VCU (MCV) vs. Stony Brook !!!

[powerincarnate]

I have other acceptances, but I'm am heavily leaning towards these two schools.

Assume equal price for both of them (roughly 28K Tuition with total cost at about 50K)

I live 1.5 hours from Stony Brook, close, but not that close. VCU is 6.5 hours away.

VCU is P/F, stony brook is changing to HP/P/F.

VCU will have new building my second year with new everything, but the actual curriculum won't change until the new building open and thus it is for the 2013 entering class. So both have a traditional 2 years academic year followed by 2 year clerkship years.

Stony Brook's clerkship years spent at some 4 or 5 academic and community hospitals. VCU's clerkship years is spent either at MCV hospital or INOVA fairfax hospital.

Overall Stony Brook is rank slightly ahead of VCU in research, VCU gets 67 million from NIH and Stony Brook gets 34 million.

Stony Brook did recently get a 100 million dollar grant from a family. It will be used for research, new buildings (not medical school but things like cancer centers and so forth). Stony Brook is also building what they called a world class recreation center.

Would live off campus for both, Stony Brook is very suburban with closest urban city being NYC which is 1 hour away. VCU is in Richmond which is a small city with lots of history and many more things to do and 1.5 hours away from DC.

With that said, due to the differences in types of locale, Stony Brook is a lot quieter and safer than living in VCU's richmond.

Stony Brook's class size is 124, VCU's is 200, maybe even 210 for this incoming class.

Both have comparable match rates, Step 1 scores. I do plan on going to a competitive field.


I tried to stay as neutral as possible while giving the facts, tell me what you guys think.

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[powerincarnate]

Well, it is down to the final week now. Called both today, but couldn't speak to any financial aid person.

 

[Nessy]

I love Richmond and MCV, and have no real insight into Stony Brook. MCV is very dedicated to providing an excellent learning environment, and their preparations for the USMLE 1 are out of this world. Richmond is a great city, lots to do. Yes, it has it's danger areas, so does any city, just got to be smart.

 

[powerincarnate]

Now that today I got my financial scholarship from VCU and it less than I thought. I can now say they won't be equal in price. As it stands, VCU will be about 9-10 thousand dollars more expensive than Stony Brook. Knowing this difference, what do you guys think??

 

[Balla4life3]

$10,000 more a year over four years is $40,000. That sounds like a lot of dough if they are both at similar levels. Do what you think is best.

 

[Balla4life3]

$40,000 after four years, isn't a small sum. Do what you think is best. But i would save the money considering that they are both very comparable.

 

[deleted103644]

Now that today I got my financial scholarship from VCU and it less than I thought. I can now say they won't be equal in price. As it stands, VCU will be about 9-10 thousand dollars more expensive than Stony Brook. Knowing this difference, what do you guys think??

Stony Brook is a good place and you have ties there. No brainer in my book considering it's also cheaper.

Only thing that would keep me away from Stony Brook is how suburban it is, but that sound like almost a plus for you.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

VCU is P/F, stony brook is changing to HP/P/F.

If you look at Charting Outcomes, MS1 and MS2 grades aren't very high on residency directors list of criteria. The only thing that a stratified grading scale will do is make it harder to get into AOA, which happens to be the only thing from MS1 or MS2 that they somewhat care about. Unless you have your heart set on a specialty that absolutely "requires" AOA, this shouldn't really be a detractor. And having P/F doesn't magically make it so that you work less, you still have to study and master the same material, there's just less pressure.

Stony Brook's clerkship years spent at some 4 or 5 academic and community hospitals.

Core clerkships are mainly done at either Stony Brook University Hospital or Winthrop Hospital. It used to be that Flushing Hospital, Northport VA, Nassau University Medical Center were also options for the core rotations, but they are phasing these out I believe.

Overall Stony Brook is rank slightly ahead of VCU in research, VCU gets 67 million from NIH and Stony Brook gets 34 million.

Unless you are going for MSTP or MD with research distinction, this shouldn't really be a factor.

Stony Brook did recently get a 100 million dollar grant from a family. It will be used for research, new buildings (not medical school but things like cancer centers and so forth). Stony Brook is also building what they called a world class recreation center.

None of this is particularly relevant.

Would live off campus for both, Stony Brook is very suburban with closest urban city being NYC which is 1 hour away. VCU is in Richmond which is a small city with lots of history and many more things to do and 1.5 hours away from DC.

It does NOT take 1 hour to get to NYC. Even without traffic, it takes at least 1 hr 20 min to get from SBUH to midtown by car. With even a little bit of traffic you are looking at hour and forty minutes or so. If you are traveling in the fringes of rush hour, Northern State clogs up around 105/106, and 495 from Queens to the city is a nightmare. Gets worse in rush hour, friday & weekend nights.

With that said, due to the differences in types of locale, Stony Brook is a lot quieter and safer than living in VCU's richmond.

True. Nice and quiet in stony.

Stony Brook's class size is 124,

It's annoying when you fight for clinical sites/rotation scheduling. And its annoying when everyone shows up to lecture because the halls can't accomodate this many people. But since most lectures at SBUH are not mandatory attendance, as early as mid- MS1 people start to fizzle out and this is no longer an issue lol.

Both have comparable match rates, Step 1 scores. I do plan on going to a competitive field.

Our average Step 1 scores fluctuate. co 2009 was around average. 2010 was above. 2011 was around 2009 IIRC. 2012 was high again.

I tried to stay as neutral as possible while giving the facts, tell me what you guys think.

Just wanted to add something to your breakdown. At Stony, there is an alarming trend that is supposedly occuring, and take this with a grain of salt as some of it IS stereotype.

For a number of years, one class's temperament was chill, and the next class was filled with gunner/cutthroats. And they switched on and off for some years, most likely due to the fact that each class has a say (via student interviewers) in the admissions of the class two years below them. For example, class of 2007 2009 and 2011 were reportedly chill. But then 2008, 2010, 2012 were all gunners. I was told recently that this infamous on and off again pattern in student temperament has ceased, and classes of 2013, 2014, 2015 are all hardcore gunners and it has been getting worse with each year.

Obviously it's impossible to say how one's class will turn out, but just something to keep in mind...

 

[powerincarnate]

I was busy at work today, so I couldn't even call either of them mid day. I did try VCU earlier in the day but no responses. Plus today is hooding ceremony so I imagine they were busy. With that said, I only have the weekend and monday to come up with the decision so anyone else want to chime in??

 

[freeski]

Stony Brook MS1 here, just wanted to make a few comments.

If you look at Charting Outcomes, MS1 and MS2 grades aren't very high on residency directors list of criteria. The only thing that a stratified grading scale will do is make it harder to get into AOA, which happens to be the only thing from MS1 or MS2 that they somewhat care about. Unless you have your heart set on a specialty that absolutely "requires" AOA, this shouldn't really be a detractor. And having P/F doesn't magically make it so that you work less, you still have to study and master the same material, there's just less pressure.

With regard to the grading system, the most important change that is being made is the elimination of the curve in 2nd year. Previously, 1st year had no curve, just set cutoffs while 2nd year was graded on a curve. Students complained that the curve made everyone less cooperative and more competitive. With the changes, both 1st and 2nd year will not be graded on a curve, and will either be H/P/F or P/F (I don't think that has been decided on yet). No matter what, you need to learn the material and you will work pretty hard, but I think the type of grading system at a school most affects intra-class dynamics. During first year I haven't felt "competitive" with my fellow students at all, and most people are very supportive of one another, share resources, teach each other, etc.

Core clerkships are mainly done at either Stony Brook University Hospital or Winthrop Hospital. It used to be that Flushing Hospital, Northport VA, Nassau University Medical Center were also options for the core rotations, but they are phasing these out I believe.

Yep, this is currently the case. About 40 students go to Winthrop and the rest of the class is at Stony Brook for core rotations.

Our average Step 1 scores fluctuate. co 2009 was around average. 2010 was above. 2011 was around 2009 IIRC. 2012 was high again.

I believe class of 2013 was the first class to benefit from a 2nd year curriculum that incorporated NBME exams into all systems-based courses. As a result, they had great Step 1 scores, something like 8 points above the national average. I can't predict anything, but seems like the rest of the classes are set up to perform well on Step 1.

Just wanted to add something to your breakdown. At Stony, there is an alarming trend that is supposedly occuring, and take this with a grain of salt as some of it IS stereotype.

For a number of years, one class's temperament was chill, and the next class was filled with gunner/cutthroats. And they switched on and off for some years, most likely due to the fact that each class has a say (via student interviewers) in the admissions of the class two years below them. For example, class of 2007 2009 and 2011 were reportedly chill. But then 2008, 2010, 2012 were all gunners. I was told recently that this infamous on and off again pattern in student temperament has ceased, and classes of 2013, 2014, 2015 are all hardcore gunners and it has been getting worse with each year.

Obviously it's impossible to say how one's class will turn out, but just something to keep in mind...

I can't speak to past classes, but I'm class of 2015 and I don't think we are hardcore gunners! 😳 In fact, our class has a reputation for being a "very chill" class. I have to say I really like my fellow classmates. I think we generally know how to have a good time. Yes, you do get some people who are more competitive than others, but hey, its med school.

Anyway, I don't know anything about VCU, but thought I would give a little extra insight into SB. At the end of the day, its all about where you fit in and where you feel comfortable, because we all learn the same junk, regardless of what school we go to. Personally, I'm quite happy, and I feel like I'm getting a very good education for the price. Good luck!