I don't want to Touro-bash at all so I'll try not to be too negative, but here are the main reasons I'd choose CCOM and DMU (my choices) over Touro-NY (with whom I'm waitlisted right now anyway):
1) The "newness" you referred to above, I don't think plays to Touro's favor
yet. The building was still under construction (i.e. you really opened up your medical school without completing the front entrance!?); the building was freeezing on my interview day (which has been a recurring problem for both hot and cold according to current students. they say 'it will be fixed by next year' but how do you really know that?; The library was bare and the walls of the school were bare (this is easily fixable but again points to the same problem); Other areas were still under construction--the pharm school and the 5th floor (i think?) gym.
In the end, you're right--when all this stuff is taken care of Touro-NY will be a sweet new facility in the heart of Manhattan--you can't beat that. But you're talking about being on that campus in 2008-9 and 2009-10. You'll probably be leaving the campus by the time it's finally getting established and having all its kinks worked out. I imagine you'll find similar kinks in the green curriculum.
2) Touro's going to push you on that mission of community service. Current students and interested students will push this as a major highlight. In the end though, I'd personally prefer to come to the idea of doing service on my own rather than being pushed to do it. I also don't want to be a total disappointment to my school if I end up becoming a wealthy, successful physician ("We're not training doctors to practice on park avenue" is paraphrasing a quote from one of the founders of the school).
3) Touro pushed hardcore on primary care on interview day. They basically said if you're not sure you're interested in osteopathic medicine or primary care, you're wasting your time here. Current students at Touro are saying that they're definitely interested in other things--and that's fair, but it's part of the school's actual mission to fill a deficit in primary care physicians and doctors in underserved populations. Schools can be friendly or unfriendly when it comes to helping students match into allopathic residencies and non-primary care residencies. It's yet to be seen which Touro-NY will be. Nova, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), also has a history of pushing into primary care.
That's not Gospel by any means--but that's the reason why if I were facing that choice I wouldn't blink to pick Nova or CCOM. It's not like I have to face the choice anyway
