SUNY Downstate students

[Nma]

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who attends SDMS?

Can u brief ur experience there so far? and the quality of the school? (minus location 😡 )

 

[downstateguy]

There have been several recent threads addressing Downstate. Do a search. If you still have any specific questions, post them here.

 

[bonez318ti]

1) What is SDMS?

2)I'm currently trying to decide between Stony Brook and Downstate, but I am leaning towards Downstate because they seem to have a curriculum more integrated with group work, something I'm a big fan of. I learn alot better if I get a chance to discuss it and apply it... and my understanding is that Stony Brook doesn't have too much of it. Can you comment on your thoughts and experience with the amount/quality of group work that you do at Downstate, and how you felt it may have helped or hindered you? (I'm a big fan of the 'corrale' area you guys have over there)

3) I may consider an out of state residency.. and I hear that Downstate's isn't that well known outside of the north east. Do you think (or have you heard) anything about this? Do you think it would hurt an applicant or do you think there is enough recognition that, there it shouldnt be a problem?

Thanks

 

[downstateguy]

1) What is SDMS?

2)I'm currently trying to decide between Stony Brook and Downstate, but I am leaning towards Downstate because they seem to have a curriculum more integrated with group work, something I'm a big fan of. I learn alot better if I get a chance to discuss it and apply it... and my understanding is that Stony Brook doesn't have too much of it. Can you comment on your thoughts and experience with the amount/quality of group work that you do at Downstate, and how you felt it may have helped or hindered you? (I'm a big fan of the 'corrale' area you guys have over there)

group work isn't worth much. there are no concepts that are particularly difficult to understand. It's all about memorizing, and that's usually more about studying on your own that doing the group thing.

3) I may consider an out of state residency.. and I hear that Downstate's isn't that well known outside of the north east. Do you think (or have you heard) anything about this? Do you think it would hurt an applicant or do you think there is enough recognition that, there it shouldnt be a problem?

Thanks

Not a problem.

 

[Nma]

There have been several recent threads addressing Downstate. Do a search. If you still have any specific questions, post them here.

would it hurt to restate it?

 

[Nma]

1) What is SDMS?

2)I'm currently trying to decide between Stony Brook and Downstate, but I am leaning towards Downstate because they seem to have a curriculum more integrated with group work, something I'm a big fan of. I learn alot better if I get a chance to discuss it and apply it... and my understanding is that Stony Brook doesn't have too much of it. Can you comment on your thoughts and experience with the amount/quality of group work that you do at Downstate, and how you felt it may have helped or hindered you? (I'm a big fan of the 'corrale' area you guys have over there)

3) I may consider an out of state residency.. and I hear that Downstate's isn't that well known outside of the north east. Do you think (or have you heard) anything about this? Do you think it would hurt an applicant or do you think there is enough recognition that, there it shouldnt be a problem?

Thanks

i hear u on that 3rd note.
Even here in NYC, many people still haven't even heard of the school

PS: SDMS: Suny Down-State Medical School

 

[kryptokal]

Howdy. 3rd Year at Downstate here...in answer to some of the posted questions:

1) What is SDMS?

The official name is SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. We just say Downstate. Or, if you want to get all Beastie Boys about it...SUNY Brooklyn.

2)I'm currently trying to decide between Stony Brook and Downstate, but I am leaning towards Downstate because they seem to have a curriculum more integrated with group work....

I'll agree with downstateguy to a point...group work, Case-Based Learning, conferences, and small groups have a place, but I wouldn't really place it along the "understanding and applying concepts" realm. You'll quickly find that most of these sessions devolve into cutting and pasting from UptoDate. BUT, what these session do help with is breaking up the monotony a of lectures and solo studying and **gasp** help you socialize a bit. It forces you to actually be able to at least TRY and convey information to your peers, something we eventually have to do when we grow up. The best group work I've done involves the group of people I organized outside of school and studied with at Starbucks and other cafes around Manhattan and Brooklyn. Try to find somewhere to study off campus in Stony Brook (oooh...Downstate takes a whack at Stony Brook!)

3) I may consider an out of state residency.. and I hear that Downstate's isn't that well known outside of the north east. Do you think (or have you heard) anything about this? Do you think it would hurt an applicant or do you think there is enough recognition that, there it shouldnt be a problem?

Downstate may not be "well known" to the public and the lay folks, but what matters is that residency directors know the name very well, and they know that after spending a good chunk of your clinical years rotating through Kings County, University Hospital, and some of the toughest hospitals in Brooklyn they can rest assured that you won't be a too much of a putz on their team. The hands on experience is key, and it's hard to find much of an equal in that department throughout NYC, and most of the country.