SUNYDownstate vs Boston

[TommyPickles]

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Where should I interview? SUNYDownstate takes more people, the reason I was thinking there

 

[TommyPickles]

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[Bluesclera]

Downstate is a strong training environment that has access to a VA and county hospital


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[agolden1]

Where should I interview? SUNYDownstate takes more people, the reason I was thinking there

Downstate MS3 who has been heavily involved in the department, met with the chair, talked to alot of residents, done the rotation. Can't speak to Boston, but a little Downstate insight.

Downstate does have a fairly large program, but you'll really only be competing for 3, maybe 4 of the spots. Traditionally, two spots go to downstate students, one to a Downstate MD/PhD (for some odd reason many of our grades seem to gravitate towards ophtho), and one to an international pre-residency fellow who completes a yearlong experience in conjunction with our program.

Strong clinical program which will work you hard. During PGY-2 and PGY-4 a majority of your time will be spent working at the County Hospital with days averaging 7am-7pm with in house call once or twice a week as PGY-2. As you progress through program years call will be from home, but it seems like they often end up coming in to assess and assist with various emergencies. There are a number of other clinical sites we are associated with which are not easily accessible by the MTA, so you will need to have a car. These locations include the aforementioned VA (lighter days, more like 730-4 or 5), Coney Island Hospital, and Staten Island Hospital to name a few. These hospitals are not grouped close to one another. Depending on where you live, you may have a 30min -1hr commute to some of these locations without traffic (at 6am), so be prepared for that.

As far as research goes, there tends to be only one or two really heavily active researchers in each fellowship area. Off the top of my head I can think of one or two people for glaucoma, maybe two for cornea, 1 for retina, 1 for occuloplastics, and 1 for neuro. We've matched fairly well for fellowships the past couple of years (check the downstate ophtho page for more information), and it seems like most people have 2-3 papers/case reports and a presentation or two under their belt by the time they graduate. Not the most, but not the least either. We've matched fairly well for retina the past couple of years, but as a student I've had a real hard time nailing down a retina project/case report and getting it off the ground, and I've spoken with some other people who've mirrored similar comments.

Grand rounds on thursday afternoons with a pretty decent lecture series actually. have heard Chairs from Vanderbilt, Colorado, and University of Washington come to speak as well as some other well established basic science and clinical researchers. Didactics normally follow this and last 1-3 additional hours. Two residents put together power point presentations on important cases each week and present to the group.

Residents at this point seem mostly positive about the program. I've run into maybe 1 or two who were having a long day and griping a little bit, but I think everyone really feels strongly about the clinical experience they're getting.

Biggest negative is probably the area the school itself is located in. East flatbush ain't pretty, can be a little dangeroius and there really isn't a lot to do if you live right close to the hospital. I've walked and biked around the area at night and I don't think its as violent as it used to be; most of the really nasty stuff is east of where we are in East New York and Brownsville. Still, exercising an element of caution at night is definitely recommended: travel in groups, mace up if you want it, etc. etc. I do have some female friends who have walked around the area at night at they will tend to get cat called, but haven't heard of anything beyond that. Most residents I've spoken with either live in some of the trendier Brooklyn Neighborhoods (Park slope, Dumbo, Red Hook), a couple commute in from Manhattan, and the super thrifty will live in South Central Brooklyn (Kensington, Midwood) where there isn't much to do, but its safe and cheap! Hopefully this helps....