Hi
I am a first year. SUNY Downstate is a very unique place. If you enjoy Brooklyn then yes, SUNY Downstate is worth the hour it will take to fill out the secondary and whatever nominal or not so nominal fee you will have to pay (yeah I guess AAMC will be taking their cut too).
SUNY Downstate is a very unique place, from what I can tell. Its best known for the broad range of clinical exposure that its students gain. Students are said to gain a lot of hands-on expertise, and it should be also noted that they get this expertise serving a wide range of populations in a variety of hospitals in Brooklyn, and in other parts of the city. Don't take my word for it though -- I'm just a 1st year.
1st and second years follow a block system. Science curriculum is organized into blocks, then there is an ECM block (essentials of clinical medicine) which covers "touchy-feely," social science, psychological aspects of medicine as well as some extremely practical matters such as biostatistics. The ECM block lasts the entire year and runs in concert with the science blocks. It includes hands-on clinical work in the first year (taking vitals and social histories while working in a local doctor's office), reading, and discussions.
Science lectures are supplemented with histology labs, anatomy lab, and CBL (cased based learning, equivalent to PBL at other institutions).
Exams come every 2 weeks to a month or so (just estimating) Grades are honors/highpass/pass/fail. Student body is diverse and social, although there is a limited amount of "campus" feeling.
any questions PM me, but be patient because i'm studying my ass off. If this appeals to you at all just apply. You'll find out all you need to know in your interview. Be persistent if you apply. Sometimes the admin. needs a little reminder or 10.
NNY
