SUNY Downstate vs. UMDNJ - Robert Wood

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applyingsucks

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Sorry to start another one of these threads. I need help.

Both of the schools are obviosuly state schools (similar tuition), I think Downstate is 18K, and RWJ is 22K (both for in-state residents).

I need advice on location, research opportunities, residency placement, clinical exposure, board scores, student life, prestige, and happiness of students (if any current med students at either school want to weigh in I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

Sorry again to start another one of these threads.
 
I don't know much, but I'll give you my two cents on Downstate (I interviewed there in the beginning of Jan). The facilities at Downstate are kinda gross (the anatomy labs are literally next door to the wood shop). My interview was with an Associate Prof who was also a Downstate alum, and when I asked what he would like to change the most he said he wished there were more research opprotunities. He said the lack of opprotunities has to do with both the students (Downstate has a reputation as a clinical school, not a research school) AND the faculty (not a lot of bench researchers). The match list I think is pretty good for a school of its "reputation", but obviously could be better (couldn't they all). The students were the nicest group I had met so far (6 interviews), and seemed to enjoy Downstate much more that students at school X enjoyed school X. The clinical exposure is uneblievable. I know an downstate grad who is now an attending in the ED of a world class hospital, and he said when he was doing an ED rotation his 4th year a guy literally walked into Kings County (2nd busiest ED in the country, I believe) with an ax in his head. So yes...the clinical experience is fantastic. I don't remember the board score numbers exactly, I think they said national average?
 
Hey bobcat thanks for the reply.

I know Downstate is a nitty gritty type of school, and thats what I like about it. The students seem down to earth and people don't seem to take themselves that seriously. At some of the IVY schools I've visited (note the words visited and not interviewed) I got a different feeling. Everything seemed more intense, grand, the students came off as hardcore, and the Prof's seemed full of themselves. I feel like these bigger schools make it feel like you owe them something, and the smaller, less fancy, state schools are more about "what can we do for you."

All that said, If I were accepted at Cornell tomorrow I would be there come August. Maybe I'm just scared of the Ivies. I think there to good for me.

That said. Does anyone have any advice, comments, criticisms of RWJ or Downstate for that matter.

Thanks
 
One thing to consider is the difference in tuition. Whichever school you have in state tuition for will be significantly cheaper. Downstate is 18,000 in state and 33,000 out of state. I dont really know UMDNJs prices. In terms of location they are both located in far from pristine neighberhoods. However, downstate is 20 minutes from nyc by train and you can do many rotations in nyc.

Best,
Dave
 
drc243 said:
However, downstate is 20 minutes from nyc by train and you can do many rotations in nyc.
Click to expand...

Actually, Downstate is located in NYC. If you mean 20 mins from manhattan, then you are correct. NYC has 5 boroughs including Brooklyn, where Downstate is located.
 
I actually have lived in brooklyn my whole life and it is common place for brooklynites to refer to manhattan as "the city" or NYC. When adressing mail to manhattan everybody always writes NYC or NY.

Best,
dave
 
Glad to hear you're from Brooklyn. It's the coolest borough. 😉

I guess it's good to keep things clear for people who aren't from the area. Downstate is definitely in an urban setting and many areas of Brooklyn have as much going on as Manhattan (as you know well).
 
While some outer borough people do in fact refer to Manhattan as "the city", when we're talking about NYC, Brooklyn/Queens/(da)Bronx are definitely still NYC.

Anyways, many parts of Brooklyn/Queens are very very urban.

Now, Staten Island... :laugh:

Oh and I grew up in Queens but spent all my high school years going to school in Manhattan, so it's not like I have some warped Queens view of the lingo, the outer boroughs are very much NYC.
 
Yup, "the city" = Manhattan, "NYC" = 5 Boroughs.

Queens!!!
 
If you are looking to do research then RWJMS is the place to be--BY FAR!!!

RWJMS is right next the Rutgers University-New Brunswick campus. There are a number of cultural, social and other things to get in to in the surrounding area as well as the close proximity to NYC, Philly, WDC and the delaware beaches to name a few.

For what it is worth, if I had to choose I think I would go with RWJMS given the resources available at that institution.

Why did you apply to those schools in the first place?
 
I applied to Downstate because I'm a New York Resident, and I really liked the Brooklyn location, the nitty gritty atmosphere, and the first rate clincial exposure. Downstate was my first choice until I got into RWJ. I never thought I'd be accepted as an OOSer.

As for RWJ, I applied becuase I am a Rutgers student, have done research at the school for the past 2 years, volunteered in their affiliated hospital, and have befriended many students there. I like the atmosphere, its laid back, quiter than NYC or "The city" (as brooklynites call manhattan), and it seems like a nice place to spend 4 years.

Prices aside, I feel as if RWJ is a better fit due to the amount of resources, research opportunities, and their record with residency placement in top hospitals. RWJ also has a better reputation than Downstate. I'm not saying Downstate is a lower tier school than RWJ, becuase it isn't. They are both great state schools that I love and am confused as to which to go to.

Any students that attend either of the schools have any advice?
 
bump

Is Downstate a better school than RWJ?

Ive been hearing crazy things lately.

I think they are on the same level. RWJ might have a better reputation.
 
why did you pick downstate vs suny-buffalo? Any differences in the suny schools?
 
SUNY Buffalo is to far for me. I hear great things about the school its just not in the metropolitan area. I think Buffalos downfall is its location, and the weather, I cant handle that much snow.

Besides, Buffalo hasn't even gotten back to me yet (I applied like 7 months ago). I wouldn't want to go there now anyways due to the reasons listed above.
 
Sorry I just thought of a huge difference.

Downstate is supposed to give you this crazy hands on experience. As a 3rd and 4th year student you are actually doing things in the hospital. Its a a school for those inclined to clinical medicine. I don't think Buffalo has that inner city edge to it.
 
Thanks for the input, I got accepted to Buffalo and Creighton in NE so i am trying to figure out where to go now........ and i love snow so thats not really a concern to me 🙂
 
Hi applyingsucks,

I've also been accepted to RWJ and am weighing options similar to yours... So I don't think I can be much help in answering your questions, but I'd like to ask another one that might help both of us out...

I've heard some bashing of the clinical experience at RWJ, now all of this is rumor, so I don't put much weight in it. But I was hoping current students or other knowledgeable folk could talk about the quality of clinical rotations at RWJ (both New Brunswick and Camden).

Thanks!
 
This is speculation not fact. I repeat what you read is not fact, it is hear-say.

Sorry for that disclaimer. RWJ is not known for its clinical experience. It is known for its top notch research. RWJ is a resarch institution. That said Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is a level 1 trauma center, I've volunteered there for the past 4 years and it is one of the best hospitals in the country (again my opinion). The RWJ campus is in piscataway, about 5-10 minutes from the hospital. At RWJ there is no clinical exposure during the 1st and 2nd years. Yea you do patient history type stuff but your never really in a hospital setting as you would be at other schools that are located in or across the street from a hospital.

As for the 3rd and 4th year, I hear Camden is much easier than RWJ, but if you want a real good experience stick it out at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. I know many RWJ students and they have all told me that New Brunswick is a much better experience (huge teaching hospital) then Camden. However the grading is much easier at Camden. People often complain about the discrepancy in grading btw both campuses.

This is again all opinion, and not fact.


Zimmie are you considering any NY schools? if so which ones?
 
applyingsucks said:
This is speculation not fact. I repeat what you read is not fact, it is hear-say.

Sorry for that disclaimer. RWJ is not known for its clinical experience. It is known for its top notch research. RWJ is a resarch institution. That said Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is a level 1 trauma center, I've volunteered there for the past 4 years and it is one of the best hospitals in the country (again my opinion). The RWJ campus is in piscataway, about 5-10 minutes from the hospital. At RWJ there is no clinical exposure during the 1st and 2nd years. Yea you do patient history type stuff but your never really in a hospital setting as you would be at other schools that are located in or across the street from a hospital.

As for the 3rd and 4th year, I hear Camden is much easier than RWJ, but if you want a real good experience stick it out at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. I know many RWJ students and they have all told me that New Brunswick is a much better experience (huge teaching hospital) then Camden. However the grading is much easier at Camden. People often complain about the discrepancy in grading btw both campuses.

This is again all opinion, and not fact.


Zimmie are you considering any NY schools? if so which ones?
Click to expand...


Thanks for the opinions... 🙂 I'm planning on focusing on clinical medicine, but potentially considering some competitive fields, so having research options is a bonus for residency applications. However, clinical medicine will ultimately be my focus... Do you think I would be doing myself a disservice going to a research-focused school such as RWJ in terms of having clinical experience (and confidence) to go into residency with?

Also, I had heard something different about Camden vs. New Brunswick... Basically, I heard that NB has a lot more private patients and so students don't get to do as much, but that Camden is much more hands-on for students. I hadn't heard anything about differences in grading though, so that is very good to know...

And finally to answer your question, no I didn't apply to any NY schools... So I won't be of any use on that front...
 
Hey I actually am a lot similar to you. I went to Rutgers, did two years of research there, and worked in RWJ. I'm currently a first year at Downstate. Like you I also wanted a more clinical experience. But as for research, it is all what you make of it, there are a lot of research opportunities at downstate plus you can also search out research on your own which is what I did (and hopefully I'll be working at Cornell this summer). Overall, I just felt more comfortable at Downstate. Also, the condition of the gross lab facilities really doesnt mean anything...you'll see what i mean next year.......
Anyways, I dont check this a lot (im actually procrastinating right now when i should be studying for my exam) but if you have any more questions just PM me.


zimmie256 said:
Thanks for the opinions... 🙂 I'm planning on focusing on clinical medicine, but potentially considering some competitive fields, so having research options is a bonus for residency applications. However, clinical medicine will ultimately be my focus... Do you think I would be doing myself a disservice going to a research-focused school such as RWJ in terms of having clinical experience (and confidence) to go into residency with?

Also, I had heard something different about Camden vs. New Brunswick... Basically, I heard that NB has a lot more private patients and so students don't get to do as much, but that Camden is much more hands-on for students. I hadn't heard anything about differences in grading though, so that is very good to know...

And finally to answer your question, no I didn't apply to any NY schools... So I won't be of any use on that front...
Click to expand...
 
Also, there is a lot of clinical experience at downstate. I am in a clinic every other week and starting in a few weeks i get to shadow in the ER every week.
 
bump.

If you could go to either RWJ or Downstate which would you pick? Why?
 
Downstate.
Kings County (makes Cook County or the old Charity Hospital in New Orleans look like a suburban quick care clinic). That being said, I'm a New Yorker (Manhattan) and I want to do Trauma/EM. If you don't like urban areas I think you'll hate Downstate.
 
Robert Wood Johnson vs Downstate?

Robert wood Johnson
Research, slightly better match list
cheap 22k
Piscataway NJ

Downstate
Better clinical experience
cheap 18k
Brooklyn NY

Both schools are on the same tier. Both schools offered me in-state tuiton. Which one would you go to?
 
I never though of that.
I'll go where the NETS go.

Bruce Ratner is a dick.

thanks johnnyD
 
bumping this thread.
Anyone have any more recent advice? (Given that tuition is pretty similar at both).
 
muggle911 said:
help please? Anyone??
Click to expand...

The schools are really similar, which you can probably discern on your own. Great clinical experiences (NYC and potentially Camden for RWJ), similar price, similar facilities. I think it basically depends on whether you want to be in the city or in the 'burbs, and the general feel you got at the school. RWJ seemed really laid back - never saw Downstate.

Little things: Downstate has transcribed notes of lectures, but not RWJ. Downstate has a nicer gross lab now...I think? The thing I liked least about RWJ was that it was not attached to the hospital. Seems like they have a lot of research opportunities though.
 
ceilngsdontexst said:
The schools are really similar, which you can probably discern on your own. Great clinical experiences (NYC and potentially Camden for RWJ), similar price, similar facilities. I think it basically depends on whether you want to be in the city or in the 'burbs, and the general feel you got at the school. RWJ seemed really laid back - never saw Downstate.

Little things: Downstate has transcribed notes of lectures, but not RWJ. Downstate has a nicer gross lab now...I think? The thing I liked least about RWJ was that it was not attached to the hospital. Seems like they have a lot of research opportunities though.
Click to expand...

RWJ just lost the Camden campus!
 
ceilngsdontexst said:
The schools are really similar, which you can probably discern on your own. Great clinical experiences (NYC and potentially Camden for RWJ), similar price, similar facilities. I think it basically depends on whether you want to be in the city or in the 'burbs, and the general feel you got at the school. RWJ seemed really laid back - never saw Downstate.

Little things: Downstate has transcribed notes of lectures, but not RWJ. Downstate has a nicer gross lab now...I think? The thing I liked least about RWJ was that it was not attached to the hospital. Seems like they have a lot of research opportunities though.
Click to expand...

Anatomy lab is now moved from the basement to a higher floor. It features 6 flat-panel displays, and the room is pretty well-lit.
 
cpants said:
RWJ just lost the Camden campus!
Click to expand...

Whaaaa?? RWJ touted that as a big plus for them...I feel so misled lol. Can you elaborate? I can't seem to find any article on this.

If that were the case, I would be leaning towards DS.
 
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