is it a bad idea to reject stony brook for downstate

[ochu]

I have no interest at all in doing research in medical school, and looking forward to getting the best clinical education possible.

But, that being said, I understand that stony brook has a higher rep among medical schools and can offer an easier time getting into a better post-grad program in the future

stony brook offers good clinical opportunities, but downstate is known for having some of the best clinical opportunities with its affiliated sites, and I am more drawn to attend ds because of that

both are state schools and are thus the most affordable and priced equally, and i dont care much about the locations of the schools (i am happy with both)

I am just wondering which one would be a better long term choice, and if it would be a bad idea to reject the higher ranked school (sb)

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[Desperad0oo7]

You're going to become a doctor, make your own decision. asking people to give you advice about something like this is pretty silly if you ask me.

congrats

 

[IMDoc607]

I have no interest at all in doing research in medical school, and looking forward to getting the best clinical education possible.

But, that being said, I understand that stony brook has a higher rep among medical schools and can offer an easier time getting into a better post-grad program in the future

stony brook offers good clinical opportunities, but downstate is known for having some of the best clinical opportunities with its affiliated sites, and I am more drawn to attend ds because of that

both are state schools and are thus the most affordable and priced equally, and i dont care much about the locations of the schools (i am happy with both)

I am just wondering which one would be a better long term choice, and if it would be a bad idea to reject the higher ranked school (sb)

If want to live in a bad area go to downstate. I have friends that went there and they weren't crazy about it but that was only 3 people.

I would go Stony

 

[iniquus]

Med school is med school. It's what you make of it.

Downstate had dingy facilities, but other than that, if you're worried about post-graduate success-- Downstate's match list is arguably better than Stony Brook's. If you want to do research, you'd be able to at Downstate as well. Downstate has such a great clinical education because of the diversity of Brooklyn, but again that doesn't mean Stony Brook doesn't have a diverse patient population.

It really comes down to whether or not you're comfortable with an urban or a suburban lifestyle. Stony Brook is the latter, Downstate is the former. The area is fine. Some people not from NYC freak out when they see certain neighborhoods, but once you become familiar with Flatbush and the area, it's not bad at all. You probably won't be living there anyway, most students rent apartments 10-15 minutes away by subway in "better" areas. I appreciate Downstate's location because you are so close to Manhattan, not that Brooklyn doesn't have it's own recreational activities. Stony Brook lacks a bit in that department. I'd head towards Stony Brook for basic science research.

There's a rumor that Downstate matches so well because of how well the students are trained. Downstate is in an "interesting" location, and as a student, you will see and do stuff--maybe earlier or to a greater extent than hospitals that are better staffed, in more wealthier areas. Directors appreciate that residents that graduate from Downstate hit the ground and running.

 

[ochu]

wait, so downstate matches better than stony ?? i thought it was the other way around

 

[iniquus]

Matches are entirely subjective. They vary year by year, depending on student interests. We'll know never know if it was a student's actual realistic first choice match, or even his dream first choice match.

It's more than the distribution across competitive specialties, you have to look at the institutions they matched to. Even then, a lot of personal circumstances go into where you want to match. You may turn down a top program for a mediocre program because it's close to family. A lot of students tend to match into their own school's hospitals. Downstate and Stony Brook both have good hospital systems, but no particular expertise in any specialties that going to one school may be a better idea (if you were interested in ophthalmology, going to UMiami would probably make the match to there a lot easier, but I digress).

I personally hear better things about Downstate's match list, but Stony Brook matches very strong as well (what US school doesn't?). Matching is so dependent on your individual performance. Going to a bigger name medical school greases the hinges a little on some doors, but your scores among other things are way more important. Downstate and Stony Brook have relatively equivalent medical reputations, Stony Brook just gets a small edge due to their undergraduate school's success--kind of like Tufts. if you go down south or further west, a majority of people will clump the SUNY schools together. If you're looking to match in the Northeast, I think Downstate and Stony will have equivalent names and are pretty well-known in the Northeast in the medical circle. Ranking is based heavily on NIH funding, especially for non-clinical research, so they should be irrelevant to you. And just like specialties, areas of research are more "famous" at certain schools. Downstate has some great memory research going on. Picking a school on a micro-scale, in my opinion, is the best way to go. Going to a huge top 20 research school that lacks funding or strength in a topic of your interest would be dumb. If you are more interested in academic medicine and research, then Stony Brook may be the better route. The more competitive specialties, like RadOnc, are heavy on the research. You'll be fine wherever you go, I think the decision should be based more on the urban/suburban dichotomy. You will need a car at Stony, not at all at Downstate.

Edit: "SUNY Downstate ranks ninth nationally in the number of alumni who are on the faculty of American medical schools. More physicians practicing in New York City have graduated from SUNY Downstate than from any other medical school." If matching to the city is what you want, then you can't go wrong with either school. It might even be easier to do away rotations at the top-notch hospitals in Manhattan.

 

[Hoya2009]

From experience:
Hospital food at Stony Brook is far superior to that at Downstate, even though Stony only carries Pepsi products.
I would go to Downstate in your shoes, since I'm tired of Stony Brook, and would like to see the crazy stuff that walks through Kingsborough.

 

[FIREitUP]

From experience:
Hospital food at Stony Brook is far superior to that at Downstate, even though Stony only carries Pepsi products.
I would go to Downstate in your shoes, since I'm tired of Stony Brook, and would like to see the crazy stuff that walks through Kingsborough.

Are you seriously recommend he base his decision on cafeteria food? OP, you're lucky to have to make such a decision. Personally, I don't know what I'd pick so good luck.

 

[235009]

Congratulations!

As Law2Doc keeps saying match lists mean nothing to an applicant so definitely don't base your decision on the interpretation of match lists made by some random premed on the internet.

Edit: "SUNY Downstate ranks ninth nationally in the number of alumni who are on the faculty of American medical schools. More physicians practicing in New York City have graduated from SUNY Downstate than from any other medical school." If matching to the city is what you want, then you can't go wrong with either school. It might even be easier to do away rotations at the top-notch hospitals in Manhattan.

this is in no way impressive since its the only state school in NYC and certainly doesn't mean that you'll have an easier time matching at those top-notch manhattan hospitals since. where people end up is mostly personal preference and should not be taken as a reflection on the school though there is a strong regional bias when it comes to residency matching (i.e. if you want to do residency in california it's probably best to go to a west coast school)

basically this decision will not impact where you end up matching ...if you want to do residency in NYC you can get there from either school and you'll be able to do away rotations at manhattan hospital if you are at either school. it is true that you can probably commute to said rotation if you go to downstate but will have to sublet a place if you go to stony brook but it would be absurd to base your decision on something you may or may not do for 1 or 2 months during 4th year.

i'm not going to bash downstate because that would be poor form but i have previously written my thoughts on the school. a few important points:
1. the facilities r extremely run down
2. the neighborhood is dreadful ...this coming from a native new yorker... it is not a safe neighborhood and you will probably be commuting but god forbid you're stuck there at night (which you will be)
3. i think the quality of training is overstated ...it seems to me like there just aren't enough doctors to teach you so you'll end up having to take on additional responsibilities that you might not be ready for with minimal guidance. again this was just my impression from what i heard during the interview.

if you want any specific advice about stony brook feel free to PM me

 

[chingster]

i'm not going to bash downstate because that would be poor form but i have previously written my thoughts on the school. a few important points:
1. the facilities r extremely run down
2. the neighborhood is dreadful ...this coming from a native new yorker... it is not a safe neighborhood and you will probably be commuting but god forbid you're stuck there at night (which you will be)
3. i think the quality of training is overstated ...it seems to me like there just aren't enough doctors to teach you so you'll end up having to take on additional responsibilities that you might not be ready for with minimal guidance. again this was just my impression from what i heard during the interview.

if you want any specific advice about stony brook feel free to PM me

I actually got taken off the alternate list from Downstate recently. I won't be going there because I got into a cheaper school. However, Downstate's neighborhood is safer than people make it out to be...keep your wits about you and you'll be fine. There are neighborhoods in all the boroughs with sporadic crime. In fact, in my life here in the city...I've only felt in danger in Jamaica, Queens and certain parts of the Bronx. The subway red/green line is very safe. It's so unfair, people always complain about Downstate's location-- no one's complaining about Yale's: http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2011/may/24/new-haven-fourth-most-dangerous-city-us-according-/

Downstate and Mt. Sinai are near housing projects and the perceived danger is higher, but schools do a lot of things to boost security-- including shuttles and escorts to the subway station. I think Downstate does a great deal of stuff to protect their students.

I loved Downstate's students...some of the most genuine and real students I met. Stony Brook students seemed more professional and serious...but that's just anecdotal and you can't judge a class by the inferred personality of a few students. Don't let location deter you... the fact that you're in New York City makes it a plus for me over most other schools.

I also wouldn't choose a school on its facilities either. Downstate doesn't catch your eye, but at the end of the day, great physicians are churned out of Downstate. When you're tired as hell, you won't really care about how nice the architecture or the walls are. Things just fade into the background.

I didn't really consider Stony Brook because I don't drive too much. Like the poster said above, the schools seem very equal in reputation and will put you in an NYC residency...I don't see you making a wrong decision. Your question wasn't a decision between Stony and Downstate, but if choosing Downstate over Stony was stupid. This leads me to believe that you were leaning to Downstate over Stony anyway. So, to answer the thread title, definitely not.

A girlfriend of mine and her boyfriend both attend Downstate, as well as a couple of my high school friends go there...all are very happy and satisfied.

 

[FIREitUP]

I actually got taken off the alternate list from Downstate recently. I won't be going there because I got into a cheaper school. However, Downstate's neighborhood is safer than people make it out to be...keep your wits about you and you'll be fine. There are neighborhoods in all the boroughs with sporadic crime. In fact, in my life here in the city...I've only felt in danger in Jamaica, Queens and certain parts of the Bronx. The subway red/green line is very safe. It's so unfair, people always complain about Downstate's location-- no one's complaining about Yale's: http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2011/may/24/new-haven-fourth-most-dangerous-city-us-according-/

Downstate and Mt. Sinai are near housing projects and the perceived danger is higher, but schools do a lot of things to boost security-- including shuttles and escorts to the subway station. I think Downstate does a great deal of stuff to protect their students.

I loved Downstate's students...some of the most genuine and real students I met. Stony Brook students seemed more professional and serious...but that's just anecdotal and you can't judge a class by the inferred personality of a few students. Don't let location deter you... the fact that you're in New York City makes it a plus for me over most other schools.

I also wouldn't choose a school on its facilities either. Downstate doesn't catch your eye, but at the end of the day, great physicians are churned out of Downstate. When you're tired as hell, you won't really care about how nice the architecture or the walls are. Things just fade into the background.

I didn't really consider Stony Brook because I don't drive too much. Like the poster said above, the schools seem very equal in reputation and will put you in an NYC residency...I don't see you making a wrong decision. Your question wasn't a decision between Stony and Downstate, but if choosing Downstate over Stony was stupid. This leads me to believe that you were leaning to Downstate over Stony anyway. So, to answer the thread title, definitely not.

A girlfriend of mine and her boyfriend both attend Downstate, as well as a couple of my high school friends go there...all are very happy and satisfied.

I agree with everything you stated, even the down-to-earthness of downstate students in comparison to stony brook students. Good post.

 

[Kfire326]

Downstate's Class of 2011 match list (from another thread):

Anesthesiology
CT Yale-New Haven Hosp-CT NEW HAVEN
IL U Illinois COM-Chicago CHICAGO
MA Brigham & Womens Hosp-MA Boston
MA Massachusetts Gen Hosp BOSTON
NJ St Barnabas Med Ctr-NJ LIVINGSTON
NJ UMDNJ-R W Johnson-Piscataway New Brunswick
NY Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Maimonides Med Ctr-NY BROOKLYN
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY NYU School of Medicine New York
NY Stony Brook Teach Hosps-NY STONY BROOK
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY ROCHESTER
TX U Texas Med Sch-Houston HOUSTON
VA University of Virginia CHARLOTTESVILLE

Child Neurology
NY U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY ROCHESTER

Dermatology
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN

Emergency Medicine
CT Yale-New Haven Hosp-CT NEW HAVEN
MA Brigham & Womens Hosp-MA Boston
NY Einstein/Jacobi Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Einstein/Jacobi Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Einstein/Jacobi Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Einstein/Jacobi Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Einstein/Jacobi Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Lincoln Medical Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Maimonides Med Ctr-NY BROOKLYN
NY NYU School of Medicine New York
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
PA Albert Einstein Med Ctr-PA PHILADELPHIA

Family Medicine
CT Middlesex Hospital-CT MIDDLETOWN
NC Duke Univ Med Ctr-NC DURHAM
NJ Overlook Hospital-NJ SUMMIT
NY U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY ROCHESTER
OR Oregon Health & Science Univ PORTLAND
OR Prov Milwaukie Hospital-OR MILWAUKIE
TX McLennan County Fam Med-TX WACO
VA University of Virginia CHARLOTTESVILLE

General Surgery
CT U Connecticut Health Ctr FARMINGTON
FL Jackson Memorial Hosp-FL MIAMI
MO Barnes-Jewish Hosp-MO ST LOUIS
NJ UMDNJ-New Jersey Med-Newark NEWARK
NY Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY ROCHESTER
TX Baylor U Med Ctr-Dallas-TX DALLAS

Internal Medicine
CA Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-CA LOS ANGELES
CA Cedars-Sinai Medical Center-CA LOS ANGELES
CA Harbor-UCLA Med Ctr-CA TORRANCE
CA Olive View-UCLA Med Ctr-CA Sylmar
CT Stamford Hospital-CT STAMFORD
IL U Illinois COM-Chicago CHICAGO
MA B I Deaconess Med Ctr-MA BOSTON
MA Massachusetts Gen Hosp BOSTON
MA Tufts Medical Center-MA BOSTON
MD U Maryland Med Ctr BALTIMORE
MI U Michigan Hosps-Ann Arbor ANN ARBOR
NJ UMDNJ-New Jersey Med-Newark NEWARK
NJ UMDNJ-R W Johnson-Piscataway New Brunswick
NY Einstein/Beth Israel Med Ctr-NY NEW YORK
NY Einstein/Beth Israel Med Ctr-NY NEW YORK
NY Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Lenox Hill Hospital-NY NEW YORK
NY Maimonides Med Ctr-NY BROOKLYN
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY NY Hosp Med Ctr Queens Flushing
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY NYU School of Medicine New York
NY St Lukes-Roosevelt-NY NEW YORK
NY St Lukes-Roosevelt-NY NEW YORK
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY ROCHESTER
NY Winthrop-Univ Hosp-NY MINEOLA
NY Winthrop-Univ Hosp-NY MINEOLA
NY Winthrop-Univ Hosp-NY MINEOLA
OH Cleveland Clinic Fdn-OH CLEVELAND
OH Cleveland Clinic Fdn-OH CLEVELAND
PA Drexel Univ COM-PA PHILADELPHIA
PA Drexel Univ COM-PA PHILADELPHIA
PA Hershey Med Ctr/Penn State-PA HERSHEY
PA Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA PHILADELPHIA

Medicine: Emergency Medicine
MD U Maryland Med Ctr BALTIMORE
MI Henry Ford HSC-MI DETROIT
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN

Medicine: Preliminary
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY Staten Island Univ Hosp-NY STATEN ISLAND
NY Staten Island Univ Hosp-NY STATEN ISLAND
CT U Connecticut Health Ctr FARMINGTON
CT Yale-New Haven Hosp-CT NEW HAVEN

Neurology
NY Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY New York
NY NYU School of Medicine New York
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN

Obstetrics/Gynecology CT
St Francis Hospital-CT HARTFORD
CT U Connecticut Health Ctr FARMINGTON
NY Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Mount Sinai Hospital-NY NEW YORK
NY Nassau Univ Med Ctr-NY EAST MEADOW
NY Nassau Univ Med Ctr-NY EAST MEADOW
NY North Shore U-Manhasset-NY MANHASSET
NY North Shore U-Manhasset-NY MANHASSET
NY Stony Brook Teach Hosps-NY STONY BROOK
NY Stony Brook Teach Hosps-NY STONY BROOK
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Upstate Med University SYRACUSE

Ophthalmology
NY NYMC - Jamaica Hospital-NY Jamaica
NY SUNY Downstate Brooklyn
NY SUNY Downstate Brooklyn
NY SUNY Downstate Brooklyn

Oral Surgery
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN

Orthopaedic Surgery
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
TX Brooke Army Medical Center-TX Fort Sam Houston

Otolaryngology
NY New York Eye and Ear Infirmary New York
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY U Rochester/Strong Mem-NY ROCHESTER

Pathology
NY NYU School of Medicine New York
NY NYU School of Medicine New York

Pediatrics
CA Childrens Hospital-Oakland-CA OAKLAND
CA UCLA Medical Center-CA LOS ANGELES
IL Rush University Med Ctr-IL Chicago
MA Childrens Hospital-Boston-MA BOSTON
MA Childrens Hospital-Boston-MA BOSTON
MA Childrens Hospital-Boston-MA BOSTON
MD Johns Hopkins Hosp-MD BALTIMORE
NY Einstein/Jacobi Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY Mount Sinai Hospital-NY NEW YORK
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY North Shore-LIJ Health Sys-NY Great Neck
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY NYU School of Medicine New York
NY NYU School of Medicine New York
NY Stony Brook Teach Hosps-NY STONY BROOK
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Upstate Med University SYRACUSE
NY SUNY Upstate Med University SYRACUSE
NY Westchester Med Ctr-NY VALHALLA
NY Westchester Med Ctr-NY VALHALLA
PA St Christophers Hosp-PA PHILADELPHIA

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
CA VA Greater LA Hlth Sys-CA Los Angeles
NY Mount Sinai Hospital-NY NEW YORK
NY Mount Sinai Hospital-NY NEW YORK
NY Mount Sinai Hospital-NY NEW YORK
PA Thomas Jefferson Univ-PA PHILADELPHIA

Psychiatry
FL U Florida COM-Shands Hosp GAINESVILLE
MA Harvard Longwood Psych-MA BOSTON
NY Einstein/Montefiore Med Ctr-NY BRONX
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY NYP Hosp-Weill Cornell Med Ctr-NY NEW YORK
TX U Texas Med Branch-Galveston GALVESTON

Radiation: Oncology
MA Tufts Medical Center-MA BOSTON

Radiology: Diagnostic
NJ UMDNJ-R W Johnson-Piscataway New Brunswick
NY Mount Sinai Hospital-NY NEW YORK
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ-NY NEW YORK
NY Stony Brook Teach Hosps-NY STONY BROOK
NY Stony Brook Teach Hosps-NY STONY BROOK
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN

Surgery: Preliminary
NY Einstein/Beth Israel Med Ctr-NY NEW YORK
NY SUNY Downstate Brooklyn
NY SUNY Downstate Brooklyn

Urology
CT Yale-New Haven Hosp-CT NEW HAVEN
NY Stony Brook Teach Hosps-NY STONY BROOK
NY SUNY Downstate BROOKLYN

Downstate's match list since the mid-90's is online here:
http://sls.downstate.edu/student_affairs/residency/placement.html

I'd argue that Downstate's match list has gotten significantly better in the last few years, but I'm also biased because I'm in the class of 2011.

Stony Brook's 2011 match list is here http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=805512&page=2

Sorry, couldn't copy & paste it.


A few grains of salt to be taken with these lists:

-More often than not, the quality of an institution cannot be extrapolated to ALL its residency training programs. X university may be a spectacular match for Emergency Medicine or Anesthesia, but not so good for Medicine, OB/GYN, and maybe even undesirable for Peds or Surgery. So at the pre-med level, and even up until you start applying and interviewing, there's really no way to know what places are good for what specialties. And even once you match, you'll only REALLY know about your own specialty... info about other specialties is just hearsay.

-Where people matched does not necessarily reflect the places they interviewed. There are people in my class (Downstate 2011) who interviewed at Mayo Clinic, Harvard, Columbia, etc - not just spitting out schools.. I know people who went here - and chose to rank other places higher for whatever reason - maybe they chose a different program to be closer to family, or maybe Mediocre-named University X has a phenomenal Radiology program despite it not being so well known. The same applies to Stony Brook, I'm sure.

-How to read match lists? Match lists are a reflection of what the students in that particular class wanted out of their interview choices. Sure lots of people would love the opportunity for UCSF, but without an interview, no can do. So you should figure if you put in the work and get the necessary Step 1/Step 2 scores, clerkship grades and letters, I may be able to go to CHOB if I want. Especially because the performance of graduates ahead of you matching at X university for your specialty of choice will factor in the decision of program directors to interview more students from their alma mater the next year.

 

[anbuitachi]

a residency spot interviewer once said to me that from her experience, downstate students interviewed tend to be more experienced than stonybrook students.

 

[FutureDr8429033]

It's a personal decision. I think most people will agree that the ranking difference between these schools will not have an impact on your residency options. It's all about individual effort.

Personally, I would choose downstate over SB in a heartbeat just due to location.

You'll need a car living on Long Island.....if that matters.

 

[Husbuss]

Very simply put for the original poster:
If you are not interested in research then the match should be the most important consideration. Downstate has matched it's graduates better over the past few years. If I was in your shoes, I would pick downstate for this reason (I'm not very interested in research either)

 

[QueenTut]

I don't think you could go wrong with either choice wrt education and future residency match, but other issues should be considered. I applied to Downstate, bcz I absolutely love Brooklyn and thought it would be great to live and attend school there. After some thought, I changed my mind because:

1) I think I love visiting Brooklyn more than anything;

2) I'm used to a pretty decent standard of living for a reasonable price. It's very important that my living space be critter-free and somewhat quiet, especially if I'm living an otherwise stressful lifestyle. If you're already used to NYC living standards, then I guess this won't be an issue;

3) I tend to be easily distracted. My friends who live in Brooklyn are musicians and are ridiculously fun to be around. It would be too tempting to blow off school work and blaze it up on the roof of some building (although I don't smoke);

4) I think living in NY at my age would be much more fun if I had cash.

I think it would be helpful to determine which lifestyle would be a better fit, but as someone else mentioned, it seems that you are already leaning toward Downstate. In that case, I would just suggest that you trust yourself . You did, after all, make some pretty good life decisions that have led your two med school acceptances! Congratulations, btw