SUNY Downstate vs Hofstra

[medstudent700]

Hi guys,

Long time lurker and was recently accepted to both Hofstra and Downstate! There was an old thread about this in 2011, but I'm sure much has changed at Hofstra between now and then.

I'm a NYC resident and live about 20 minutes from both schools. Are there any current/graduated medical school students from these schools who could tell me what they enjoyed/didn't enjoy about the school/curriculum/clinical experiences/social life etc to try and help me make a decision between the two?

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[demystifie]

Also curious about this!

 

[itsogre]

I heard Hofstra had problems with their curriculum, but Downstate has a disadvantageous grading system. I think both are equivalent in terms of reputation outside of NY metro area.

Since Downstate is cheaper, it might be the better choice, since the schools seem essentially equivalent.

 

[demystifie]

I heard Hofstra had problems with their curriculum, but Downstate has a disadvantageous grading system. I think both are equivalent in terms of reputation outside of NY metro area.

Since Downstate is cheaper, it might be the better choice, since the schools seem essentially equivalent.

Hmm, isn't Downstate P/F?

 

[takeurmeds02]

Hi guys,

Long time lurker and was recently accepted to both Hofstra and Downstate! There was an old thread about this in 2011, but I'm sure much has changed at Hofstra between now and then.

I'm a NYC resident and live about 20 minutes from both schools. Are there any current/graduated medical school students from these schools who could tell me what they enjoyed/didn't enjoy about the school/curriculum/clinical experiences/social life etc to try and help me make a decision between the two?

Hey do you mind posting your stats? I'm really gunning for Downstate this next cycle and I'm curious at the most recent type of applicant they accepted.

 

[itsogre]

Hmm, isn't Downstate P/F?

I'm not qualified to talk about Downstate because I didn't apply/interview there, but at Einstein the students there compared the P/F at Einstein to grading at Downstate, and complained that Downstate has some a higher than necessary proportion of students who fail.

edit,
in general people tended to complain way more about Downstate than other schools in the city.

 

[demystifie]

I feel like Downstate's match list is very solid because of its age and reputation in NYC. But Hofstra may pull ahead in the next few years so it's hard to say. Of course, the match list is by no means the be-all-end-all of a program. I would base your decision on where you feel you'd fit in more with students and which atmosphere you prefer.

 

[medstudent700]

I heard Hofstra had problems with their curriculum, but Downstate has a disadvantageous grading system. I think both are equivalent in terms of reputation outside of NY metro area.

Since Downstate is cheaper, it might be the better choice, since the schools seem essentially equivalent.

@itsogre , if the aid works out so that the cost between the two schools are equal, would you choose Hofstra over Downstate?

Hey do you mind posting your stats? I'm really gunning for Downstate this next cycle and I'm curious at the most recent type of applicant they accepted.

@teeayejay, I had a 33 MCAT evenly distributed, 3.8x GPA, 2+years in academic research, 200 hrs hospital volunteer, 150 hrs shadowing, 150 hours non-clinical voluntering, and a few abroad experiences (service and study abroad). I know many others who had the same or better qualifications than I did, also had interviews, but were either WL or rejected, so there's more than just what you do that'll go into the decision making process. Best of luck to you!

@demystifie - The match list that just came out of Hofstra seems very good, although I do think it could be skewed due to the high caliber students that went to Hofstra because of the financial aid they offered. Though, this is just me speculating.

Thank you guys for all the feedback, but I'm still having a pretty tough choice between the two. More feedback would be great!

 

[The Helpful Aye Aye]

I'm not qualified to talk about Downstate because I didn't apply/interview there, but at Einstein the students there compared the P/F at Einstein to grading at Downstate, and complained that Downstate has some a higher than necessary proportion of students who fail.

edit,
in general people tended to complain way more about Downstate than other schools in the city.

Downstate is P/F with 90+ percent (grade, not people) getting honors, no internal ranking otherwise. I don't really know what you're getting at with the comparison.

One thing at Downstate (and Tufts) that can be tricky is that the assessments are very spaced out. I'm taking medical school classes at Cincinnati and they test pretty much every week- this keeps you on your toes and is good for people who procrastinate. If you try to cram for end of block exams after slacking the whole semester then I could see how people might fail at Downstate. From talking to a friend, the majority of people sit within the passing, non-honors bin.

 

[itsogre]

Downstate is P/F with 90+ percent (grade, not people) getting honors, no internal ranking otherwise. I don't really know what you're getting at with the comparison.

One thing at Downstate (and Tufts) that can be tricky is that the assessments are very spaced out. I'm taking medical school classes at Cincinnati and they test pretty much every week- this keeps you on your toes and is good for people who procrastinate. If you try to cram for end of block exams after slacking the whole semester then I could see how people might fail at Downstate. From talking to a friend, the majority of people sit within the passing, non-honors bin.

I'm restating what I've been told. But, caveat emptor, too many people complained about Downstate around me, some with a lot of vitriol too.

@medstudent700
I'd chose Downstate over Hofstra... and aid almost never works out like that tbh

 

[The Helpful Aye Aye]

I'm restating what I've been told. But, caveat emptor, too many people complained about Downstate around me, some with a lot of vitriol too.

@medstudent700
I'd chose Downstate over Hofstra... and aid almost never works out like that tbh

The way you restated it wasn't clear...

 

[itsogre]

The way you restated it wasn't clear...

I'm posting from class so I'm distracted #yolo #420

to me, Downstate has clear advantages over Hofstra - 150 years of medical education, a fantastic patient population in a great location, a larger class size (smaller class sizes feel too incestuous to me for some reason). I think Hofstra and Downstate are more or less equivalent, and in OP's case it would be important to visit both schools before making his decision. Even if both have problems with teaching/grading, most of med school will be self-study anyway, so your experience will be more dependent on your individual tolerance for administrative BS than anything.

 

[takeurmeds02]

@itsogre , if the aid works out so that the cost between the two schools are equal, would you choose Hofstra over Downstate?



@teeayejay, I had a 33 MCAT evenly distributed, 3.8x GPA, 2+years in academic research, 200 hrs hospital volunteer, 150 hrs shadowing, 150 hours non-clinical voluntering, and a few abroad experiences (service and study abroad). I know many others who had the same or better qualifications than I did, also had interviews, but were either WL or rejected, so there's more than just what you do that'll go into the decision making process. Best of luck to you!

@demystifie - The match list that just came out of Hofstra seems very good, although I do think it could be skewed due to the high caliber students that went to Hofstra because of the financial aid they offered. Though, this is just me speculating.

Thank you guys for all the feedback, but I'm still having a pretty tough choice between the two. More feedback would be great!

Thanks!

 

[caffeinemia]

Downstate has the reputation of giving lots of hands on MS-III/MS-IV as alot of their clinical rotations are in the large Kings County municipal hospital. That tends to look on favorably in residency matching

Unfortunately, hands on made no difference in any way during the interview season for plastics and general surgery at my ginormous institution. It came down to grades and scores and being NORMAL. Seriously, it's sad, but we're just looking for normal. I cannot speak to other specialties. We will teach you the hands on, we just need you to be motivated and not asinine.

Nevertheless, it is true that the hospital experience in dirty BK is very hands on. You will be doing things. How correctly and how effectively, is another thing.

That said, not everyone wants to be constantly dealing with the social disasters in BK. Just saying. It does wear you down.

 

[medstudent700]

Downstate is P/F with 90+ percent (grade, not people) getting honors, no internal ranking otherwise. I don't really know what you're getting at with the comparison.

One thing at Downstate (and Tufts) that can be tricky is that the assessments are very spaced out. I'm taking medical school classes at Cincinnati and they test pretty much every week- this keeps you on your toes and is good for people who procrastinate. If you try to cram for end of block exams after slacking the whole semester then I could see how people might fail at Downstate. From talking to a friend, the majority of people sit within the passing, non-honors bin.

@The Helpful Aye Aye - Does honors vs just passing have a huge influence on residency placement? From what I've heard at the schools that I've interviewed at, the Dean's Letter really doesn't emphasize MS1/MS2 grades. What's the general consensus?

Downstate has the reputation of giving lots of hands on MS-III/MS-IV as alot of their clinical rotations are in the large Kings County municipal hospital. That tends to look on favorably in residency matching

I'm posting from class so I'm distracted #yolo #420

to me, Downstate has clear advantages over Hofstra - 150 years of medical education, a fantastic patient population in a great location, a larger class size (smaller class sizes feel too incestuous to me for some reason). I think Hofstra and Downstate are more or less equivalent, and in OP's case it would be important to visit both schools before making his decision. Even if both have problems with teaching/grading, most of med school will be self-study anyway, so your experience will be more dependent on your individual tolerance for administrative BS than anything.

@gonnif and @itsogre - The clinical experience definitely won't parallel what would be experienced at Hofstra, but I feel that one huge advantage of Hofstra is that it is 50/50 partners with the LIJ Healthcare System. Another is that their facilities are almost two centuries newer than Downstates, and that Hofstra is in a much nicer than the area that Downstate is in. They're both equally accessible to the city, but I feel like the living experience would be drastically different at both schools. Thoughts on this from current/graduated students of either school? I'll be attending the revisits at both schools within the next week or so, hopefully I can get a feel for where I'd enjoy it more.

Thanks again for all the feedback, super helpful.

 

[The Helpful Aye Aye]

@The Helpful Aye Aye - Does honors vs just passing have a huge influence on residency placement? From what I've heard at the schools that I've interviewed at, the Dean's Letter really doesn't emphasize MS1/MS2 grades. What's the general consensus?





@gonnif and @itsogre - The clinical experience definitely won't parallel what would be experienced at Hofstra, but I feel that one huge advantage of Hofstra is that it is 50/50 partners with the LIJ Healthcare System. Another is that their facilities are almost two centuries newer than Downstates, and that Hofstra is in a much nicer than the area that Downstate is in. They're both equally accessible to the city, but I feel like the living experience would be drastically different at both schools. Thoughts on this from current/graduated students of either school? I'll be attending the revisits at both schools within the next week or so, hopefully I can get a feel for where I'd enjoy it more.

Thanks again for all the feedback, super helpful.

To be perfectly clear, I'm not a Downstate student- I've just been around the block a few times in terms of my coursework. I think all schools that are P/F have some barometer of high achievement. At Tufts I was told that being in some top percentile is reflected only in your Dean's letter, whereas other schools make the criteria/distinctions more transparent (High Pass, Honors, etc.). I'm not qualified to say how Dean's letters including remarks about first and second year performance is viewed, but it's probably the case that it varies, leaning towards it not being a big deal.

 

[NYCdude]

Whatever's cheaper. At the moment I'd say Downstate has a better rep, but Hofstra is recruiting high stat people like crazy so I wouldn't be surprised if they had a way better rep in a few years.

 

[ridethecliche]

Unfortunately, hands on made no difference in any way during the interview season for plastics and general surgery at my ginormous institution. It came down to grades and scores and being NORMAL. Seriously, it's sad, but we're just looking for normal. I cannot speak to other specialties. We will teach you the hands on, we just need you to be motivated and not asinine.

Nevertheless, it is true that the hospital experience in dirty BK is very hands on. You will be doing things. How correctly and how effectively, is another thing.

That said, not everyone wants to be constantly dealing with the social disasters in BK. Just saying. It does wear you down.

What kind of social disasters? Like... super high risk patients?

Or is that more of a critique of the student/staff body?

 

[medstudent700]

What kind of social disasters? Like... super high risk patients?

Or is that more of a critique of the student/staff body?

From what I've heard, GSW and HIV patients are common at the clinical experiences at Downstate, not sure if that's what @caffeinemia is referring to though.

 

[ridethecliche]

From what I've heard, GSW and HIV patients are common at the clinical experiences at Downstate, not sure if that's what @caffeinemia is referring to though.

Yeah, I know about that as I have a few friends at the school, but I didn't think that's what he meant. Einstein/Monte has a similar patient population.

 

[Psai]

I heard Hofstra had problems with their curriculum, but Downstate has a disadvantageous grading system. I think both are equivalent in terms of reputation outside of NY metro area.

Since Downstate is cheaper, it might be the better choice, since the schools seem essentially equivalent.

how can they have an equivalent reputation? downstate has been training doctors for over one hundred years and has an extensive network due to their large class size. hofstra hasn't even graduated a single class yet

 

[itsogre]

how can they have an equivalent reputation? downstate has been training doctors for over one hundred years and has an extensive network due to their large class size. hofstra hasn't even graduated a single class yet

......i'm going to say because of affiliation with North Shore-LIJ??? Hopefully, but you're right about not being equivalent.

 

[Keladry]

Current Downstate MS1 here. Yes, it's pass/fail for preclinicals, with the potential to earn honors as described above. Yes, the immediate area kind of sucks, but that's what subways are for. In terms of social stuff, I think we've got a great group of people, so there's always something going on. Plus, I mean, it's New York - you don't have to wait around for on-campus events to have stuff to do on a given day/night 😛
Happy to answer any other questions you have about Downstate 🙂

 

[caffeinemia]

From what I've heard, GSW and HIV patients are common at the clinical experiences at Downstate, not sure if that's what @caffeinemia is referring to though.

Nah, I could care less about that. I'm talking about the guy who's been off antipscyhotics for the last 3weeks, is homeless, and whose 7 "family members" keep hanging around his room and intimidate and threaten the nurses and staff (guess who's gonna get paged). Obviously, the massive quantities of dilaudid he's taking is not enough to stop his pain, but makes his continuous pulse ox alarm go off repeatedly. Then you go and chop off his leg for a chronic wound from IV drug injection and raging DM, and now you can't find an accepting rehab facility because he has no insurance and the it goes on and on and on and you're just waiting and praying till you get off service. That's how painful it is ... and that's as a resident. As a medical student pre-rounding on that, it's even worse. The patient won't have insight into your actually capacity to do things and will ask you for all sorts of ridiculousness.

I guess I'm being dramatic.

 

[medstudent700]

Current Downstate MS1 here. Yes, it's pass/fail for preclinicals, with the potential to earn honors as described above. Yes, the immediate area kind of sucks, but that's what subways are for. In terms of social stuff, I think we've got a great group of people, so there's always something going on. Plus, I mean, it's New York - you don't have to wait around for on-campus events to have stuff to do on a given day/night 😛
Happy to answer any other questions you have about Downstate 🙂

@Keladry - I thought that starting from the class of '17, Downstate was strictly P/F? http://sls.downstate.edu/registrar/com/grading_system.html
Also, what've you liked the most/least so far during MS1? Do you have any friends who currently attend Hofstra SOM and/or heard anything about how things are going over there?

Nah, I could care less about that. I'm talking about the guy who's been off antipscyhotics for the last 3weeks, is homeless, and whose 7 "family members" keep hanging around his room and intimidate and threaten the nurses and staff (guess who's gonna get paged). Obviously, the massive quantities of dilaudid he's taking is not enough to stop his pain, but makes his continuous pulse ox alarm go off repeatedly. Then you go and chop off his leg for a chronic wound from IV drug injection and raging DM, and now you can't find an accepting rehab facility because he has no insurance and the it goes on and on and on and you're just waiting and praying till you get off service. That's how painful it is ... and that's as a resident. As a medical student pre-rounding on that, it's even worse. The patient won't have insight into your actually capacity to do things and will ask you for all sorts of ridiculousness.

I guess I'm being dramatic.

@caffeinemia - In your experience, how commonly would you see something like that happen? Even to some sort of lesser extent, if you're being dramatic.

Any other current/graduated students from Downstate that could also comment on their clinical experience?

 

[caffeinemia]

I went to medical school in a very posh part of a huge metropolitan and it was only an occasional problem. I remember one time, one of our patients was doing crack in the room because a "family member" was bringing it to our patient for cash. Then when we had security escort that person out and confronted the patient about it. The patient took a swing at the resident (and hit her). So yeah, that type of stuff happens. It was rare where I was because of our location and the residents did their best to shield us from it. But I could still count about 5 or 10 times where I definitely felt threatened/stressed by patients in the two years I was in the hospital. I'm very good at brushing that stuff off and letting it go, but you can see how that type of environment can cause burnout and other issues from some people.

Where I am now, there are a couple of mild to moderate social disasters every week, but they are generally manageable.

 

[Keladry]

@Keladry - I thought that starting from the class of '17, Downstate was strictly P/F? http://sls.downstate.edu/registrar/com/grading_system.html
Also, what've you liked the most/least so far during MS1? Do you have any friends who currently attend Hofstra SOM and/or heard anything about how things are going over there?

Yes, since last year, it's P/F. If you average a 90% or higher over all 6 units, you can get honors in the preclinical years, but to be honest, I'm not sure anyone is going to, so it doesn't really matter.
What I've liked the most - my classmates are a big part of it. Everyone collaborates a lot, everyone's constantly making/posting resources for everyone to use, etc. It may seem like a small thing, but it's a really big deal when you're freaking out about the anatomy practical so you go to the lab and run into some people you know who offer to teach you what they know. (Not that I'm speaking from experience or anything 😉 ).
What I've liked the least - some administrative snafus. For example, we're on break this week, with a new unit starting Monday, and we still haven't gotten the schedule for that. Plus there were some issues in the weeks leading up to exams that caused an undue amount of stress for no real reason. None of them were a big deal individually, but it just kind of sucked having a bunch of unexpected news dumped on you the week before exams and feeling like the administration hated you. They were pretty quick to straighten all those issues out, in fairness.

Don't know anyone at Hofstra personally, sorry! I'm from OOS so I know fewer people at the NY med schools than most of my peers.

 

[ridethecliche]

Hah figured that's what you were going for.

I'd say the same thing happens at most safety net hospitals. Don't residencies eat that stuff up? Ie love students with that kind of experience?

 

[medstudent700]

Hah figured that's what you were going for.

I'd say the same thing happens at most safety net hospitals. Don't residencies eat that stuff up? Ie love students with that kind of experience?

Yeah, I'd kinda like to see what others think about this too. Also, does anybody think that Hofstra-LIJ's reputation can grow substantially over the next four years to be just as, or even more, competitive than Downstate's?

 

[Keladry]

Yeah, I'd kinda like to see what others think about this too. Also, does anybody think that Hofstra-LIJ's reputation can grow substantially over the next four years to be just as, or even more, competitive than Downstate's?

I don't doubt that Hofstra's reputation will grow, but I think it'll take more than 4 years. Graduating classes with good step scores and good match lists is great, but it takes decades to build a reputation for solid residents who go on to become leading academic physicians (or whatever other sort of reputation they want).

 

[PassItToKobe]

Hi guys,

Long time lurker and was recently accepted to both Hofstra and Downstate! There was an old thread about this in 2011, but I'm sure much has changed at Hofstra between now and then.

I'm a NYC resident and live about 20 minutes from both schools. Are there any current/graduated medical school students from these schools who could tell me what they enjoyed/didn't enjoy about the school/curriculum/clinical experiences/social life etc to try and help me make a decision between the two?

Graduating Hofstra student. I am slightly biased.

Hofstra's "innovative" curriculum is based around cases and small-group discussions. There are 3 major benefits to the basic science education at Hofstra. First, it is completely pass-fail with no class ranking. This lessens competition and promotes teamwork. I remember many medical schools that I interviewed at 4 years ago switching to a pass-fail curriculum during the basic science years. Second, class time is very minimal at Hofstra. You will be in class 4-5 hrs for 4 days per week. You will have afternoons off for research, studying, etc. Thus, Hofstra is great for students who have a strong interest in pursuing meaningful extracurricular activities. One caveat: don't expect to do much during EMT training. You will be doing ambulance shifts and that eats up a ton of time. Finally, I didn't like lectures during college, so PBL was very much suited to my learning habits. If you are person who enjoys structure (i.e. having a syllabus, knowing exactly what you need to study, etc.), Hofstra might not be for you as the curriculum promotes self-directed learning. People who tend to thrive at Hofstra are very independent and flexible.

In terms of clinical training, you will rotate mainly at North Shore University Hospital (more posh patients, old money from LI) and Long Island Jewish Hospital (more diverse patients from Queens/Brooklyn). It's true that students get more hands-on experience at Downstate, but all my Downstate friends who have rotated through the NS-LIJ system said they liked NS-LIJ better. You will see a more diverse patient population at Downstate b/c of location, but I think the clinical education at both healthcare systems are equally robust.

In all honesty, the reputations of Downstate and Hofstra are... probably exactly the same because you will be considered with all the other students who come from a non-top10/20 US medical school when you apply for residency.

The class size at Hofstra is now at 100 students. Personally, I like that number: large enough so you can find your niche, but small enough so that you at least know everyone. The students are all very social; lots of clubs, intramural sports, going out in the city, etc.

My least favorite part about Hofstra was grading during the clinical years, which is probably due to my being a member of the very first class and Hofstra was still figuring stuff out. This shouldn't be an issue for incoming students. Evaluation from attendings/residents is still subjective, but that happens everywhere. Your 3rd year grades are composed of evaluations, shelf scores, preceptor rounds, and presentations. This diverse rubric allows a student who may not be strong at test taking (i.e. don't do as well on the shelf exam) to still get a good overall grade (pro). On the other hand, there are many more things for a student to worry about, in addition to studying for the shelf exam (con).

In conclusion, if I had to pick again between Hofstra and Downstate (money/location not being an issue), I would pick Hofstra. But, you can't go wrong with either. Go with your gut instinct (did you like the interview day? did you like the students you met?).

 

[medstudent700]

@PassItToKobe - Great points and I agree with you on every one. Every school has its issues, but I'm sure these will all be worked out over the next few years. After revisits at both schools, I'm definitely leaning towards Hofstra.

Thanks everyone for your input!

 

[elprezidente]

Current MS1 at Downstate. I won't spend time talking up Downstate relative to Hofstra because I really don't know much about Hofstra's program, and as with any school, there are pros and cons here, just as I'd imagine there are at Hofstra. What I can say for sure is that you should keep in mind that there is a HUGE difference between Hofstra and Downstate when it comes to financials. Tuition at Hofstra comes out to about $50,000 per year, without adding in rent, transportation, food and other costs of living. I just filed for FAFSA for next year and will be taking out $50,000 to cover all of my expenditures for the year. Looking at some financial calculators, I'll be paying back somewhere near $80,000 when interest compiles on that $50,000. Assuming that one would have to take out $70-80,000 per year at Hofstra ($110,000+ per year when paying back loans), x4 years, that difference in cost becomes pretty substantial (~$100,000-$150,000). I obviously don't know your financial situation, and of course medicine is a lucrative profession, so it's not really a question of whether or not you'll be ABLE to pay back the loans, but more so HOW QUICKLY. That was an enormous factor for me when making decisions.

 

[CoffeeBean1]

Current MS1 at Downstate. I won't spend time talking up Downstate relative to Hofstra because I really don't know much about Hofstra's program, and as with any school, there are pros and cons here, just as I'd imagine there are at Hofstra. What I can say for sure is that you should keep in mind that there is a HUGE difference between Hofstra and Downstate when it comes to financials. Tuition at Hofstra comes out to about $50,000 per year, without adding in rent, transportation, food and other costs of living. I just filed for FAFSA for next year and will be taking out $50,000 to cover all of my expenditures for the year. Looking at some financial calculators, I'll be paying back somewhere near $80,000 when interest compiles on that $50,000. Assuming that one would have to take out $70-80,000 per year at Hofstra ($110,000+ per year when paying back loans), x4 years, that difference in cost becomes pretty substantial (~$100,000-$150,000). I obviously don't know your financial situation, and of course medicine is a lucrative profession, so it's not really a question of whether or not you'll be ABLE to pay back the loans, but more so HOW QUICKLY. That was an enormous factor for me when making decisions.

Honestly, though, what do you think the average is that people pay for rent at Downstate? I haven't received my financial aid package yet from Hofstra, so I can't fully weigh them, but I'm trying to figure out how much the increased cost of living in Brooklyn will close the $10,000 difference in tuition

 

[Keladry]

Honestly, though, what do you think the average is that people pay for rent at Downstate? I haven't received my financial aid package yet from Hofstra, so I can't fully weigh them, but I'm trying to figure out how much the increased cost of living in Brooklyn will close the $10,000 difference in tuition

I split a 3-bedroom in the neighborhood by Downstate and pay <$800/month. It's going to depend hugely on where you live - I chose to live here because it's easy and cheaper (plus I'm saving ~$100/month by not commuting on the subway each day). I know plenty of people paying around the same as me in Brooklyn, and some people paying easily double (or triple) that. No idea what housing/cost is like by Hofstra.

 

[elprezidente]

Honestly, though, what do you think the average is that people pay for rent at Downstate? I haven't received my financial aid package yet from Hofstra, so I can't fully weigh them, but I'm trying to figure out how much the increased cost of living in Brooklyn will close the $10,000 difference in tuition

I split a 3-bedroom in the neighborhood by Downstate and pay <$800/month. It's going to depend hugely on where you live - I chose to live here because it's easy and cheaper (plus I'm saving ~$100/month by not commuting on the subway each day). I know plenty of people paying around the same as me in Brooklyn, and some people paying easily double (or triple) that. No idea what housing/cost is like by Hofstra.

I live in the dorms, which costs $10,000 for the year (including all utilities). I can't imagine that living on Long Island costs much less than that.

 

[medstudent700]

What I can say for sure is that you should keep in mind that there is a HUGE difference between Hofstra and Downstate when it comes to financials. Tuition at Hofstra comes out to about $50,000 per year, without adding in rent, transportation, food and other costs of living. I obviously don't know your financial situation, and of course medicine is a lucrative profession, so it's not really a question of whether or not you'll be ABLE to pay back the loans, but more so HOW QUICKLY. That was an enormous factor for me when making decisions.

@elprezidente - Thanks for this info, I just received my financial aid package from Downstate and to my surprise, it's all loans. I live between both Hofstra and Downstate, and think that the commute from Queens to Downstate is pretty rough (especially at 8am), so I would have to live either on or off campus in Brooklyn to make things practical. On the other hand, commuting to Long Island is pretty easy at 8am because of the reverse commute, so I would probably choose to live at home, and save on the cost of housing. Once I get the financial aid package from Hofstra, I'll probably be able to make a clear cut choice.

 

[Chasing Never Land]

@medstudent700, let us know how the fin aid package from Hofstra is? Is it also mostly loans? One thing I've been looking at, instead of tuition, is the avg. debt of graduating students. Surprisingly, some of the most expensive tuition schools have the lowest debt....

 

[Chasing Never Land]

Current Downstate MS1 here. Yes, it's pass/fail for preclinicals, with the potential to earn honors as described above. Yes, the immediate area kind of sucks, but that's what subways are for. In terms of social stuff, I think we've got a great group of people, so there's always something going on. Plus, I mean, it's New York - you don't have to wait around for on-campus events to have stuff to do on a given day/night 😛
Happy to answer any other questions you have about Downstate 🙂

aaah omg love the profile pic

 

[mmmcdowe]

Moving to ssd

 

[medstudent700]

@medstudent700, let us know how the fin aid package from Hofstra is? Is it also mostly loans? One thing I've been looking at, instead of tuition, is the avg. debt of graduating students. Surprisingly, some of the most expensive tuition schools have the lowest debt....

The aid that Downstate potentially offered (since I didn't complete any of the documentation needed, just asked the admissions office to ballpark a figure) was a maximum of $5-7k/year of grants, and the rest would have to be covered by loans or out of pocket.

Hofstra NS-LIJ on the other hand offered close to 30k/year (need based, but hearing about the aid that friends of mine are receiving, this seems very generous). I personally loved how dedicated the faculty were to our success and how open they were to connect with us. They really seem driven to help us succeed, and the finaid package was a huge bonus as well. Oh, and of course the new facilities are astounding. 🙂

 

[Keladry]

aaah omg love the profile pic

Slowly finding all the Tamora Pierce fans on SDN, one random post at a time 😉

 

[Chasing Never Land]

Slowly finding all the Tamora Pierce fans on SDN, one random post at a time 😉

Yay 😀

 

[Chasing Never Land]

Found interesting info on Hofstra by Dartmouth: http://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/curriculum-redesign/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/05/Hofstra.pdf

 

[medstudent700]

Found interesting info on Hofstra by Dartmouth: http://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/curriculum-redesign/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/05/Hofstra.pdf

Very interesting - does this meant that Dartmouth is looking to redesign its curriculum based off of Hofstra? If they are, means Hofstra must have done something right!

 

[unnumzaan]

Found interesting info on Hofstra by Dartmouth: http://geiselmed.dartmouth.edu/curriculum-redesign/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/05/Hofstra.pdf

How did you find this? It's like Dartmouth's dossier on Hofstra before a big heist.

 

[Chasing Never Land]

How did you find this? It's like Dartmouth's dossier on Hofstra before a big heist.

first off - your description rocks 😛 I found this on google - I think I was searching for info on the hofstra curriculum, since I've been seeing conflicting reports on that. It's definitely like striking gold 🙂

And @medstudent700 - I think they were looking at multiple schools for 'innovations' to imrpove their curriculum, and Hofstra (being new=innovative, sort of) was one of them. IDK if you read the full document, but it's pretty positive 🙂 'new' isn't necessarily bad - especially when you have basically unlimited funds to make your program good

 

[Chasing Never Land]

^^^ Also, b/c the link has site(s) as in plural, I tried to find other sites Dartmouth might have reviewed, but I don't think I'm tech savvy enough

 

[Arayh]

I'm a current MS3 at downstate, class of 2017, so first class with the new curriculum. I can only speak about Downstate, and I agree with everything that's been posted about Downstate here, but I also want to add in that we are the biggest feeder of NYC practicing physicians, I think 1/4 to 1/5 physicians in the city graduated from Downstate and residency directors throughout the city know our students very well based on our crazy hands on clinical experience in the last 2 years. You'll potentially see and experience things here that you won't see elsewhere, and you'll get to participate in the craziness instead of just standing in the sidelines watching/shadowing. And that is a huge benefit, both to your own learning experience and future residency.

Oh and lectures aren't mandatory here, which helps accommodate how you study whether you want lectures or you want to just study by yourself...etc.