Comments from the Class of 2004

Binghamton University

STRENGTHS: By far, the greatest strength of my medical education is my clinical skills and knowledge. I feel comfortable and confident in approaching any patient in any situation.
LIKED BEST: I feel that the students are very supportive of each other. This made my time at Downstate Health Sciences University more enjoyable.

Brandeis University

STRENGTHS: Good clinical experience; responsibility, opportunity to practice skills.
LIKED BEST: Friendships formed and bonds formed with future colleagues.

STRENGTHS: Very good clinical experience. Good exposure to a variety of illnesses. Strong doctor-patient interactions. Great opportunity to choose different hospitals for rotations.
LIKED BEST: The basic science curriculum was average. Some educators were excellent though.

Clarkson University

STRENGTHS: The depth of knowledge of the staff and their willingness to help. The available resources both in people and literature.
LIKED BEST: The cost of medical school; the diversity of the community, the variety of medical challenges; the faculty; the location; and the exposure to various ethnic groups and diseases.

Clarkson University

STRENGTHS: The clinical experience was outstanding. Given significant amount of responsibility and autonomy for the care and management of patients. Enjoyed the diversity of patients and the wealth of knowledge gained from each patient.
LIKED BEST: The great friendships I established with my fellow students and colleagues. Having clinical exposure in first two years was a great asset to my education experiences.

Colgate University

STRENGTHS: The exposure to many excellent physicians in the first two years. To have clinical teaching at this level reinforces the basic sciences very well. Also, probably the greatest aspect is the clinical opportunities as a third and fourth year student. As a third year clerk I had the chance to do so much. Because you are given a great deal of responsibility you are one step ahead on the learning curve compared to the average medical student.
LIKED BEST: The diversity the school has to offer. I have never gotten the chance, because of where I grew up and where I went to school, to experience students from many different cultural backgrounds. This has been one of the best and favorite parts of my medical education thus far.

College of New Jersey

STRENGTHS: Being able to really participate in patient care.
LIKED BEST: Diverse medical experiences and student body.

Columbia University

STRENGTHS: Clinical training is unbeatable with the variety of patients and staff. The diversity of the faculty contributed to the broad range of experience almost as much as the diversity of the patients.
LIKED BEST: The economy of Downstate also forces us to become more resourceful and aware of what we do, why and for how much. I also appreciated greatly the degree of autonomy that is possible in the clinical years here.

STRENGTHS: Fellow students, clinical experience, leadership opportunities and phlebotomy skills.

STRENGTHS: Clinical experience at Kings County Hospital & excellent teaching during 3rd & 4th year.
LIKED BEST: The clinical rotation at Downstate Health Sciences University and the strong alumni support for students.

STRENGTHS: Plenty of hands on experience. Friendly and warm learning environment.
LIKED BEST: Faculty is very supportive and knowledgeable. Excellent medical training for my future medical career.

Cornell University

STRENGTHS: The clinical experiences at Kings County were by far the best part of my education. It is a privilege to work there and have the amount of responsibility for patients that we do.
LIKED BEST: Clinical rotations.

STRENGTHS: The diversity of the student population and the patients.

STRENGTHS: Practical experience in dealing with and treating patients.
LIKED BEST: Friends made and the bonds formed.

STRENGTHS: Clinical exposure. The location (I like to work with the patient population that comes to Downstate for care.) Also, experiencing the neighborhood. The Case Based Learning curriculum made learning very comprehensive.
LIKED BEST: The professional group, the competitive nature of most students that go here.

CUNY Brooklyn College

STRENGTHS: Variety of clinical exposure and strong attending physicians.
LIKED BEST: My noticeable maturation in medicine from 1st year to 4th year.

STRENGTHS: A lot of hands on experience during the 3rd & 4th years.
LIKED BEST: I feel that I am more comfortable with patients and procedures than a lot of my counterparts from other schools.

CUNY City College

STRENGTHS: A well-structured clinical rotation schedule; some committed preceptors and role models.
LIKED BEST: The friendships made.

STRENGTHS: Patient population, diversity, variety & stages of pathology I experienced on the wards, sensitivity to healthcare & un-insurance issues both locally & nationally.
LIKED BEST: Privilege of managing cases on the wards with faculty & residents who were eager to teach.

CUNY College of Staten Island

STRENGTHS: The education I have received has prepared me well for Step 1 and provided me with a strong foundation. The clinical experience (which is world renowned), I feel very prepared to pursue a career in the field of anesthesia.
LIKED BEST: The education- A sense of community among Downstate students. (I had the opportunity to witness this as orientation coordinator, RA of the dorms, etc.) I am very grateful to all faculty at SUNY Downstate for my experience.

CUNY Hunter College

STRENGTHS: The many choices of hospital during the clinical years.
LIKED BEST: Commitment to exposing students to clinical education early.

CUNY Herbert H. Lehman

STRENGTHS: Wide variety of clinical experiences. I am leaving Downstate with a sense of confidence in my skill and knowledge. I can manage a patient.
LIKED BEST: Downstate attracts very diverse students, many friends to learn from.

STRENGTHS: 3rd & 4th year clinical experience is very strong. Especially, the Kings County Hospital clinical training of students. The students are involved.
LIKED BEST: Faculty members are very helpful, always available, willing to teach, and advise as needed. 1st & 2nd year lectures, CBL are also very good.

CUNY Medgar Evers College

STRENGTHS: Patient interaction.
LIKED BEST: The opportunity to be directly involved in patient care and to have the opportunity to perform procedures on patients.

CUNY Queens College

STRENGTHS: Clinical experience, diverse student body.
LIKED BEST: Low pressure atmosphere and friendly faculty.

Emory University

STRENGTHS: Hands on experience and responsibility, autonomy.
LIKED BEST: The clinical years, hands on clinical experiences and the level of responsibility given. The cost of tuition.

Fordham University

STRENGTHS: Received hands on clinical experience starting 1st year. Professors were readily available for questions.
LIKED BEST: The diverse community I was able to serve during my clinical experience.

STRENGTHS: The organ based core curriculum was very helpful in learning the basic sciences in 1st & 2nd year. Essentials of Clinical Medicine was also very helpful in leading to clinical clerkship years.
LIKED BEST: The diversity of the people I worked with over the years. The faculty members were always ready to help.

George Washington

STRENGTHS: The clinical rotations allowed me to do as much as possible. I was allowed to interact with the patients, and was made to feel as part of the clinical team.
LIKED BEST: My classmates.

Harvey Mudd College

STRENGTHS: Hands on experience at Kings County. We have the opportunity to do a large number of procedures and to be involved in deciding patient management strategies.
LIKED BEST: The diversity of the student body, both ethnic and social.

Johns Hopkins University

STRENGTHS: The hands on clinical exposure on the various rotations.
LIKED BEST: The fact that, though challenging, I've been able to survive academically, and over the last year and a half, to excel. I feel confident right now.
LIKED BEST: Relations with my classmates made my time at Downstate enjoyable.

STRENGTHS: Availability of faculty, organ based system, the fact that so many people are willing to help.
LIKED BEST: Clinical experience is superb!

STRENGTHS: The wonderful clinical experiences. The teachers in the clinical years are outstanding and make learning medicine a wonderful experience.
LIKED BEST: The friendly people at Downstate are strong attribute of this institution.

STRENGTHS: My opportunity to focus on my public health pursuits.
LIKED BEST: Very simply, the opportunity to get involved in the community at large. Downstate Health Sciences University is the sole reason for my extracurricular accomplishments.

Queens College

STRENGTHS: The clinical teaching during the 3rd & 4th years. The faculty is excellent and as opposed to many other hospitals, we get a lot of hands on training.
LIKED BEST: Aside from its teaching, are the other students and the diversity of the school.

Rutgers College

STRENGTHS: Opportunity to develop clinical skills and affordable tuition.
LIKED BEST: I liked my classmates, I feel the admissions committee is successful in choosing students who are down to earth and are "team players".

Rutgers University

STRENGTHS: Clinical experiences, responsibility, clinical teaching.
LIKED BEST: Diversity of student body.

STRENGTHS: Histology, pathology, radiology, medical clerkship, emergency room, neurology.
LIKED BEST: Pathology at Kings County - students see and learn a lot. Classmates -the group supports each other and is very diverse.

St. John’s University

STRENGTHS: The location in the heart of inner city Brooklyn is vital towards the development and education advancement of young medical students.
LIKED BEST: Intellectual process of medicine. Medicine has allowed me to learn about many topics that are not even central to medicine.

STRENGTHS: A strong education without charging the student to the bone. A warm atmosphere where students care for one another.
LIKED BEST: Amazing clinical exposure throughout the years.

STRENGTHS: Diversity of patients and disease processes. Very down to earth people very helpful. Some of the best teachers I ever had. The autonomy one gets at the hospital on the ward. Great training in useful hospital activities. Location is very accessible.
LIKED BEST: The patient contact was better, from what I know about other schools. Going out and becoming an intern I'm not afraid to take on the work and interact with patients.

SUNY Albany

STRENGTHS: The new curriculum.
LIKED BEST: I liked working with quality mentors who enjoy their work and can give perspective to medical students.

STRENGTHS: The clinical clerkship years. The variety of clerkship affiliates sites, public, private, VA and outpatient clinical exposed us to many different clinical settings. I found the wide diversity of medical conditions to be challenging. The faculty and house staff are genuinely pleased to work with students and make them feel part of the team. I think as students we have a lot of responsibility for patient care, which I hope, will help us as house officers. I like the student diversity and patient diversity and would recommend the program to perspective students.
LIKED BEST: Meeting and working with the people in and involved with Downstate. I've made wonderful friends, especially through living in the dorms.

STRENGTHS: I did most of my clerkships at Kings County Hospital and found that experience to be very rewarding. I think working there forces you to be independent and resourceful. That should help when Downstate students become residents.
LIKED BEST: My favorite aspect was the diverse patient population.

STRENGTHS: The best thing about Downstate is the 3rd & 4th year hands on clinical experience that is not seen at any other medical school!
LIKED BEST: Also, the faculty here is so friendly and interacts with the students.

SUNY Binghamton

STRENGTHS: The opportunities (pathologies) during clerkships.

SUNY Buffalo

STRENGTHS: Kings County and the resource of having such diverse pathology.
LIKED BEST: I feel though that the first two years of pre-clinical courses to be adequate but not outstanding.

SUNY Stony Brook

STRENGTHS: Helpful staff, good teachers, exposure to medical problems.
LIKED BEST: Close to home, schedule, choice of electives and the exposure to the medical field.

STRENGTHS: Hands on experience.
LIKED BEST: Diversity of patients and illnesses. Helpful faculty."

Texas Christian University

STRENGTHS: The MS1 curriculum is extremely well done. The scope and sequence is logical, the lecture notes are for the most part, very well written. A great year.
LIKED BEST: I really like Downstate Health Sciences University "personality". This is a "scrappy" place, where lots of people care about. What they do; they work hard and are down to earth."

UC Berkeley

STRENGTHS: More hands-on experience during the rotations than most medical schools.

University of Chicago

STRENGTHS: The clinical training. They gave us ample clinical opportunities on the floors and it really helped solidify the didactics. The various clinical sites are also a great aspect of 3rd and 4th year.
LIKED BEST: The professors are all accessible and are great mentors to the students. I will cherish the friendships that were made and the great doctors I have worked with.

University of Michigan

Urban setting, a large public hospital, organ based curriculum, the price, and the reputation.

University of Pennsylvania

STRENGTHS: Extremely diverse and motivated classmates. Excellent clinical experience including a lot of patient contact. Great pathology & very appreciative patient population. Small group meetings with very experienced physicians. Excellent dean contact during residency application.
LIKED BEST: Kings County Emergency Room rotation 3rd year. Adolescent medical rotation 4th year. Neurology rotation.

STRENGTHS: Clinical Education - Having rotated through Kings County Hospital, I found that I was clinically more prepared than students from other schools. Staten Island University Hospital had great faculty who taught me so much. Some of the faculty at Downstate was extremely helpful in helping me to choose which specialty to pursue.
LIKED BEST: I really enjoyed my clinical rotations. Several of the faculty was truly excellent teachers and mentors/role models.

Wellesley College

STRENGTHS: Challenging courses & independent work.
LIKED BEST: Basic sciences extensive knowledge. Opportunity to do electives in various competitive hospitals in New York.

Wheaton College

STRENGTHS: Third & Fourth year. I loved my clerkships and all the exposure to clinical medicine. I saw a good variety of clinical problems and also enjoyed the international focus.
LIKED BEST: The good exposure to third world medicine issues and cases.

Williams

STRENGTHS: I think we had a solid education in the basic sciences 1st and 2nd years that prepared us fairly well for Step 1 and the wards. Good clinical preparation - students do a lot in the wards, and have a lot of responsibility.
LIKED BEST: The people I met here. I think there are certain professors who have been very influential in my experience here and really helped a lot to develop my career.

Yale University

I chose SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University for my MD because of its location, low cost, and reputation for both academic and research excellence.

Wesleyan University

STRENGTHS: The diverse patient population.
LIKED BEST: During our clinical years we are given a lot of responsibility (especially at Kings Country Hospital), which I think will prepare us for internships and residency. A lot of hands on experience at Kings County Hospital and the lower cost.