dead body for an entire semester. Makes a big difference for first year . . . liked my group, made lab fun and tolerable on the dog days of dissection.

(2) You're boned if you get a fatty cadaver . . . not much you can do about it . . . but pray that you don't get one.

(3) I think all but one of the MS2 Lab TAs are guys, so try to get females in your group to ensure more help in lab. . . sort of crude to say . . . but the nature of Man Law. If you are a female . . . even better!

m

 

[Clocks]

Yes, it should be fine. There's no attendance in anatomy lab, just accountability . . .

Word to the wise, you can choose up to three other people with which to dissect.


(2) You're boned if you get a fatty cadaver . . . not much you can do about it . . . but pray that you don't get one

m

LOL

 

[scneuro]

so thin cadavers - got it!

 

[panerai1]

Yes, it should be fine. There's no attendance in anatomy lab, just accountability . . .

Word to the wise, you can choose up to three other people with which to dissect.

(1) Choose people who you think won't stress you out. Consider that you spend 4-5 hours, 4-5 days a week with them over a dead body for an entire semester. Makes a big difference for first year . . . liked my group, made lab fun and tolerable on the dog days of dissection.

(2) You're boned if you get a fatty cadaver . . . not much you can do about it . . . but pray that you don't get one.

(3) I think all but one of the MS2 Lab TAs are guys, so try to get females in your group to ensure more help in lab. . . sort of crude to say . . . but the nature of Man Law. If you are a female . . . even better!

m

As MK's lab partner, I will wholeheartedly agree with all three of these statements...fat=smell + a whole hell of a lot more work, and girls=TA's. It's the law of the lab.

 

[bigdan]

Hi folks. Hope the summer is passing well for all.

J- How did that Path final go? Remember us talking about wanting to "just make it" beforehand? I ended up ONE POINT from Honors when all was said and done. Just an HP...

MK- You back yet? How was it?

Incoming students- Can't wait to meet you guys. I agree with most of McCram's info as well, but you'll know each other for a grand total of like 8 days before picking lab partners. The best you can do is avoid those that you can already tell will drive you nuts - and you WILL have classmates like that, and some of those idiosyncracies WILL be obvious in less than a week. Also, don't go for entirely anorexic bodies either, since you'll get to see no muscle structure whatsoever. Perhaps a more pertinent point is that I think your group might be assigned to a cadaver, so you might not have any say in the matter anyway. But the fat ones do smell, so get on a treadmill if you wanna donate your body to science. Finally, one of the ten TAs is of the fairer sex, so men, do not despair.

See you at orientation. Bring your livers in tip-top shape.

dc

 

[thisyearsgirl]

The Facebook recently created global groups. Has there been one created for Stony Brook medical students yet? =)

 

[Clocks]

The Facebook recently created global groups. Has there been one created for Stony Brook medical students yet? =)

I don't think so- maybe you should?

 

[panerai1]

Big D, what's happening, hope the summer is treating you well.


Path went well, really well in fact, I aced the gross practical and got an H for my efforts. I think we should have our "I just wanna pass" convo before all Megas this coming year.

Newbs: SBSOM has it's own pseudo-facebook, with all four classing providing pics and a quick bio. You'll be filling this out and taking the picture during Orientation.

 

[Do it do it]

Hi people,
I have a question for you M2s...
Should we new M1s have scrubs for anatomy lab? If so, do we get them from the hospital or do we need to provide them ourselves? If the latter, can you guys recommend your favorite brand?
Thx,
Do it

 

[McCram]

Hi people,
I have a question for you M2s...
Should we new M1s have scrubs for anatomy lab? If so, do we get them from the hospital or do we need to provide them ourselves? If the latter, can you guys recommend your favorite brand?
Thx,
Do it

You can puchase your own scrubs (but as far as brands, I do not know, and they have them at the school bookstore) or you can buy a set from one of the medical school clubs that usually have a scrubs sale during orientation. Probably want to get a pair of tops and bottoms and you will hopefully discard them at the end of the semester. I recall that the sizing for women was difficult because you don't get to try on the actual garment, so if you want to look stylish and have scrubs that fit, best to get your own or swipe some from doctors or nurses that you may know.

DC & JC - congrats on rocking out on Path, oh the envy . . . but as DC likes to say, what has two thumbs and got an H in Foundations . . . ?

Be back at Stony Brook in a week.

m

 

[bigdan]

M-

Honors in Foundations, huh? That's fantastic. I was SURE I was gonna get one...but alas, no.

Incomers-

Get scrubs if you want. Many folks ended up not wearing scrubs but rather clothes that they didn't care about. Either way, these aren't clothes you'll wanna be out to dinner in.

dc

 

[NPH]

M-

Honors in Foundations, huh? That's fantastic. I was SURE I was gonna get one...but alas, no.

Incomers-

Get scrubs if you want. Many folks ended up not wearing scrubs but rather clothes that they didn't care about. Either way, these aren't clothes you'll wanna be out to dinner in.

dc

I wore a cow suit.

Louis

 

[LowlyPremed]

Hey Guys,

It's been a while since I posted. Is everyone excited? Only a few days left. I have a few questions for current students at SB or anyone in the know. Does our health plan also include a dental plan? Or is that separate? How does it work? etc. Second, does anyone know of a good dentist nearby?

Thanks!

 

[bigdan]

Low-

1) No, nothing in the medical insurance the school offers will cover dental care.
2) I asked Dr. Furher about his recommendation for a dentist, but I'm sure you can ask other locals for their recommendations as well. I have heard that there is a dental student run/dental student participating clinic on campus, but I have never seen that advertised or recommended to us.

Glad to see that someone bumped this frickin' thread. I was getting worried.

See you all at orientation.

dc

 

[bigdan]

Group-

I forgot to mention a couple of things that are important first coupla days:

1) For the White Coat Ceremony, please wear something presentable. Even if it doesn't matter much to you (and it mattered little to me), it means a lot to some - including the administration. Shorts and Birks will make you look a little silly; at least bring something to change into. Slacks and a tie for the fellas, ladies look good in anything, so a little sundress will do the trick. This isn't your interview, but you're not at the beach anymore either.

2) It will be warm (sounds like upper 70s to mid 80s) OUTSIDE, but last year the lecture halls were kept on ice during orientation. Bring a sweatshirt or jacket if you can.

3) Take all the notes you want during the "important" talks you'll hear. It will be a waste of time. Anything that important will be on a website or a sheet of paper, so just be polite, try to make friends, and hide your hangovers as best possible.

Hopefully my peers can offer comments on the above, or offer up things I've missed.

dc

 

[thisyearsgirl]

Do parents come to the White Coat Ceremony?

 

[wendywellesley]

Group-

I forgot to mention a couple of things that are important first coupla days:

1) For the White Coat Ceremony, please wear something presentable. Even if it doesn't matter much to you (and it mattered little to me), it means a lot to some - including the administration. Shorts and Birks will make you look a little silly; at least bring something to change into. Slacks and a tie for the fellas, ladies look good in anything, so a little sundress will do the trick. This isn't your interview, but you're not at the beach anymore either.

2) It will be warm (sounds like upper 70s to mid 80s) OUTSIDE, but last year the lecture halls were kept on ice during orientation. Bring a sweatshirt or jacket if you can.

3) Take all the notes you want during the "important" talks you'll hear. It will be a waste of time. Anything that important will be on a website or a sheet of paper, so just be polite, try to make friends, and hide your hangovers as best possible.

Hopefully my peers can offer comments on the above, or offer up things I've missed.

dc

great advice thanks bigdan!
looking forward to meeing you all on monday

 

[scneuro]

great advice thanks bigdan!
looking forward to meeing you all on monday

same here, see you all soon

 

[bigdan]

Parents, friends, spouses, and those that you want to envy you can and should come to White Coat.

dc

 

[bigdan]

Hey - post here and let us know how things are going!

dc

 

[sarabeca]

I got your email asking how things are going during foundations - let me tell you, I was in a considerably better mood before this class started again! Other than that -it's stressful, but fine. Will there ever be a point that I feel caught up? How's your year going? How do the second years have enough time to keep checking in and TAing us?

 

[bigdan]

Yo.

Second year is crazy like first year - maybe more so (we got this little quiz at the end of the year...), but we have our ducks in a row. Not that you guys don't, but we know who to study with, when, how, and whom to seek out for help. You'll see. First year is the adjustment period to biochemical language, dead bodies, and habit formation. You also learn to work. Second year is all the same, but you have your patterns down. And the **** is much more interesting that listening to Schecter blather on...

Remember to have fun still - it's a long road.

dc

 

[MrMet31]

Just got my letter from Dr. Fuhrer two days ago. Don't know what else to say other than I'm one excited noob.

 

[bigdan]

Congrats!

Are you weighing us vs. other schools? Make sure you come here to take a second look before making any decision, if you are inclined to do so.

Nothing beats an early acceptance - makes every other interview a breeze.

Good luck, and again, congrats.

dc

 

[MrMet31]

Congrats!

Are you weighing us vs. other schools? Make sure you come here to take a second look before making any decision, if you are inclined to do so.

Nothing beats an early acceptance - makes every other interview a breeze.

Good luck, and again, congrats.

dc

In state tuition and Brookhaven/Cold Spring Harbor make Stony Brook a near lock for me, but I will most likely take a second look depending on how the rest of the interview season pans out. Thanks for the welcome.