Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 38% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did okay.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools revolve around the applicant's research experiences, leadership roles, motivations for pursuing medicine, study habits, challenges faced, clinical experiences, and personal interests or hobbies. Additionally, respondents undergoing Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI) format interviews may have been subject to nondisclosure agreements, as indicated by references to "nondisclosure" or "non-disclosure."
What I learned from research experiences and how that can be transferred into my future education/practices ish
Downstate has a book of questions that everyone gets asked. Among them are some very generic questions like: How do you study now? How did you study in college? How did you Study for the MCAT?
One good thing about you? Explain a stressful situation. What do you do for fun? Asked stuff about extracurricular activities. Asked about what I thought about healthcare reform. The rest was just conversational.
Some trick question about being a doctor and being told by a nurse to not go through with a life-saving procedure. The answer was that the nurse wouldn't have said it in the first place.
She spent a great deal of time clarifying my timeline of education, activites, work experience, etc...all of which can be seen on my AMCAS...rather than asking questions of substance. Enjoyed the tour and student input, but the interview was the strangest I've ever had.
Tell me about a time when you looked up something scientific for your own knowledge. Don't just tell me ''I looked this up one time.'' Tell me what happened that made you look it up, and tell me what you learned, using scientific terms. It does not have to be health- or biology- related.
My interviewer asked specific questions about anything he found interesting. From a random class I took in college that I practically forgot about to specific questions about my research.
Please expound on one of your extracuriculars describing your level of involvent, leadership etc.
Others I remember:
Why downstate? How do you study (big chunks or spread out)? Do you know what specialty you are interested in? Nothing regarding ethics or anything out of left field.
He had a very very long and thorough list of questions that he had to ask. He recorded my answers very thoroughly...
Describe your research in as much/little detail as you like. Don't go for a lot of minute details since that's boring, but DO talk a lot about your research and show enthusiasm.
My interviewer asked what school's I applied to and where I'd interviewed, I answered honestly and he told me he knew I'd get in to them and asked me why I would want to go to SUNY-Downstate instead.
Do you go to a musuem? Do you play musical instruemnts? Tell me about your research and community service. What do your friends do? (not at once, but there was a lot of questions for a 35 min interview, and only a handful of them were answered well by me.)
How do you study? How did you study for the MCATs? ***Apparently this question is asked in nearly every interview (this is what two Downstate first years told me).
you realize that orthopedic surgery will require high grades and high board scores (said with a condescending tone as if he thought i wouldnt be able to)
Why medicine? Why not piano? Why don’t you teach physics since you’re so good at it?
I see you were involved in many things during college (work, volunteering specifics, lived at home (distractions)etc..) when did you have leisure time? What did you do?
Other questions were specific to my AMCAS file, including volunteer experiences and issues discussed in my personal statement (why medicine, who I am as a person and what my goals/life has been like).
Really detailed facts about school, like what was invented in the school, any specific doctors, and other trivial questions that most people don't give a damn about.
I love this one...
Interviewer: I noticed you got a lot of B's sophomore year, I assume the engineering courses you took are rigorous?
Me: Yes, but in all honesty I should have worked harder.
Interviewer: Well I'd imagine that your course load was very difficult at the time.
Tell me about your teaching for PRILA coming up this winter. (I am going to Fuyang city in Hangzhou province of China from December to April to teach English to kindergarteners).
Just get to know you questions like how do you study, how did you prepare for your mcats, some application questions about my grades, community work, volunteer work, etc.
Are you more interested in medicine or surgery? Clinical or research? Why not MD/PhD? How can your learning/memory research be applied to clinical medicine? Do you think the gap in our understanding of L/M is narrowing? What about stem cell research?
10 standard interview questions: Research experience? MCAT preparation? Studying habits? Hobbies? Why Medicine? When did you decide Medicine? Why Downstate? What are you doing now? Where do you see yourself in 10-15 years? How did you like [undergraduate institution]?
Tell me about all of the activities that you did in high school and undergraduate and how they relate to the medical profession. Be able to answer about your transition to college and working experience besides medically related.
I think the first thing on the form is they ask you to explain any poor grades - so don't be shocked if they ask you about your one C+ - it seems like just an opportunity to give an explanation if you have one.
Why Downstate? What do you know about Downstate? - they really seem to like that they had a nobel prize winner in '98, so read about it on their site and tell them that it impressed you and talk about it.
All of the questions my interviewer asked of me were either said in a very angry tone or were very crazy. I know that sounds hard to believe but read the other horror stories about this school above and you will see what I mean.
Did you work while attending school?
Tell me about your research experience.
What happened in that class? (I got one C+ and all A's... and he asked me about the C+!)
How did you prepare for your MCATs?
Why do you want to go Downstate? What type of medicine interests you?
Are you really sure that you want to go into medicine?
Tell me about a difficult situation and how you handled it? What do you get stressed out by?
How do you relieve stress?
Where have you volunteered? Why? What did you get out of it?
Why did you choose to go to the undergrad you went to?
How do you study (where, how much, when)?
What do you do for fun? What do you like to do in your spare time? What are your hobbies?
Students said most interesting question asked at SUNY - Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine (Brooklyn) discussed a wide range of topics from personal stress management strategies to experiences that shaped their interest in medicine. While some respondents mentioned standard questions about academics and career goals, several referred to an MMI format with nondisclosure agreements, indicating a potential focus on scenario-based or ethical dilemmas during the interviews.
Describe a time when you experienced a lot of stress; how did you deal with it, and did anyone/anything help?
You are treating a patient as a successful and competent doctor and a nurse on your team says that they disagree with your treatment plan , what would you do?
If you were in the ER as an attending physician, and a patient came in with a life-or-death situation that you knew exactly how to deal with, but the resident nurse told you that she thought what you were about to do wasn't right, what would you do?
None. The interview seemed completely uninterested from the moment I walked in. Like it was an annoying interference to have to conduct an interview. She asked simple, textbook questions. No follow-ups. Like she had a list to ask and didn't really seem too interested in my response. We were told the interviews would last 45 minutes to an hour and mine only last 20-25 minutes. And she didn't even give me the opportunity to ask any questions. And she was suppose to show me how to get back to the admissions office, but just gave me so short, not so helpful directions so that I wandered around the hospital for awhile before finding my way back.
I was interviewed by a neuroscientist and I have done research in neurology so I was asked a lot of specific questions about my research. I think Downstate tries to match people with the interviewer so make sure you are very knowledgeable about everything you claim to be knowledgeable about!
Most questions were straight off of the infamous ''Question sheet''. We got off topic and spoke about the recent Yankees demise and the overabundance of iPods in America.
She asked me how I studied (I guess she meant what study techniques I use) and how I studied for the MCAT. This wasn't overly interesting, but then again there weren't too many questions and they were all very standard.
My interviewer didn't hit me with anything out of the ordinary. Where did I see myself in 10 years? What type of medical work did I want to get into . . .
What is the one difference btwn. Mexico and India?(according to him Mexico is not a religious country while india has a lot of faith) Name the top 5 religions.
Tell me about the research you are involved in. What is the main question? What mechanisim are you using to obtain data? What have you learned and how is it relevant to clinical medicine.
No real questions, mainly it was just conversational. My interviewer recited parts of my file from memory. They apparantly hand pick your interviewer based on your application and your interests. So my interviewer and I had TONS to talk about and lots in common. He was soooooo nice and made the whole interview very comfortable. He had gone to undergrad there as well as now being on faculty, so it was nice to hear about the school from here.
I saw in your recommendations that your teachers describe you as a quiet person, but that's not the impression I'm getting here. How can you explain that?
Very detailed questions about my application, I was surprised. Not only had my interviewer read my application, but they were able to recite parts from memory.
What is the normal body temperature? Yea I messed this one up. I said 97.8 for some reason and had to correct my mistake when the guy gave me a weird look. Blah!
Nothing much, My interviewer was extremely nice and laid back. He seemed overall impressed with my listed activities, work experience, and recommendation letters. His questions pertained to the file mostly.
he followed a standard list of questions, and had me go more in depth. What are your strengths and weaknesses was asked, which can be tricky. Also "what else would you like the admissions staff to know" is how it ended, so be prepared to say something good about yourself :)
Is it important to know a patient's religion? If a patient doesn't want to do something due to their religion, but its in their best interest (health-wise), what do you do?
None really, it was mostly a conversation. My interviewer spent most of the time telling me about her field of work and about the new school curriculum. She was more informative than interrogative.
The interviewer pretty much told me I got in. As long as you get at least a "9" on each section (minimal score of 27), you are going to get accepted. However, he told me many students reject their offer because of the location so he bluntly told me if I would be comfortable living in the area and I told him I'm from Queens so it was ok.
My interview went nearly 2 hours and was very closely focused on my file. So all questions pertained to my past experiences. I guess the most interesting question was how I responded living in NYC on 9/11.
Nothing in particular. The session flowed well and the interviewer aimed to get to know me as a person. He asked few structured questions, even remarking that one was "stupid".
All of them. This was the most thorough interview that I have had to date. We spent two hours (!) going through my file. I am a post baccalaureate student and my interviewer had studied my experiences in depth. We had much to chat through.
The questions all came from a list he had in front of him. They could all have been answered by a quick glance at my application, which the interviewer had not read. More than a few were redundant. Some were really asinine, like 'How did you prepare for the MCAT? Self-study or prep course?' Does that really matter?
none, the questions were all from a standard list and my interviewer did not even show the coutesy of l;etting me respond before blasting me with the next question in an accusatory tone
I was not asked any interesting questions. My interviewer was concerned about going through his list. He was bold enough to tell me just that at the start of our interview He did not wait for me to finish most of my responses. hewas also needlessly provocative, rude, and confrontational without reason.
Nothing in particular - the questions were pretty by-the-book. My interviewer was interested in my previous career and how I decided to get into medicine, wanted to hear about why I was making this huge change.
Most of the questions were typical interview questions, such as why a physician? is your family supportive? waht happened in that class? no question really sticks out right now, they were all common.
I wasn't asked anything interesting or difficult, the entire interview was the interviewer asking me detailed questions about my research and volunteer experiences.
My interviewer had gone over my application with a fine -toothed comb. She asked me about specific grades, specific words used to describe my activities, dates, etc. Very nit-picky, very annoying. Be careful!
My interviewer really wanted to know is I felt truly prepared to handle all the challenges and stresses of life in med school. I felt that I answered all of his questions confidently.
Students said most difficult question asked at SUNY - Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine (Brooklyn) discussed various topics such as personal statements, MCAT performance, GPA trends, clinical experience, research experience, reasons for pursuing medicine, dealing with stress, and why they chose Downstate specifically. Some respondents mentioned specific questions related to their application details, ethical dilemmas, or specialty preferences, while others highlighted the conversational nature of the interviews.
Give a conclusive statement about myself, like who I am, why SUNY downstate, what I will bring to the school.
Anything in your application you think would be a concern to us (i.e. grades, extracurriculars, misdemeanors, etc.)? (Didn't have anything major, wasn't sure if an answer was expected or not)
"Tell me about your research experience." The doctor who interviewed me happened to be a specialist in the topic of my research so there were many follow up questions that became challenging for me to answer without fumbling. However, I think she was asking out of curiosity as opposed to testing my knowledge.
Do you think your verbal section score accurately reflects your critical thinking analysis? More follow up questions about this (I had a low verbal section).
Explain your undergraduate grades.
In addition to the standard questions that everyone gets asked, each interviewer has a few questions from the committee that are specific to your file.
What proteins are involved in pulling cholesterols from the gut? (Supposedly related to my cholesterol study except it was completely unrelated to my research)
You are on-call at 2 AM and walking on a floor you were unfamiliar with when you pass an open room. You see a patient who appears to be unconscious. Upon closer inspection, you determine that the patient is in cardiac arrest. What do you do?
I specialize in minimally invasive surgery. I've worked at Downstate for two years and have interviewed students for a year...What's your story? It was the very first question, and it just seemed a bit abrupt.
What were you like in high school? First question I was asked, wasn't expecting it and totally threw me off. I couldn't even remember what I was like in high school and babbled through the first awkward minutes of the interview.
What thing exactly made you want to change your career to become a physician? (this is not actually a difficult question, but it was the most difficult one asked)
What is the country with the largest English speaking population?(according to him India) What industry only uses English?(According to him the airline industry)
Usually interviews last an hour, but we're 20 minutes short. Do you know why that is? He told me that I didn't seem talkative which made my face fall bc I thought I had been doing pretty well. Whatever, I got in, so don't worry if you get an old senile man who can't hear anything you're saying.
Just that he kept saying what else, what else? It was hard having to keep coming up with things I didn't already know about the school, happy I did though because I learned a lot more than I thought I would.
Do you know anything about the new therapeutic cancer drugs? I had no idea, he asked after i told him I was interested in Oncology, so it looked pretty bad cuz I wasnt caught up with treatments.
The admissions office generates a list of 3-10 questions specific to each interviewee. My interviewer was like "The admissions office wants me to ask about x,y,z."
Questions about my lower grades (C's alongside A's in advanced science courses) and about my MCAT score - my interviewer simply said "let's talk about your MCAT" and then waited for my response.
questions about my non-traditional status. he seemed to think that the field i left behind was better than medicine. when i told him that i didn't think so and explained why, he wasn't happy with my explanation and pressed me further.
If you got accepted to Downstate and the medical school of your university (I went to an Ivy League school), you would pick the later over the former, right? So it was basically, are you concerned about the name of the school where you go to and convince the interviewer that I truly wanted to attend Downstate, which I did.
How does philiospohy relate to medicine? (Just a really broad question to try to answer.)
...and TRIVIA: What is the one industry where only one language is officially spoken and why? Name the world's religions (he's looking for a lot!). Why do we speak english in the US? Again, he's looking for something really specific.
There wasn't one. However, this doesn't mean that things are a breeze. You should really know yourself and be able to explain your committment to medicine/ Downstate.
Strangely, the interviewer started to tell me that if I get accepted to Downstate and a school with a big name such as NYU or Cornell, I'll probably end up there. I guess he was testing me on the dedication to this school but it was strange.
What do you know about SUNY Downstate? (I don't know why, but i totally blanked on this one even though i had done my research about the school...go figure.)
None of the questions were very hard. My interviewer just asked questions to clarify what was written in my application and about my reasons for wanting to attend medical school at Downstate.
I did not have much shadowing experience, and therefore the interviewer wanted to know why I was so sure that I wouldn't turn away from the first unpleasant sight I see as a medical student or physician.
There were no difficult questions, but the interview was still painful because it was so tedious going over the things I'd done item by item as the interviewer wrote them down on his legal pad. What was the point? It was all right there on my application! He also cut me off if I started to explain in detail what I'd done, as he was only interested in dates and general descriptions. All in all a total waste of an hour.
What are you going to do if you don't get into medical school this year? It was difficult to answer because I had already been accepted to another medical school so I wasn't quite sure how to respond.
all of the questions were asked in a manner that made me think the interviewer was annoyed that he had to be there and that he did not think much of the present application pool.
The most difficult part of this interview was dealing with my interviewer who had a major personality problem. Also he was a coordinator of a major rotation. Two of the other people who interviewed with me said that they were stunned by the rudeness of their interviewers
Why would you want to go into medicine if your parents are ----- . My interviewer was so incredibly offensive. If these are the people getting to do the admission's interviews, I have serious concerns about their other faculty. My interviewer was very abrasive, nasty, and mean spirited
What happened junior year? (I had taken a semester off, and this was meant to be the "difficult situation" question, but because of the way he asked it I started talking about what happened to me personally, and that's not what he wanted.)
Nothing so much. They have a form that all interviewers get and my interviewer basically stuck to the form so I had seen most of the questions posted on this site.
This place gives horrible interviews. They have the most emotionally disturbed faculty I met at any of the med school interviews I encountered. Since I work in psychiatry they paired me with a psychiatrist who was openly anti-gay, classist and just a general a.....e. For instance he asked me why since my mother worked ina bank and my father was a teacher would I want to go to medical school? This was not asked in an open honest way; the tone was derisive.
it was hard to explain the grades, and what experiences perpetuated your desire to become a physician. I was not expecting that; in my opinion, i thought that the question that asked your reason for becoming a doctor was suffice enough.
Only one real hard interview, with the director he asked me a lot about research and asked me some reasonable questions that i was unfortunatly unprepared to asnwer.
My interviewer first asked me what I would do if I didn't get into medical school this year, and then he asked me why I didn't apply to dental or osteopathic school, because he had applied to osteopathic school. I think he was trying to see if I would break down or get all nervous and what not.
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing their applications, reading SDN interview feedback, and browsing the school's website. Additionally, mock interviews, practicing common questions, and staying updated on current healthcare issues were common strategies used to prepare for the interview.
Copy and pasted SDN questions into a document, answered them on my own and reviewed the general topics I wanted to discuss. Went over the SUNY Downstate curriculum on their website. Also went over both my primary and secondary applications.
Prepared to answer the "tell me about yourself", "strengths an weaknesses" question, "why medicine",etc. although these questions were not asked explicitly.
Used the SDN interview feedback to compile questions, then had a mock interview with a friend. This was after reviewing my application and the Downstate website.
Lots of personal reflection (write about myself, talk to myself, re-read AMCAS), talked to present and former students, mock interview with friends, read website....As you can tell, I was nervous and it was my first interview!
It was my first open file interview, so I poured over my applications and my research, which I didn't need to do because it was so laid back and conversational.
SDN, AMCAS, secondary app, SUNY Downstate website, tried reading newspapers and magazines about current health issues but i found out, i didn't really need to
Read through SDN. Also, I made sure that I was very clear on everything I presented in my application and how it applied to me. You have to really "know yourself" in order for an interview to go well, in my opinion.
This website, AMCAS (primary) application, SUNY (secondary) application, the Downstate website. Got 8 hours of sleep the night before and had a bagel for breakfast. (Bring water to the interview lest you be taken by severe cotton mouth!)
This web site is the best resource on the planet! I also did a practice interview at Career Services, read my file, read chapters on interviewing... by the way all that is overpreparedness... just read this site and your set.
Read over my AMCAS, read interview sections in 2 med school prep books I have (Barrons and Kaplan), read the school's website (which was partly down and painfully slow) and read this site, which was by far the most helpful.
I looked over my applications and the school website like everyone else, I prayed to the lord to help me speak the king james's english, because i tend to use slang, fortunately, i did'nt happen
Applicants were most impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at the school, where both staff and students were approachable and enthusiastic. The emphasis on early clinical exposure, diverse patient population, supportive community, and facilities such as the anatomy labs and study spaces were commonly highlighted as positive aspects of the school. Additionally, the affordability of in-state tuition, the collaborative and low-stress environment, and the dedication to serving underserved communities were also key factors that left a positive impression on the applicants.
The interviewer is no doubt one of the best interviewer I had. I was able to comfortable express myself and he always offered unsolicited advices in terms of what he expects to hear from me.
The staff and interviewer made me feel very relaxed and therefore, I was able to be myself and answer questions with complete confidence and honesty. The student-led tour/lunch was impressive. I had a great time talking with the students. They seemed to be very happy with their decision to attend SUNY. Also the picture prompt was pretty fun.
How friendly my interviewer was, how much time he took to get to know me, how well he knew my application, how much time he took to answer my questions
The amount of clinical exposure you get from the start, how much the students I met loved the school, and the friendliness of everyone I met. Plus my interviewer really knew my application.
Everything. Mainly the newly renovated anatomy lab, and the fact that they have mock anatomy lab practicals that are essentially harder than the real thing. Great prep!
Students are very friendly, the staff is very friendly. They have a great student run clinic and serve a very diverse population. In state tuition is significantly cheaper and they have a 4 year MD/MPH program.
The anatomy lab is brand new. The students are very down to earth and seem happy to be there. Pass/Fail grading system promotes a sense of camaraderie among the class.
Students were very enthusiastic about the school. The anatomy labs were renovated very recently. Each student is given a desk and computer with a locked drawer as a space to study in the main building. This is in addition to being able to use the library to study.
Anatomy labs, friendliness of students and people there, the student center being right across the street and having everything there (basketball courts, squash and racquetball courts, pool, gym, etc)
The student tour guides were incredibly enthusiastic about the school, everyone highlighted the clinical training as a strength of Downstate's program.
I like the clinical experience available and it would be nice living in Brooklyn. Even though the surrounding neighborhood isn't my first choice, you could definitely commute from trendy nearby areas if you wanted.
How laid back all the students were! They seem like normal people and seemed really invested in their classmates! Also this is one of the most diverse student bodies in the country! Faculty is really into working with students and is also really diverse
umm.... they have a pool and you get a desk you can study at in some window-less room. new anatomy lab. my interviewer was nice. school is close to the subway.
Student tour was very well done, the school seems to be a very hands-on-experience driven institution. The student body seems to be happy and tight-knit.
The admissions staff and tour guides were really happy to see us and seemed to really love the school. Everyone just seemed really happy and they emphasized the helpful environment. The anatomy labs are really nice and new (plasma tvs and HD cameras for displays) and the learning environment is well designed. Everyone gets their own desk with drawers
Supportive environment and the extensive clinical experience. Students are well respected and the faculty is really committed to providing the best education possible. Good opportunities to get involved in clinical research! My interviewer was very friendly and really tried to make me feel comfortable.
anatomy labs, friendliness of staff and student, have student housing, clinical opportunities, focus on community service, curriculum, transcription services & podcasts
How enthuiastic the tour guides and my interviewer were about downstate. My interviewer took time to sell me the good points about downstate and the interview was mostly conversational
good clinical training. you'll see a lot of different things at kings county hospital
the dorm is right across the school and it has a nice gym in the basement w/swimming pool
The interviewer. I truly felt that she was the nicest and most open person to talk to of many interviews I've had from past work and school related interviews. My strong feelings towards the school was largely affected by my experience with her. She was extremely content about her career as an ER physician and was very encouraging.
How much clinical experience you get, the proximity of everything to the dorms, how friendly the admissions staff was (they personally escort you to where you need to go)
how happy the students seemed to be with how the curriculum is set up, the free clinic that's opening in fall 2008 that will be entirely student run, and first year students are allowed to work it
The students are laid back and seem pretty content. Everyone kept raving about how the clinical preparation there is great because they get to do so much as med students.
My interviewer was very down-to-earth, very honest, and very helpful. At the end he even gave me some pointers for future interviews- criticism that he did not write down in my file.
The friendliness of the staff, the amount of clinical exposure that the students get early on. There is a free shuttle to nearby subway stops during late hours from the medical center. I was also pleased to hear they have a free transcription service for lectures, and lectures are also PodCast (though not videotaped, yet)
Have this quasi-MPH course ''the essentials of clinical medicine'', Schoolhas own dorms on campus, right across the street from Kings county hospital, students do a lot of PBL courses, lectures are podcasted
The emphasis on getting students to actively participate in clinical, patient work early on, as well as the systems-based curriculum. Exams are given after each subject block as opposed to a midterm and a final encompassing many subjects and organ systems.
The enthusiasm of the students. The tour guides lauded their experience, although being honest about their work loads. Also, the diversity of both the student body and the surrounding neighborhood is amazing.
It was actually nicer than I'd expected. I'd been to the area before and knew the buildings were older and had the impression that it wouldn't be a very comfortable place to practice medicine. The facilities were definitely old, but not horrible. The students were very enthusiastic and really seemed to love it there. I liked that there was housing facilities right next to the school, with a student center, including gym, pool, and a ton of activities. It seems like they are really focused on giving students a ton of extracurricular activity options to help relieve stress. There are also ''mini-classes'' that you can register for,held after regular classes, such as dancing, photography, yoga, etc. There also seems to be a lot of community outreach and clinical experience, and they are opening a student run clinic next year. Also great international opportunities.
Students were really nice, staff was very friendly, anatomy labs are not huge open floors, but smaller rooms with ~6 bodies per room. 2nd years tutor first years.
the building maybe a little crummy in comparrision to other schools, but the experience you get from working at Kings county hospital, will prepare you more than any other med student graduate. student's loved the school, the experience, and the reputation of graduating with having some stuff under your belt
The early clinical experience is key for me. I was truly impressed by how much background knowledge my interviewer had about me. This was the first interview I'd been to where my interviewer had such indepth knowledge about both my AMCAS and secondary applications and had meaningful questions to ask about my experiences. I was also impressed by the student center and the library. The guides were excited and had lots of positive things to say.
The student guides were really enthusiastic and chilled out. One of them kept saying ''let's do it!'' referring to the next part of the tour. The intwerview itself is designed to be low stress.
The quality of the study carrels and the student center I must say were pretty decent looking. I suppose I pictured the absolute worst but I was pleasantly surprised. Also, students are well-trained for residencies because of the great experience they get during their clinical years.
The school seems to have everything you would need for a good education. Administration seems cooperative and flexible. Residency placements are excellent. Top-notch trauma center. Affiliation with Kings County Hospital and various others throughout NYC. Students raved about amazing clinical exposure, which is possible in the first year, and later on students said they basically managed their own patients. Libary was supposedly very good.
Organized. Our group of interviewee's were told exactly where to go and what to expect next before and after interview. I was brought back to office by my interviewer.
The tour guides were extremly excited about the school and the depth of clinical exposure. Apparently Downstate has a very relaxed enviornment. It's all about fostering learning and working cohesively with your peers.
I love that they have the county hospital pretty much as part of the school. That is incredibly convenient. I also thought that both the students we met and the other people I interviewed with seemed like very bright, accomplished people. Also the residency placement record is pretty good.
The immense size of the facility. The school and its affiliated hospitals etc took up a few city blocks. Diversity of not only student body and patients, but of the area itself. Im taking about food. THey had a "roti" stand outside next to a hot dog vendor. You cant get more NY than that.
The school, despite its poor facilities and location, really prepares its students well for the world of medicine. The clinical experience is supposedly superb, the patient population is so diverse that you will see everything and anything, and you will actually be active in treating patients.
The students. They all seemed very close, enthusiastic and helpful. They had a "cooperate to graduate" attitude. So did the other interviewees that were there, now that I think about it. I liked that there was an air of cooperative learning rather than competition. I was a big fan of the amount of experience and exposure even 1st year students got to patient care. I didn't get to see the inside but the new hospital was really nice. Brand new! Finally I was a big fan of how compact the campus was.
My interviewer was so wonderful to talk to and spoke very highly of the students and faculty. We had a really great conversation and I felt completely at ease.
I liked the location, 20 minutes from lower manhatten, short walk to the train, IT IS NOT IN THAT BAD OF A NEIGHBORHOOD. Come on people, it's Brooklyn. And the neighborhood is a plus because you have such an amazing patient population and the opportunity to work in an underserved area as opposed to practicing boutique medicine in Manhatten (though this is still an option as they have associations with medical school's there). Student's were enthusiastic, facilities were nice just old because the medical school itself is old. Lots of interesting research happening at this school. It was at the top of my list when I went and the interview day really solidified that for me.
The hosptial being in the same building as the school, with another one right across the street. Also there are many hospitals all around the NY area that you can do your clinical work in.
the students' honest impressions of the school; the upperclassmen serve as a really useful support system for the 1st/2nd years; the school really wants to provide its students with the best opportunities possible (including research, study abroad)
The students and faculty that i met were WONDERFUL. The first years seemed very happy and so laid back. Literally TWENTY hospitals to do your 3rd and 4th year rotations in (plus a few international hospitals). The location is great -- 25mins on the subway to Union Square (NYC), 15mins to Park Slope, and honestly Flatbush, BK is a pretty nice area (if you're used to urban life).
Everyone (faculty, students, security personnel) seemed real welcoming and friendly. The students who gave us the tour told us we would see things here that we wouldn't see anywhere else due to the large diversity in the area. Plus, we get huge clinical exposure and research opportunities.
my interviewer was a very friendly physician, i felt like i was getting to know her as she was getting to know me...she was very open about her thoughts about the school
The proximity of dorms, hospital to the school, the multicultural community, the students there seem very non-competitive with each other and seem to work together
The entire school. Somepeople look down on the school because its not top quaility but for me I like it, gave me a sense of nitty gritty, that the adminstration doesn't want to make it all pretty just functional.
The students and faculty are super down-to-earth. They were honest about things that were obviously not great about the school: ie, the bad neighborhood, the pain of parking, etc. I loved the atmosphere,the guarantee of working with underserved populations
The students seemed like they were really happy there, and everyone raves about Kings Hospital being an excellent experience during your 3rd and 4th years
The people are really nice, the students seem happy and Kings County Hospital seems to be an amazing place to get your training. (The anatomy labs weren't bad as many on this site have said).
Interviewer was awesome, I really clicked with the person, and I was impressed with his comment that Downstate graduates do have many options available to them for residency
Students seemed laid back and liked the school. P/F grading limits competitive atmosphere and encourages people to share resources and help each other.
The interviewer and the staff in general were very friendly and accomodating. Also met a med student in the hall who was so nice that she even gave me her phone number to call in case I have any questions.
the staff was extremely nice. When we were taking a tour and walking down the hallway, the current student were wishing us good luck as they were passing by. Everyone seems very happy to go there. The directions to campus very also very precise.
1)The students seemed happy, they didn't look washed up and depressed. 2) University Hospital is attached to the school and King's county hospital is literally across the street.
My interviewer was very nice and supportive even when I responded to her question about a weakness in my candidacy. The people at Downstate are friendly, and the day was organized and short.
I was pleasantly surprised with the school, after reading a lot of the negative feedback, I was very nervous about my interview. The campus is not spectacular, however the students seem very nice and the faculty seems very down to earth. As for the cadaver labs, I thought they were fine, I mean seriously, ITS A CADAVER LAB PEOPLE, not the Plaza Hotel.
Students seem genuinely happy there, and the clinical experience is unparalled. The neighborhood is not nearly as bad as I was led to believe upon reading so many negative reviews from the SDN. If you've ever been to true urban areas, this is nothing new. Everyone I spoke with from both the school and community was very friendly.
clinical training is great, school has a lot of involvement in community, people are down to earth. its possible to change your state of residency and switch to instate tuition.
The school provides the ability to get early clinical exposure and is also as far as urban based medicine goes i think one of the best places to end up. they are very involved in the community and the dorms look pretty decent i dont know why everyone was putting the neighborhood down i mean if you have spent any time in NYC you know what to expect
high percentage of first-choice residency program matches for graduating seniors, students were helpful and laid back, they really seemed to enjoy their school, the amount of clinical exposure students get starting even in their first year (our tour guide was a 2nd year who had actually delivered a baby on her first shadowing visit her 1st year)
the staff and my interviewer were EXTREMELY friendly and warm. I was walked to my interviewer's office and walked back down to Admissions, which was a first.
Downstate sees very interesting cases and services a very specific population. By practicing medicine there, you are definitely able to make a difference.
The kindness of the admissions staff and esp. the interviewer. I was expecting the worst interview but came out feeling pretty good. The tours were pretty good as the tour guides were very friendly and answered every question thrown at them. The tours were also more extensive than other schools I have visited. The early clinical exposure given to students, and the diversity of cases seen at the hospital. Plus CHEAP TUITION compared to other med schools.
(1) The tour: Facilities aren't gorgeous (hey, it's Brooklyn) but Downstate students love the school -- Kings County Hospital affiliation is a big plus (interviewer couldn't stop talking about it), residence halls are available (and look decent, though I had to leave tour early to interview), carrols (study rooms) provide individual workspace for each student and are open 24 hours. (2) My interviewer took "open file" to a whole new level: he knew *everything* there was to know about me based on my application and letters of recommendation.
Mostly everything. My interviewer was so warm and friendly and the students were really genuine. The facilities aren't top notch but they aren't horrid either. Are most of you ppl that snotty about buildings? I don't care about the facilities as long as they are functional and you get a good education and clinial experience. Downstate is nice friendly and offers good exposure to many different cases in brooklyn.
Nothing the school and education in general are substandard. Several students told me that they were not very happy with the attitude of many of the professors nor were they happy with the location of the school.
Great clinical exposure, diverse patient population. orientation of school toward serving the community. Students were content there and chose Downstate over other institutions.
All the negative comments written on this site were WRONG. I had a GREAT time visiting Downstate. Everyone was very nice, welcoming, enthusiastic, and answered all the questions I had about the school (even about the negative criticism on this site). The physicians and staff at this school are incredibly dedicated to the Brooklyn community and strive to uphold their mission to serve those who otherwise would not receive good medical care. Downstate offers so many options in early clinical work, study methods, and extracurricular activities.
King's County Hospital-plain and simple! Med students training there see such a wide range of diseases and health concerns that I believe they are more prepared for their residency responsibilities.
The group study room was very unique to the school. I liked how within each study room, the school provides you with all the textbook needed for the semester. I liked the organ-based learning system.
the interviewer seemed really happy to have me there and the students were excited about their school, obviously the clinical experience is amazing, students said they had delivered babies, scrubbed in for tubal ligations, and the surgeon i interviewed with said he would walk a student through an appendectomy if they were interested! awesome! plus, the facilities didn't seem that bad for me, and the area is not terrible, i felt totally safe walking around in my suit and looking like a white boy from the suburbs. eh, i'm used to cities though, so i guess it depends on your own experiences.
Well, honestly, not much. However, I found Downstate's feature of offering each medical student his own study desk cubby quite unique. The secretary in the admissions office that day was very helpful and supportive. For example, she walked me to my interviewer's office.
Great clinical education in an urban environment. If you are interested in urban medicine, immigrant health, etc... this may be a good place for you. You will see a wide range of pathologies in the hospital, like malaria.
I expected the worst after reading this site. I'm not sure where all of you guys are coming from. I came to Downstate very stressed(my flight was delayed, I was late for my interview, etc). The administrators were very accomodating and nice to me, and my interviewer even rescheduled me in for an afternoon slot. My interviewer clearly really liked Downstate, and I got the impression that the clinical experience is better than at most other schools, because at Downstate you can really get "down and dirty".
The atmosphere was very laid back. The curriculum includes a block schedule in which you only take one course for about 6 weeks and then move to another course so you never have finals for more than one course. This is very advantageous in my opinion. The faculty and students seemed very nice and welcoming.
the international opportunities that students have and the stipend they get, the fact that my interviewer read my application thoroughly and referred to it many times
Nothing--- my interviewer was over an hour late and he only stayed for 15 minutes and then said "unless you have any questions I think we are done"
nothing. The facilities are horrendous. This school is inexpensive and this no doubt contributes to some of their faculty feeling as though they can be as hostile as they like without reprisal.
I arrived two nights in advance and slept on a friends floor the first night and in guest housing (a bed) the second night (for free). I took two classes to get a feel for the class and learning style. The notes and transcript service are awesome. The people are REALLY friendly and "chill" is the appropriate word. None of them looked stressed out. All of them really like the organ systems approach. There are LOTS of student activities that go on. I didn't meet anyone that wasn't involved in less than 7 activities. Students have the opportunity to teach "mini-courses" in things such as Yoga, Karate, Swimming, Photography or whatever else they are good at... and as the instructor you can keep the tuition that you set. The web resources are really great... online quizzes and other things. There will be a completely wireless network in a few months. You can apply to be a resident assistant or director in your second year. Discounted tickets are available for broadway shows and the student center is really equipped with a nice pool, gym, and bball court, pool table etc. They have a problem based learning course called CBL, and they also offer early clinical experience. Also, there are electives offered in your first and second year which is pretty rare for medical schools. Everyone gets their own personal workstation outside of the dorms to be able to study and read textbooks. Speaking of textbooks, most people get by without them and use them as supplementary material. You get tested on the notes. The lectures that I attended were not boring (at least I didn't think so). The professors tie in clinical correlates (minimally) with the material they present. The students are really excited about their early clinical experience. The Emergency elective is a shadowing experience so most are psyched about that.
My interviewer was extremely friendly, told me to relax right at the start and that we were just going to have a "little chat." Nothing about the interview was scary. The tour guides were friendly too.
The students and faculty were very amiable and approachable. The tour was not too long, but showed key points of the school. My interviewer was very laid-back.
The fact that my interviewer was as concerned with answering my questions about Downstate as he was about asking me questions. My tour guides were great, too. Downstate's big selling point is the excellent clinical experience, so both my interviewer and tour guides discussed that aspect of the school. It really eroded my previous snobbish attitude about attending a state school.
Students and faculty all seemed happy to be a part of downstate, and clinical experience at downstate is top notch. You get a real hands-on education at Brooklyn.
Student tour guides had very positive attitude towards the school and had good information on classes/dorming/etc. Great clinical sites for 3rd and 4th year rotations.
The facilities are better than people have made them out to be. The clinical exposure is extremely strong - this a prime example of a large system of hospitals serving an underpriveliged, urban patient population.
The facilites, while not sparkling, are basically comparable to that at other schools I've seen (though fewer computers). The cost - for in state, this school is a serious bargain. The honesty of the students regarding classes, lectures, books. Description of early clinical experiences. Rec facilities are pretty good.
I liked the fact that it had a sauna and a jacuzzi i think. the recreational facilities were equipped with everything from wieghts to a punching bag. the students were down to earth, they did'nt try to hide anything. they told us that books were not needed, all the notes were given in class and on website, if needed be you can use college books for reference.
Applicants commonly expressed that they were negatively impressed by the outdated and run-down facilities, disorganized interview/tour days, lack of enthusiasm from students and tour guides, unappealing neighborhood, and poor organization. Suggestions included improving facilities, enhancing organization on interview days, and increasing student enthusiasm to create a more positive impression overall.
The school facilities in general are really outdated. The tour was not really organized. Students were really really nice tho, but I was not able to get a clear concept of what we expect to experience if we go to school here
Spent 3 out of my 4.5 hours just waiting, had to write a response to a pictures prompt (just describing a photo), tour was 20 minutes long - not sure if it was because it was rushed or that was all the school had to offer, food was basic and not appealing (I couldn't even finish because about 5 mins into easting I was called to be interviewed)
The tour was very minimal so I didn't feel like I got a good feel for campus/surrounding area. We had to submit a writing sample that seemed pretty pointless.
That the curriculum is changing in 2013 so the class starting in 2012 won't get to experience some of the positive changes being made. Also the new building won't be complete until 2014.
The wait period between tour and interview. Rather than leaving us in a room with just the other applicants, it might have been better to give us more time to talk to current students and/or faculty.
I thought the students seemed pretty unhappy and unenthusiastic. The school itself was really dreary and the facilities were kind of bare-bones...My interview was also very high stress and the doctor interviewing me asked some pretty insensitive questions. Basically, I'm glad I got into other places.
I was not asked a single question about the current health care debate. Obama had addressed the nation the night before, for crying out loud. And I work full-time for Medicaid recipients. I was disappointed that I wasn't asked about that.
The building are kind of old and run down but what can you expect from a SUNY school. The area is a little ghetto-ish although it's safe according to everyone who lives there.
I was asked what would you do if you don't get into medical school. I looked at the interviewer and said I WILL get into medical school ;-) Honestly, I don't blame her, my grades in undergrad were atrocious, and she was asking questions to bring the best out in me.
facilities look old and run down (except for the new anatomy lab). basically didn't see much of anything on the tour. students don't seem too happy/enthusiastic and there doesn't seem to be much camaraderie. no videotaped standardized patient rooms or simulator (though they claim to have the latter). neighborhood is not nice and you'll have to pay more and commute to live in a nicer neighborhood. the only school where they mentioned failing a class as an actual possibility whereas at others it seems they will catch you before you fail.
The location is a double-edge sword (bad area, great clinical exposure). Might be a culture shock for someone with little experience in a urban environment.
The tour guides were late. My interview (and that of two others) was pushed from 2:00 to 1:00 so the tour for us was cut short. We didn't see the student center or the library and had to eat lunch after the interview, which was plain. My interviewer had not seen my application and asked questions straight from a list. He was skimming the app throughout the interview.
School is in the poor part of Brooklyn. Not much to do around the area. 8 student/carcass in anatomy. although it's two teams of 4 students take turns. it's still not the same as 4 students/carcass.
I'm not a fan of NYC in general. I had coffee at the cafeteria before the interview and the people there were so miserable it almost made me want to leave.
The interview day was disorganized. We sat around in a room for over two hours with no one, but one person to greet us. Also, the buildings are old and residence halls are too expensive considering their condition.
The students, facilities, and location did not impress me. The tour was given by two students who forgot to show us the library and had nothing interesting to say- just pointed out classrooms and other areas. Also, the whole day was unorganized. I didn't know if I was done and should leave or if there was something else, and no one was there to ask.
Of all 7 schools I interviewed, facilities at Downstate ranked 7. It was a bit lacking and depressing. I don't mind the area as much as I will be living in another area.
the traffic is horrible in the morning (busy area), the neighborhood isn't THAT bad but it's still a bad place to be especially at night, 8 people to a body, there is basically NOTHING in the area except for a Key Food and a Duane Reade -_-
It felt like a medical school stuck in the 80's. Students seemed to think that the natural state of a med student was overwhelmed and unhappy. That's not been my experience at any of the other three schools I've interviewed at so far. A large part of that unhappiness seemed to stem from the traditional curriculum (it's organ-based, which is an innovation of the last decade, but it's also taught mostly by a different PhD every lecture and therefore filled with minutiae that the administration seemed to have no interest in filtering out.
the location, i'm not a fan of the nyc area and I'm very used to and happy with suburban areas in which streets are clean, cars are undamaged and you can actually have personal space but if you like nyc its right there and its very diverse
poorly organized interview day - I had 2.5 hours of downtime, and wasn't given any way of exploring the hospital. My interviewer was too busy to concentrate on me, and finally gave up and took me down to the floor with him. Be prepared to get all your positive points accross bluntly - you may not have enough time/attention to do it normally.
The old facilities. The INTERVIEWER! I can't help but wonder if my interviewer is typical of the faculty at Downstate, if they are all so stand-offish, removed, and uninterested in students. Other schools I've been to that have been very community-oriented, all faculty I encountered were very interested in meeting interviewees, getting to know you and helping medical students to be the best they can. I didn't get that feel at Downstate. Typical of NYC, I noticed a lot of people who seemed worn out and frustrated...not too many noticably happy people. Also, while you do get a great deal of clinical experience early on, I can't help but wonder how much supervision and assistance you get from faculty. Being that it's a more low-income, urban area with a high patient population and shortage of staff, it may be that the students are being given these opportunities in order to pick up the slack, rather than as constructive learning experiences.
lectures are not video taped, the building is old and not beautiful and warm being as how im always cold. no place to get food outside of downstate building.
Facilities & Location. The second I crossed the street, dudes were tryin to sell me stuff on the street. Plus there was this really cute girl there whose name I finally got at the end but I will probably never see here again. If you're reading this, thanks for your presence.
The neighborhood really does suck. I've been in NYC 16 years, worked in Harlem and be in other so called ''bad'' neighborhoods and never felt so awkward before. It might have been because I was in a suit.
Everyone says this school is located in the ghetto, and I thought that some of them were overreacting or maybe hadn't actually really seen what bad parts of LA look like for example, but in fact they were all accurate. It is located in the hood. The school is exactly 2 blocks from the metro stop but at night there are vans to take students to the subway TWO BLOCKS because it is so shady. The facilities are also pretty old and run down. The students who gave the tour did not really have much to say and weren't overly enthusiastic. My interviewer definitely gave the impression that this was the first interview she had ever conducted, and it was a little awkward although she was very nice. Overall I didn't get the sense that there is really too much pride or cohesiveness as a school, and lots of people seems to be 22 years old right out of undergrad.
Nothing. Honestly, after all that I had heard, I was expecting much worse in terms of neighborhood and facilities. But it was actually better than I had expected.
The facilities are a little run down but being renovated. Got stuck in the elevator - but it was kinda our fault. All 15+ of our group squeezed on the elevator with the big sign that said "no more than 10 people." It was actually kind of funny - so that isn't too negative.
The facilities are falling apart and dirty. The students didn't seem especially accomplished. The clientele consisted of uninsured "lead-pipe beatings," stab wounds, and other gang-related type violence. We didn't even get to see the library. 8 to a cadaver. The neighborhood is dangerous and there is nowhere to shop and nothing to do.
The facilities are decrepit, but I really do think that they would be able to offer their students a clinical experience that is hard to find anywhere else in the country.
When they brought us to the basement, it was still under construction with wire exposed and all. The infrastructure in the school was pretty bad. We got stuck in the elevator but we went to a more modern part of the school--the student center.
I had a personal bad experience. I arrived to stay with a student, but the student never showed up. So starting there, I had a really bad impression of the school
The facilities seemed a bit dingy, especially the anatomy lab. The fact that so many students commute. The lack of interaction with medical students besides the student tour guides.
Nothing really. The facilities could use some renovation, but all things considered, they are up to acceptable standards. Also, the anatomy labs have two groups of 4 students each working on the same cadaver.
Aesthetically the hospital and campus are not the best...but you get such great clinical exposure since the hospital is in the center of an enormous community.
The condition of the facilities. The labs are dirty and the buildings are falling apart. The interviewer asserted that some candidates are too good to go to Downstate!
i wasn't thrilled with the location, the tour guide told us most students try to study 5 hours a day (8 hours for 2nd years) in addition to class/lab, which is a scary thought....
The area is not the best in the world and the facilities are a bit run down, but you have to realize that some of the buildings have been there for quite some time. They also really promote independent studying. A lot of schools tend to "baby" their med students, but apparently not so much at all over here.
The school seems so run down. The anatomy labs are scary and the whole place has the atmosphere of a depressing mental hospital ---long gloomy hallways, all rooms look alike, etc.
They didn't have an information or welcome session, the day was pretty much simply the interview, a quick tour (which I missed because my interview ran overtime), and lunch. It could have been much more thorough because I still don't feel I have a great handle on the school.
the state of the anatomy labs (even though they're supposedly being totally relocated and revamped for next year), the location: even though i used to live in New York, it was a bit tough going back to an area like that since now i'm from northern california, good things about location though: you get lots and lots of clinical and hands-on exposure through the huge hospital across the street
The neighborhood. You can't live too far from the school. Medical students told me that getting mugged or people asking for money is rampant. You need to be in the school/hospital, or stay in your residence that is close to the school. You just don't feel safe there.
The rundown building and anatomy lab, they need to go through some major rennovations. the cost is going to increase next year (really the only thing that is attractive here is the price and thats out the window too). Hospital is so undermaintained and students dont look happy. the class rooms are some of the most broken down rooms. class sizes are huge compared to other school ie SUNY Buffalo and Upstate.
Of course some parts of the building are run down (b/c it is old) however I feel that if you can still learn the same material the same way as everyone else then the ambiance isn't really a bother.
I was told by a med student at Downstate that the teachers at downstate treat their students as inferiors. Professors apparently often jump down students’ throats for asking questions. I don’t understand why because the school sucks and is so run down. Their anatomy lab was one of the worst I have ever seen. Downstate apparently has one of the worst records on safety likely a result of the location and facilities. Most other SUNY schools provide better preparation for the USMLE and residency.
gross lab was just that...pretty bare, not the top of the line labs I am used to seeing. Although there are 8 students per cadaver, it is staggered so that only 4 students at a time actually work on the body. One team per side...but I wonder what happens for organs that aren't in pairs, like the liver?
The long wait between lunch and the afternoon interviews. Didn't get to see dormitories or the university hospital (for good reason - the students doing the tours were volunteers and had a schedule). Also, interview was rushed b/c interviewer had an appt. scheduled after me.
The interviewer was a nice guy, but obviously didn't take too much interest in who I was as a person. The anatomy lab and hallway were literally freezing cold, and the facilities were generally run down (but not horrible). The school assigns 8-10 students per cadaver for anatomy, which seems like way too much. Why pay the same as the other SUNYs for less than half the resources?
I didn't care for the area surrounding the school in the sense that I wouldn't feel comfortable living there or commuting there on a regular basis. The facilities also negatively impressed me because they appeared quite old without much renovation. One of the two student guides that day also negatively impressed me in the sense that he appeared ambivalent towards Downstate. He talked to us about how he chose Downstate over other schools mainly because of the in-state tuition. Finally, my interviewer also left me with a negative impression about Downstate. His tone and attitude made me feel as though he didn't want to be conducting interviews. He would ask me another question before I finished answering the previous one, which increased the stress level of the interview. Some may say that "stress interviews" reveal those applicants who can work well under stress, thus simulating physicians' daily experiences. While this may be so, it certainly didn't leave me with a positive impression about Downstate.
Things falling apart, but I expected that. The area is pretty rough, even for me, a new yorker. Overall, I'm not sure if this is an ideal place for learning medicine.
the buildings are decripit; the staff represented were rude and very unwelcoming. A few of us were spoken to by some of the administrators there and were stunned at their poor attitude.
The neighborhood wasn't that nice. The facilities were not that impressive either. Plus there was a lot of waiting time betweeen the tour and the actual interview.
the amount of free floating negative energy this school gives off. My interviewer was not a kind man. The last person I would want treating me or someone I cared for
The faculty was rude, the admission's office people minus the secretary were stuck up. The dean of admissions seemed very insincere and two faced. I think all of the negative comments on sdn were righton the money
everything else - the facilities (especially the gym), the tour was disorganized (I was looking forward to see the anatomy labs, but they didn't have the code for the door), the fact that they changed my interview time without telling me, the inferiority complex that they have
The school is totally dilapitated. The student tour guides knew nothing about the school. One student told me he only studies 1 hour/day, and "plays video games" on the weekends....and he gets straight A's. Must be a rigorous curriculum! The lecture hall that students spedn their 1st year in is falling apart. The anatomy lab is hidden in the basement and is completely cramped.
The public showers in the dorm style housing are too short. I had to bend down to wash my hair! The surrounding neighborhood lacks stores and places to eat. There's a pizza place, sandwich place and a dunkin donuts. BUT, the student center has a cafeteria and you can always order takeout. Printing isn't free in the computer labs so you need to buy a printer or fork out 10 cents per page. The way they teach anatomy is fairly unstructured but it gets the job done. The anatomy labs are NOT in a dungeon, however, the hallway they are located in could use some renovation (wires hanging from the ceiling).
The student-led tour was a lot more casual than I expected, to the point where I couldn't get excited about anything I was seeing. The anatomy lab itself is not a "dungeon," although it is in the basement and the stairwell that leads to it is really hot. Once inside, it was fine except that it felt a bit too crowded. Also, I didn't like the comments we were getting from students passing us by (like, "oh it's interview season" "go to law school" "don't listen to anything they're saying")
Lots of sitting around (although the other interviewees were pretty cool), the neighborhood wasn't that great, and the school is much further out in Brooklyn than I thought it was.
Facilities and neighborhood aren't exactly pretty. There was a huge lag time between my interview and the student tour! The other candidates and I sat around in the waiting area for over 2 hours!!!!
Where to begin...the interviewer was rude, antagonistic, hostile, racist, and asked illegal questions. the lunch was horrific and cheap. the anatomy labs are in a dungeon. the day was not organized well at all.
The interviewer, Dr. Selzer, is a disgrace to medicine. The second interview, which the school promised would be "blind," was not. He referred to my first interviewer openly in his questions. Also (I'm being serious), there were signs of dementia and other cognitive problems. He and the other interviewer were in the same subfield of psychiatry and undoubtedly knew each other.
My interviewer was unprepared, and a little cynicial. He kept shuffling through my file, and asked me the same questions about my activities over and over again.
Although everyone was friendly, there was not a sense of excitement to be there. The students who gave the tour were very lackadaisical and didn't excite us at all.
Applicants commonly wished they had known more about the school's curriculum, the specific location of the interview, the relaxed atmosphere of the interview, the potential waiting times, and the lackluster lunch provided. Suggestions included studying the curriculum in-depth, preparing questions for financial aid, and wearing comfortable shoes for the long day.
Could have studied the curriculum a bit more in-depth.
I wish I knew how much longer it would take to get to the school from my hotel which was only 1.5 miles away during morning traffic. I come from a highly populated area. I was pretty frantic when I realized that I was going to be late, even when I thought I had accounted for traffic. Don't trust Google Maps for time estimates.
the valet lot can get full in which case you need to find your own spot... I got lucky though a spot opened up while I was waiting right outside the hospital entrance
I wish I had known that the interview was not stressful at all. I had been nervous the entire day waiting for my interview but it went well. they just asked the basic questions.
Valet parking doesn't take SUVs with roof racks. I had a Nissan Xterra with a rack and they said it was too tall for the underground garage. The lunch consisted of a water bottle, banana, small bag of potato chips, and a turkey and lettuce sandwich, not the most filling.
I knew this beforehand because I had already visited the campus. If you're driving, give yourself an additional 15-30 minutes to get to the campus--so many traffic lights! Valet parking was great.
That the interviewer would, depending on his/her specialty, not be very knowledgeable about certain aspects of the medical school curriculum including research opportunities.
I now know that Downstate has a very slow admissions process. Don't be surprised if they take 3 months to get back to you or if they send you a ''no decision'' letter.
There will be a lot of waiting time if you have an early morning or late aftnernoon visit. Other than the info session (maybe 5-10 minutes, not too helpful. nothing you couldn't get from the website), the tour, and lunch (all of which lasts maybe an hour to hour and a half, there are no structured activities.
This interview was RIGHT after my finals so I had no time to prepare. I wish I knew that my interviewer would really be probing me to see how much I CARED about the school.
I would not have time to sit in on classes yet still have 4 hours of downtime!!!! And all the freaking have to do in the waiting room is read up on downstate or read medical journals. The TV isn't connected to cable and there were no Tapes for the VCR!
The neighborhood could be intimidating, but was not as bad as people make it out to be. Come on folks, this is NYC. The neighborhood folks are nice, there aren't alot of bars on the windows until you start traveling south east of the campus.
If your interviewer looks like he's sleeping/looks like he's staring out the window/is hunched over the desk and looks like he's not paying attention to what you're saying, KEEP ON TALKING!!! Don't get discouraged, just yammer on.
That the school is better than what I expected. Maybe I would have prepared more if I knew about that. I decided after my tour that I wanna go there, but by then it was interview time.
the facilities are a lot nicer than people make them out to be. i expected the anatomy labs to look like holy hell, but,surprisingly, they were nicer than the ones at a few of the schools i've visited.
Nothing. It's helpful, though, to visit SUNY Downstate before your interview so that you'll know where the admissions office is located. Since I was not from the area, I knew that I had to visit the school in advance so that I would not get lost on my interview date.
though downstate has the reputation of being "scary", i found it to be like any other new york neighborhood. it didn't seem dangerous at all.
Nothing. A friend had shown me around the school prior to my interview. But on the tour, they don't show people the dorms, which are nothing marvel at.
I wish i read over my AMCAS application a little more so that i could repeat everything i did because they asked me in the interview to tell them all the volunteer activities that i did, and i didn't remember all of them. So i listed a few of them, but definitely forgot other ones. So knowing your AMCAS applications means being able to recite everything on it without hesitation.
The directions from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel say to take the Prospect Expressway, but that exit is closed until 11 AM. So, I was late to my interview, but they were really nice about it!
I wished that I had known that the people who posted negative comments about the neighborhood are obviously suburbanites or country bumpkins, since Downstate is in a typical new york city neighborhood.
The nice people in admissions offer to hold on to your back pack while you go into the waiting room. Silly me, I left my IPod in my bag. You end up waiting a long time between interviews and tours and such. So bring some music and something to read.
That its a 2 hour subway ride from my home in queens and I should have allotted more time. The fabulous NYC MTA decided to take a chill pill in the middle of the transit and stayed immboile for an hour. Adding to that, the subway car was boiling! By the time I got to the school (over an hour late) I looked like I got out of the shower.
Luckily I only missed the tour and got there just in time for my interview.
Apparently, Downstate is very strong when it comes to producing physicians that end up on the faculties of other schools. I believe they said they were #7 in the country.
Make sure you bring your own bottles of water as they don't serve refreshments in the waiting room. Also, how long I would have to wait between the tour and the interview...2 hours!
(1) That there's no reason to be nervous: Downstate interviews are more like conversations than anything else. (2) That many New Yorkers don't even know the area well, so don't feel bad if you're an out-of-state applicant. (3) That Downstate doesn't give "stress interviews," so relax. (4) That your interviewer is really on your side, trying to get lots of information out of you to convince the admissions committee that you should be accepted.
I should have heeded the comments on this website. Whereas, there are obviously some decent people at downstate, like everywhere else, the rotten apples far outweigh the good ones. Personally, if you have been accepted elsewhere, I would spare yourself the financial expense of visiting this school-- the broad spectrum of depts and persons I encountered were not indicative of a place that I would send a healthy person, never mind a sick one
That skipping this interview would have been a good thing. I would say that my interview expereince was so negative, that should I get in, I will not attend this school.
There is a shuttle service from the school to the nearest subway stop due to safety precautions. (a very positive feature if you ask me) The people are really down to Earth and 99% are not cut-throat competitive. The class size is fairly large, and there isn't much in the way of personal attention BUT if you went to a large university as I did, then you know any experience is what YOU make of it. You can always seek advising and get it.
if you are late, and it is trully not your fault, you won;'t be penalized for it, as long as you apologize. (I was 30 minutes late, traffic, and gettign lost)
Applicants generally found the interviewing experience positive, with many appreciating the friendly and conversational nature of the interviews. Common feedback included comments on the facilities and neighborhood, with some noting the outdated facilities but others highlighting the school's strong clinical experiences and diverse patient population. Some applicants mentioned concerns about certain interviewers, while others praised the school's clinical focus, affordability, and student satisfaction.
Positive experience. Interviewer was super friendly and easy to talk to. Questions were also very straightforward, but gave many opportunities to say something interesting about myself (hobbies, interests, etc). Felt respected as a candidate.
It seems like this school is lacking in funding. We were told point blank that scholarship money is limited to about $5,000 to $10,000 per student per year (if they even qualify). The facilities look as though they haven't been updated in 30 years; everything from the interview waiting room furniture to the equipment of the student gym look worn and beat down. Anatomy lab was nice, though.
The only in-state school located within NYC. As expected, the facilities are not nearly as nice as the NYC private schools, but you cannot beat the price, so weigh your pros and cons.
Interview was more relaxed than I thought, and the two tour guides seemed to genuinely enjoy their experience and classmates. The renovated School of Public Health just finished up this year (2019) which shares some facilities (library, study spaces, etc.) with the med school. New clinical simulation center as well.
The area around the subway entrance seemed rough but closer to the school seemed safe. Many students of different years spoke honestly about the area and it seems that most of them commute to the school (10 mins of walking around) and have never run into trouble. However, the consensus was that the food options were subpar, though most students move to the nicer Brooklyn areas (10 mins) after year 1 or 2. Dorms are essentially connected to the school and are both (very) safe and fairly affordable (especially for NYC). If you have time afterwards, I would check out the dorms as we did not get to during our tour.
Overall, they have an impressive match list and Step1 scores, are one of the oldest and most established institutions in the country, and offer a myraid of unique clinical experiences due to its broad hospital system which encompasses different patient populations. Plus, true P/F and non-mandatory lectures are a huge bonus. I turned down two other NY school acceptances, and look forward to my time here.
The interview is like an interrogation. The interviewer just writes a summary letter and passes it on to the adcom (they don't sit on the adcom). Try to answer questions straight forwardly and quickly so you can get through them all and give maximum info to the adcom. Also, they love clinical experience and people who understand Brooklyn for what it is. All the faculty/staff I met were superlatively helpful and genuine.
The students were evidently very happy with their school and made some great selling points about the clinical education provided here, many of which I didn't think about prior to interviewing here.
Overall, I really liked the school, the students and faculty there, and the new curriculum. Plus, its cost cannot be beaten by other schools. I will seriously consider SUNY Downstate if I get in.
I really enjoyed my experience. The interviewer has a form that he/she will fill out throught your conversation. The form includes specific questions that the committee has for your particular file and it also includes more standard questions. The interview was a bit on the long side but I really liked my interviewer.
The interviewer is given a list of standard questions to ask. The whole process is very low stress and informative. The tour could have been a bit longer to include the dorms and other facilities. Overall, I had a good experience but have nothing to compare it to as it was my first interview.
Great school. I really enjoyed it despite the dinginess of the faclities. I think it's meant for people who are very clinically focused, and don't mind getting their hands dirty early. This also means being thrown into the fire as well.
My interviewer had a form from which he read pre-determined questions. There were also some handwritten questions regarding 'gaps' in my application that had been handwritten by the adcom. These centered on things like the 'W' on my transcript and the lack of shadowing.
Just be straight on those questions and try to think of questions to ask interviewer based on specialty and area of interest which they tell you right beforehand
The interview went smoothly and seemed only slightly more structured than a casual conversation. The tour was terrible - the students didn't show us the dorms even after someone asked and didn't show us the hospital. One of the tour guides made a rambling speech which boiled down to "P=MD is a very common attitude at this institution." The facilities were sub-par, as was lunch. The dean of admissions lacked the passion that the admissions officers of many other schools have. Overall, I am still attracted to Downstate due to the opportunities its affiliated clinical sites provide, but the few hours I spent there on the interview day were very discouraging.
everyone was kind and laid back. a little anecdote...I went to the campus the day before to check it out and an administrator came up to me, introduced himself, answered questions, showed me around. the anatomy lab looks awesome. students/tour guides were nice. textbook urban setting but great clinical experience. interview was more like a conversation and time flew by.
It's a pretty nice place to go to school. The area isnt the nicest but its tolerable. The students seem cool and so are the doctors that interview you. Also, there is someone that walks you to your interview room which is pretty nice. Lunch wasnt much just a sandwich, an apple, a small bag of chips and water. But I missed out on lunch with the med students because I had to go to my interview
this school was a big disappointment and is overly hyped. their selling point is the "clinical experience" which is a consequence of their location and nothing else.
My interviewer, although nice towards me, seemed to be rather harried and frustrated that day. We kept getting interrupted constantly, so the interview itself was a bit choppy and rather quick. I did my best to convey my interest in the school and answer the questions (all of which were pretty standard) in the time alotted. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best.
1v1 Informal Interview. My interviewer seemed very uninterested from the beginning and hurried through (didnt really make much eye contact). Several students I know confirmed the fact that this was the exception and not the rule, but from looking at SDN it seems like Downstate has a higher frequency than other schools
The neighborhood is not as bad as it's made out to be...The school is really into being a healthcare provider for the uninsured and that's what makes it great and unique....Tuition is cheap even for out of state...
The admissions committee was extremely friendly and accommodating. The medical students were open, honest, and very informative. They were all different in their approaches to medical school, which was much appreciated.
Going into the interview, I had pretty much no desire to go to Downstate. I went to school in NYC and was completely sick of it and only applied because it would be cheap for me and I thought I had a good chance of getting in. I ended up really loving the school and being really impressed with all the opportunities I would have there. I realized it's about deciding what's more important for me, location or clinical experience.
I was very interested in this school before the visit but the whole experience turned me off. I'm only going there now if I don't get accepted anywhere else.
if the location were better, i would adore this school. I was really nervous for the interview, it was my first, but the guy seemed nice although the interview was only 15-20min instead of 45-60min.
Very low stress. The tour guides emphasized the great clinical program downstate has to offer. I like the fact that there's clinical exposure first year. The tour felt a little rushed and we didn't get to see the dorms. Valet parking was expensive - $10. No street parking available.
overall the interview itself was not stressful. director of admissions (who is very nice, maybe too nice) was pretty firm about not giving stress interviews for admission. but there was an INCREDIBLE amount of downtime. basically they wanted me to come in at 9am for my interview. the interview ended up coming about an hour late and i finished around 10:30 or so. the tour/lunch did not start until 12:30. so we just sat there in waiting room for basically 2 hours watching this video about the history of brooklyn and how wondeful it is to live there. the tape actually ended and we ended up watching the damned thing twice. i fell asleep waiting. so overall, the interview day seemed extremely disorganized.
This was one of, if not the worst interviews I had. The guy brought me into a room the size of a closet, with no windows, and a calendar hanging by a wire hanger. I don't think he asked me anything! He would ask something, get half way through, and the phone would ring. He would sit on the phone for 5 full minutes, and then ask a completely new question...never giving me the chance to answer the first one!! This happened repeatedly until we ran out of time. He never asked me anything, and I never answered. I sat and watched him talk on the phone to colleagues. Terrible. Disrespectful. I came all the way out here and was given zero chance to represent myself. I am now a fourth year med student who has interviewed many people, and have attendings as friends...and realize now how inappropriate that was. Heads up to those interviewing.
overall - it was a positive experience. i think they have a list of questions they have to ask (like ''how did you study for the mcats?'') students seemed to be happy, not really stressed out. lots of opportunity to get involved in and around school. there was a bit of a lag time between the end of the tour and actual interview (i had 1.5 hours to kill). otherwise, good
All the interviewers had a list of questions to ask you. Some went down the list and just asked you questions. For me, my interviewer asked questions in a little more conversational tone. He was relatively nice but grilling me at the same time. Still relaxed, so nothing major to worry about.
The interview was a little unconventional. Unlike at other schools that I have interviewed at, everyone here was assigned an interview slot. Not everyone showed up at the same time. The interview was followed by a Q&A session, campus tour, and lunch. Each interviewee was asked to write down 3 questions on a 3x5 and the questions were asked anonymously in the Q&A session.
Honestly I have never written one of these things and this will probably be the only review I will write for SDN, and it is solely for the purpose of giving people hope. I waited so long to write this because I wanted to see what the judgement was on my file before voicing my concerns about my interviewer. The man who interviewed me was rude, short, and would intentionally phrase questions to criticize my application. He asked questions like, ''why didn't you retake the MCAT?'' and ''Why did you major in Biology if you did so poorly in it?'' -both of which I felt like were unfair and/or untrue. At the closing of the interview the man stood up and said ''well if you don't get in here, don't feel bad, we're really looking for some diversity, and you really don't fit the bill''. YET, I did get in, apparently this must have been a ''stress'' interview or else the admissions committee doesn'tt really take into account what the interviewer says. My adivce: be prepared for some rude questions, have some well-thought out answers ready (and witty responses), and you will be fine. Don't let the interviewer's attitude taint your visit as I did.
The interviewer was very nice, as were the majority of persons there, the medical students were awesome and seemed really happy with their decisions. They also said they moved away from the area and only go to the school when necessary bc everything is podcasted. The area is creepy as anything I've ever seen but I may just be sheltered
Very relaxed. Student tour for 30 minutes. The facilities were fine, nothing great or terrible. The neighborhood isn't that bad, there is just nothing to do in the close vicinity. The admissions office does a good job of pairing you with a doctor in a similar field to your interests/experience (I work in a myeloma research lab and was interviewed by a hem/onc phd).
Overall this was a pretty low-stress interview experience. The people in the admissions office are amazingly helpful and friendly. The area is not nearly as bad as everyone makes it out to be- and my interviewer was impressed when I told him I had taked the subway to get there.
I showed up early, they parked the car for me (small fee), put us in a room with magazines and 2 computers, waited for awhile. My interviewer was very nice, absolutely no stress. Asked me about my file, what type of doctor I thought I wanted to be... Afterwards there was a student led tour group and free lunch. Hard to say if the interview is matched or not. For some it was...I took a single epidemiology course and got matched with a public health professor.
I lived with a friend/MS1, who was the main reason why I applied to the school. I came expecting the things that would not impress me so it wasn't too bad. I took the subway from JFK (2-3 hours) and traveled light/inconspicuously to move quickly through the neighborhood. The staff was hardworking, the interview process was brief but organized. My interviewer was a busy clinician, soft spoken and apathetic (as I would expect to be after 10 years of interviewing applicants). He ended up asking me questions that I had already answered earlier in the interview - but I think he meant well in the end. Be sure to pay a visit to Park Slope where many med students live (a more upscale neighborhood).
I found the entire process very beneficial. I walked away with a much higher respect for downstate than when I came. My tour guides gave very useful and honest feedback. My interviewer was very nice and relaxed, conversational.
It was a good day, the student tour guides were helpful, the interview was low stress. My interviewer seemed interested in what I had to say and had obviously read through my file because he asked specific questions about my clinical experience and extracurriculars
Given what I've read so far, I showed up at Downstate, expecting hookers across the street and gang fights! I was pleasantly surprised by the neighbourhood, and the people were very nice. Yes, the campus is not the newest or the shiniest, but the amount of clinical experience would make the place worth it.
I had an interviewer with a psychiatrist who ''likes to interrupt''. Horrible experience. She looked at my AMCAS and ripped my life to shreds. I was emotionally damaged for weeks afterward. I went on interviews at 8 other schools and this was BY FAR the worst.
overall very laid back-- not a stress interview at all- and be prepared for the fact that your interview time could get pushed back if the doctor that is interviewing you is in with a patient. Also make sure you know all of your info inside-out because I think they pair you with someone in your field of interest!
I have mixed feelings about the interview, but overall it went well. My interviewer was laid back but serious. It was hard to read him, though; I couldn't tell whether he kinda liked me, didn't like me or didn't care. When I talked about my summer biochemistry research experience, he seemed kinda bored, but I could be reading into that too much.
Great. My interviewer and I had a very casual conversation, both addressing what questions the committee wanted resolved, but also about my personal desires about a medical career.
Interview was very laid back, like a conversation-talked for over an hour. Interviewer was very nice and enthusiastic about the school, although could have known more about the preclinical curriculum. Overall very laid back and actually a fun experience.
My interviewer couldn't make it, but they didn't find out till 10:00AM rolled around and he was a no-show. They got another doctor, who had not looked at my file at all, to interview me. It was stressful at first, but I kept calm. On top of that, my interview was only ~30 min, adding to the post-interview anxiety.
Since then, I got in, and am 99.9999991% sure I'm going there in the fall.
really good. changed my mind about being on the fence for med school, the clincal experience gained at downstate is incomparable to any other med school and that is the most important tool to have when you graduate. this school is now my number one. the glitz and glamour of other rural or suburban schools doesn't match the exposure you get at downstate.
Overall a very positive interview experience. The interview was very laid back and my interviewer was well versed in my application before I arrived. Nothing out of the norm, I liked the information packet they hand out, there was some good information available to students. I was a little intimidated by the area, it will take some getting used to.
I got there around 11:45 and was escorted to the waiting room. An admissions officer came in and welcomed every one to their ''low stress'' interview (she kept stressing the fact that the interviews will be low stress). Then we all went on a tour and had lunch. Afterwards i waited some more for the interviewer. He was an MD and seemed really nice. His tone of voice was especially relaxing. He asked general questions about my application. No tough questions and no ethics. I was impressed with the fact that he is an alum of Downsate. The interview itself did not seem amazingly special, but since then i've been accepted to the school!!!!!
Met with the doctor, he asked a few basic questions (why downstate). Basic structure is we chatted a bit, then he'd go into the specific questions that he was supposed to ask (these don't vary student to student) and we'd chat a bit on tangents when it occurred.
I'm quite familiar with SUNY Downstate so I suppose I'm a bit biased toward the school. I took a class there and now, I conduct clinical research in their ER. Although the school is located in a dangerous neighborhood, it offers an unparalleled, diverse clinical experience for its students and to be honest, that's what all pre-med students are looking for. Plus, it's as cheap as it could get! The only negative experience I had is with the interviewer himself. Frankly, he was a huge prick who seemed completely disinterested with what I was saying and it almost felt like he was trying to give me a hard time on purpose. Words cannot even describe how miserable I felt during the interview. On the other side though, the interview did last for about an hour so I really don't know what to think. I'm crossing my fingers...
The interview was fairly intensive, but non-confrontational. I was expected to have significant exposure to my field of interest, which I felt I lacked somewhat. However, my interviewer, a psychiatrist, was very interested in me and my background and I felt I was treated with respect at all times. I was asked many questions relevant to my specific interests. My interviewer did not have too much knowledge of the med school curriculum, though.
Like the other 11/20 interviewee--was not impressed by admissions office. They kept us waiting a lot and the tour was very disorganized. My interview was good, but filled with plenty of awkward pauses: he would just stop talking, but he didn't ask a question so I didn't really have anything to say.
This was my first interview. I was very nervous the first few minutes and I think it was pretty apparent to my interviewer as we went off topic and spoke about the Yankees. After that I feel I was comfortable and back to being myself. My next interview I'll definitely be more relaxed.
Get there, meet the other interviewees, get a brief intro. Go on tour and lunch. go back to waiting room. what was a group of 11 before lunch is now a group of three. wait. wait. wait. wait. wait some more. Wait a little bit. Now it is down to two. Wait. Wait. Wait. Share some of the reading material we found interesting. wait. wait. wait. wait. wait. then wait again. And then the other interviewee leaves. I'm in the room all by myself. I wait, wait, wait and then my interviewer comes. I wasn't sure if it was closed or open file but my interviewer definately didn't read the information about me before hand so I wait, wait, wait for him to read up on me and then we have a speedy interview. No very hard questions. I'm not trying to sound angry at the downtime because I wasn't. I was mainly bored and wish I didn't have to go last but the day was pretty enjoyable.
I enjoyed it. This was my first interview, so I was nervous, but it was a very casual and relaxed day. This website was both good and bad to prepare with. Good because the questions were really identical. EVERY question I was asked I saw on sdn feedbacks (how did u prep for mcats, how do u relieve stress, why medicine, why did u attend your college, why downstate, why can you handle brooklyn). BUT this site also scared me, b/c a lot of the feedbacks are too negative. My interviewer was a great guy, and did not grill me or try to trip me up at all.
It wasnt at all stressful. I had an afternoon interview whcih can be both good and bad. One negative thing about having it in the afternoon is that you have to come in a few hours early for the tour and everything, the good part though is after the tour I knew everything about the school and community , so if the interviewer asks any questions about the school or Brooklyn you already have a good idea of both. Overall it was okay, the tour guides were 3rd and 4th year students they were really nice and very helpful, so is the whole staff.
the interviewer basically told me i couldn't handle downstate bc i grew up in the suburbs and my parents were probably overprotective of me. he really tried to dissuade me from going there. it was a really bizarre interview. i really liked the school though -- everyone seems to love it who goes there.
It was pretty cool to see the campus. I had heard about Downstate and how they serve alot of the underpriveliged and underserved community around them. The interviewers were really happy they chose downstate and really encouraging to us since we interviewed first round.
My interviewer was very pleasant. It was a strange interview in that he seemed to have his mind made up about me in the beginning. He told me he wanted to ask me some standard questions, since he was taking notes on a formal piece of paper. Surprisingly, he really seemed interested in my personal situation, my mother had cancer, and he is a hem/onc doctor so he asked me a lot about her care and about my family. He asked me about my MCAT score and one of my grades from undergrad (I'm a postbacc). He asked about a difficult situation and how I handled it, what leisure activities, how prepared for mcat, pursue anything in arts or sports?, Asked about clinical experiences, what my research was about, why downstate, which other schools I'm applying to, other interviews.
Tour was good, two enthusiastic first years, however wasn't really able to get any information about what they didn't like about the school. I was able to sit in on a lecture b/c I knew a second year. Friendly admissions assistant, ilana. I feel safe in the area, but there doesn't seem like there is anything to do. Overall, I was happy with my interview experience, I really like the opportunity fo hands-on experience, i like that the school is a bit gritty, fits with the whole clinical emphasis of the education.
My interviewer was really nice and mainly asked details about my school and work history. He enjoyed sharing his philosophy on life, so it was very much a conversation instead of a strict interview format.
This was my first interview/guided tour so I don't have anything to compare it to. However, the interviewer was quite pleasant and easy-going as were all the people I met during the tour.
I thought the interview experience itself was unimpressive. My interviewer didn't seem organized, the student tour seemed sort of apathetic and pointless, and the neighborhood is horrifying. It is a good school though, and if you live in Park Slope and commute back and forth then you don't actually have to live in the ghetto. Overall, it didn't feel that anybody was really trying to sell me on this school. Plus they told us that will hear back in TEN WEEKS. They insist there are still spots open, but ten weeks is insanely long. This is not my first choice school, but the quality of the education means it is not my last choice either.
My interviewer was very outgoing and jollow. We immediately connected and had a pleasant, often very humorous conversation. I wish i could give out his name here. No suprises here. Just the standard questions.
The interview was very casual. The majority of the interviewer's questions were about my personal experiences, not about medicine or my relationship to it. That was a little surprising. I had prepared myself to answer deeper questions about my motivations to go into medicine, or about current issues in medicine. It just never went there. I left knowing I did not blow it, but not really knowing if I had done well.
I had a bit of a negative impression of Downstate before the interview, but my day there definitely changed my mind. Yeah the facilities are pretty run down but everyone there was happy with their choice to attend. The tour guides were cool which was a plus and my interviewer was great. No hard questions...actually hardly any questions for that matter, we basically just sat and talked for an hour.
Overall a very positive experience. I interviewed in the hospital so the admissions personnel walked me from the Admissions office to my interviewer. I had to wait a bit but my interviewer was very laid back. The interview was practically zero stress. It was more like a conversation than an interview. He opened with a few questions the committee requested clarification on. He had a few questions of his own which he explained why he was asking then he gave me plenty of time to ask questions myself. Then we talked about his specialty a little bit. He gave me a brief history on the school and walked me back to admissions. Time really flew. It felt like 20 minutes but was actually a little over 60 min.
Overall I had a good experience. I got there about an hour early, so I had a lot of time to talk with other interviewees. The other students that were interviewing were very nice and friendly. My interview was in the hospital across the street and the interviewer was great. He asked me a few questions about my academic record, but for the most part we just talked about my past experiences in health care and my current research. The tour was a little rushed but there were 5 current students with us, so I was able to ask all of the questions that I had.
The interview was fine and not stressful. It was very much based on the AMCAS, which I don't think is the best way to interview. I spent a large part of the time clarifying what exactly I was doing between specific dates (I am a postbacc) since I graduated from college. I talked about my research and the specialty I am interested in (Neurosurgery) and my interviewer told me my current grades wouldn't "cut it" to get into such a competitive specialty. She seemed to really love the school (which she thought was pretty crazy - I did too for that matter, but didn't mention it) and so did quite a few of the other interviewees. Overall, I thought the facilities were horrendous, the location is the worse ghetto you can possibly imagine, and the patient population is going to be bottom-of-barrel. If that is something that you want in a school ("gritty" is the euphemism I have heard) then this could be the place for you. The one thing it does have going for it is that the patient population is largely uninsured or medicare, etc, so medical students are allowed to "practice" on the large patient volume (which would never happen at a private hospital, for example), so you do end up leaving with a very strong set of clinical skills which will serve you well in residency. The neurosurgery program was shut down a few years ago and there is talk of reinstating it but no final word yet (for those interested in that specialty). On the up-side, the neurology residents/med students pick up a lot of the slack that neurosurgery residents would be doing so it could be a good experience. The only wireless is in the library and besides the dorms which are across the street (and you may have to share one small dorm room with another person), you will have to commute to this school because the surrounding neighborhood is depressing and mad shady.
To end on a positive note, Kings County is the busiest hospital in the country. If you can grit your teeth and bear it, a medical education at Downstate can serve you well as a resident.
My interviewer was odd.He interrupted me every time I tried to answer of his questions. He told me my opinions were wrong and gave me lectures. He yelled at me for twiddling my thumbs. He liked to make large sweeping generalization like "mexicans don't have any religion" and "Christians, Catholics ... they're all the same". He also liked to tell me I was wrong at whatever chance he got--even when it was an opinion based question... I really don't know what to think. I tried to stay calm and answer his questions as best i could but who knows...
The morning began with an introduction from Admissions office staff, followed by my interview (some students had earlier or later interviews) and then tour. After lunch we were free to go.
I hear that the students you interview with are always a good indication of the type of student body that the school has. The students I was with were so so friendly. One of them even stopped by after her interview to wish my good luck. Overall, I had a great day except at the end of the interview when my interview told me that I hadn't talked enough. But until that point, I thought the interview had been going really well.
The tour and lunch with the med students was very informative. They were more than willing to answer all of our questions and to give us their impressions of the school. If you have the 1 pm interview ( I did) be prepared to have an abreviated lunch. Everything there is to know about the school can be found on their website, so I basically used my time at the interview to learn more about student life and activities outside of the classroom. The facilities (including the "famous" anatomy lab) were not as bad as everyone says they are. I actually thought they were quite nice. Overall, I thought my interview went well, but then again it was my first one so I had nothing to compare it to. There were no real difficult questions. The interviewer just wanted to know some more information that wasn't present on my AMCAS and secondary. After about 30-35 the interviewer seemed to be done with all that he wanted to talk to me about and then he asked me if I had any questions. Luckily, I had prepared a few before the interview, otherwise the interview would have been over at that point. I definitely advise coming up with some questions for your interviewer. We were done with the interview in about 45 minutes which I thought was on the short side but I wasn't too concerned becuase I felt that I answered the questions thorouhgly. I enjoyed my visit to SUNY Downstate and look forward to hearing back from them soon.
The interview was very relaxed and calm. We talked alot about medicine, my research, her research, and health care delivery. The interview went really long- but it was very enjoyable. We just kept getting side-tracked from the interview questions.
Dr. Furchgott, who discovered NO as a signaling molecule in the human body and who won the nobel prize for that research, was a professor at downstate and did research there.
After a horrendous drive into Brooklyn, during the tail end of rush hour traffic, we were put into a room with several other applicants. We had an informational session and then were taken on a tour. The students were really wonderful and seemed to be extremely happy where they chose to go to school. The facilities were not the best, but again should that be a huge factor in where to go to medical school? My interviewer and I met for 40 minutes. It was a pleasant experience, however I could not get a feeling about how I did, probably not a good sign :( Overall, I did like Downstate more than I thought I would, going to the school really sold me.
Overall pretty good interview. Not much sweat but we agreed that the decision to "admit" was already decided b4 hand so interview reflects that?
Again, awful overnight experience. After a good info session, there was a tour. One tour guide said she is always tired and lazy and sleeps a lot, so she did not seem too enthusiastic about the school. The other loved SUNY. She did a good job selling the school.
The interview was definitely more of a stress interview. It was difficult to establish rapport with the interviewer because for the most part, the interviewer was lookiking through my AMCAS application to ask questions. Most of the interview was spent explaining blemishes. The interview became better once it was time for me ask questions. But for the most part, there was a lack of flow between the interviewer and me.
The interview itself was really pleasant. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to my interviewer and I think the interview itself was the most enjoyable I have had so far (this was my fourth). However starting from the tour it was downhill. The tourguides were extremely unenthusiastic and didn't help us at all get a good idea of what downstate is like. Just to sum it up I know I can cross Downstate off my list. I already got into schools that I liked much better.
I was planning on parking in their parking garage, but I happend to find parking on the street. The admissions office is right inside the front entrance. I was brought by the admissions secretary to the interview waiting room. A member of the admissions staff then came in and gave a 15 minute overview of the school. We then had 2 students give a tour of the school, which included lunch in the student center. We then returned to the waiting room. My interviewer got stuck in a meeting, so I ended up waiting for a while. A member of the admissions staff then came to bring me to my interview, which was in the hospital (same building though). My interview was with one of the physicians who is a Downstate graduate. The interview was mostly conversational, with nothing too difficult asked. Most questions were about my AMCAS and my experiences. At the end they have you fill out a form evaluating your student tour guides. Overall a positive experience.
You arrive at the school and check in with the admissions office. The staff escorts you to a comfortable room stocked with books, journals and comfy chairs. You are able to relax and talk to other applicants while you wait for your interview. The admissions staff will meet you in this room and escort you to your interview. The tour covers the anatomy lab (recently remodeled), dorms, and library.
Fairly fast-paced and conversational. We covered EVERYTHING you could think of relating to my application -- my interviewer was very very prepared. I had to talk about research I did in 2002-2003, and give really concise summaries of pretty obscure non-medical research. He asked me questions about my work, my school, research, hobbies, extra-curriculars, everything.
Honestly, I felt exhausted by the end of the interview, because we'd covered so much. I was never asked questions that I wouldn't know the answers to, though. Things were always on topics with which I had some familiarity, and my interviewer seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say.
My interviewer asked me the classic, "How did you realize you wanted to go into medicine?" and I started to answer, but somehow we ended up on this 10-minute diversion on food and cooking. My interviewer was quite pleasant and answered my questions without that condescending or impatient tone that other interviewers have used with me (dude, you know the one... where they're so close to ending the interview that they can't wait to leave).
My interview was great. They try to match you up with a faculty member who works in the same field that you are interested in. That made it much easier to discuss why I wanted to go intio medicine. My interview was more like a conversation. He didn't ask any of the typical interview questions. It seemed as if he just wanted to get a feel for me but knew I'd get into the school.
Horrible to say the least. The school was nice but my interview totally stunk. The interviewer didn't seem too happy with any of my answers and I stuttered while explaining my research and clinical experience, and I didnt say a lot of stuff I wanted to. And at times, I was too honest and didn't try to sell myself enough. And me getting the normal body temperature wrong is definitely not good. I dont think i have a shot here anymore.
I had a great interviewer (he knew everything about me without even opening up my file), the interview felt like a casual conversation, the students were friendly
well, the reason i gave this one a yellow neutral face was because of my interviewer. i really liked everything about the school (aside from the location) and i think i could fit in really well there. however, my interviewer did not give me the time of day whatsoever. i feel almost cheated. she was rude, she interrupted me several times, she had this attitude like she had better things to do, even from the get-go. she also sat facing away from me as she wrote almost the entire time. i feel like i answered my questions the best i could, but who knows what she thought. the only thing i could gather from her was that she obviously had better things to do. i really wish people like her would not decide to be on the admissions committee. i mean, isn't it optional? i hope others have better interview experiences.
Some people have interviews in the morning (9am or 10am), and others have them in the afternoon (1pm, 2pm, or 3pm). The tour starts at 11am, goes for about 45mins, then you have lunch with your tour guides and some faculty. The first year tour guides took a few students to an anatomy lecture in the afternoon.
My interviewer was very friendly and the interview was conversational.
I enjoyed my experience, despite my nervousness. My interviewer was very friendly and informative. I enjoyed the tour as well, even though freshly fallen snow covered the ground (hence, making it a little difficult to walk in my interview suit and shoes).
great, just waited for the interview to start, waited for 4 hours nothing to eat or drink, and was rushed through lunch, had to carry food to interview
Only asked the required questions. Cut me off several times in mid sentence to jump to completely different topics. Almost got the impression that the interviewer was trying to fluster me on purpose. He was extremely kind though, which made it even more confusing.
I was a little nervous at first since it was my first interview, but the interview was real laid-back. All the other prospective students said their interviewers were really cool too.
the guy called me in, didnt even introduce himself or even tell me to sit down, and started with "tell me about yourself." half-way through one of my responses, he answered a phone call and talked for about 3 minutes. interview lasted about 20 minutes and i felt cheated. he asked me three times if my parents were doctors or if anyone in my family was a doctor.....DONT LET THE GREEN SMILEY FACES FOOL YOU...DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME COMING TO THIS INTERVIEW
Overall good. I really enjoyed talking with the student tourguides and my especially my interviewer about the school. I can tell they genuinely like being at Downstate. The cons are that the school doesn't get enough funding for nice renovations like other schools, but the fact that the clinical experiences at the renowned hospitals are so worthwhile: students get much responsibility in the 3rd and 4th years so they enter residency feeling independent and confident. Interview was conversational and not at all stressful. My interviewer mentioned that the school is concerned about students adjusting to city life.
This is the first interviewer I had who seemed uninterested in interviewing. It is disappointing when your interviewer doesn't seem like he cares about being part of the admissions process. He was busy with patients and feeling under the weather, and was basically saying that the school wanted him to ask certain questions even though he feels that they have already been answered in the application. He was not engaging or conversational.
Overall, I had a good experience. I was nervous but by the time of my interview (i'd already had a tour and had an afternoon interview) I was much more relaxed and could talk about what I'd seen that day (facilities, etc..) Downstate is a great place to be if you thrive in an environment that is diverse and are comfortable being in a typical NYC underserved neighborhood (although the growth there is evident). Having gone to a city school, (similar urban setting), I felt great to be there and know that I can gain excellent clinical experience as well as student/faculty support during my time there.
all the people in admissions are really friendly and outgoing. my itnerviewer was not my scheduled interviewer but she was just as nice. we spent a while talking and she went into detail about what it was like to be a female physician in a very sub-specialty. it was a good day. it was hard to tell if she liked me or not because i could not read her expressions very well. I guess that's a good quality to have as an interviewer...
I think it was ok, I wasn't nervous and I planned on "owning the room" so to speak when I went into interview. When the interview was being conducted the interviewer didn't have much time to ask me many other questions about other topics than my AMCAS app. But I really like the school, although its not for everyone
I enjoyed it because we shared the same resource interests, but I felt like the guy was really milking me. He basically interrogated me for an hour and a half, but I think he really wanted the best for me. Something different to write for the committee
overall, positive. the interview was basically a conversation. the interviewer was nice, but also severe. he didn't seem very positive or negative about my answers. however, based on the length of the conversation, i felt pretty good about it.
My interview was really nice...as mentioned he did have a list of questions and at times i felt like i was dictating answers for him to write on his notepad and had to repeat myself a few times or talk slowly so he would have time to write...he also seemed to try to re-word my answers so they would sound better to the admissions committee...the interiew was very long and be prepared to give details on all your extracurrics
the interview was pretty standard. we talked about our own respective families, talked about what brought me to medicine, etc. he typed a lot on his laptop, taking notes. the students there seemed to attend based on cost, but cost is no small issue when it comes to medical school. they seemed happy, and living in park slope is a nice benefit to attending the school.
My interviewer was really nice and it seemed like she was really trying to convince me to go to the school so it was half interview and half recruitment.
This was my first interview, and if I knew how relaxed it was going to be I would not have been half as nervous. I was part of a group of maybe 12 other interviewees. We went on a tour together, ate lunch, had a Q & A session with the med students and then had our individual interviews. The facilites aren't wonderful, but then again, who cares when you're in NYC. At Downstate, it seems guaranteed that you'll be taken above and beyond as far as acquisition of hands-on skills are concerned.
Good experience in general. I was a bit confused about the schedule at first, but basically, for morning interviewers, you have your interview, then you have a small info. session with the dean of admissions, then a tour and a light lunch. For afternoon interviewers, you have your info. session, tour, lunch, and then your interview. But overall, the place was easy to find, when you're walking around the area, just look for the largest and most gothic-looking brown building, and that's King's Hospital. The Science center is right across the street from it and the admissions office is right inside. I just wish they could have given a tour of King's Hospital.
met with admissions person who talked about the school to all of us other interviewees. med students gave a tour of the school. had lunch with med students. went to interview. went home. many of the people on this website who comment that the school is in the "ghetto" should really think of why they are going into medicine. being in an underserved urban community, downstate med students get a real chance to obtain hands on experience not available to med students at other med schools, and to make a substantial difference in someone's life which to me is one of the biggest perks of going to school in the "ghetto." if you want extensive clinical exposure, then Downstate is the right place for you. residency directors are continually pleased with the caliber of students that graduate from Downstate. also, remember that most of the really good med schools are located in underserved communities (Baltimore, Harlem, North Philly, etc.) because their students get phenomenal clinical exposure. i really liked the school, but I wasn't a big fan of the grading scale which is something like Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail. i feel it may breed competitiveness which would be a bit of a downer in med school. people say that the Downstate interview will be one of the most mellow interviews, but that wasn't my experience at all. my interviewer was a female general surgeon. at the risk of sounding un-p.c. (although i think that pc stuff is bs) having worked in i-banking after college for two years, I've experienced that a lot of women in male dominated specialties act like aggressive ball busters to prove to others that they can handle the work, and this is exactly what my interviewer was like being a woman in surgery, a male dominated specialty. she was aggressive and cold. she asked nit picky questions about my application that didn't emphasize a holistic view of me (Why did you take this anthropology course? Why did you get a B in this class?). her closing comment to me was, "well, I hope you get a lot more interviews so you feel really good about yourself." thinking that this was the worst interview in my life, I wasn't expecting an acceptance letter from them which I received two weeks later. if I do decide to go there, I hope I don't have to ever work with her. i think that a lot of pre-meds should remember that as much we are trying to sell ourselves to the school, the school should also try to sell themselves to us. to the med schools that are browse this site, remember that most pre-meds interviewing early in the process will most likely obtain multiple acceptances, so it's important for the school to put on a favorable impression and to choose interviewers who are interested in getting to know the interviewees.
overall very positive...the professor who interviewed me was very friendly and did not seem at all intimidating. the interview was more like a conversation than a formal interview
After reading some of the comments on this site, I thought I might not like it; however, I must say that this place is definitely up for consideration if I get in. Tuition is great and the people are wonderful.
My interviewer was late, but his personality made up for it. This interview reinforced my belief that interviewers are chosen with the applicant's racial status/ethnicity in mind.
This was an incredibly relaxed interview. It was my first, so I was kind of nervous. But the interview was more like a conversation where my interviewer spent a lot of time yammering away about Downstate and only occasionally stopped to ask me a question or two.
I put "no change" for my impression because I liked the tour and the students, but my interview was pretty bad. My interviewer was a pediatric nephrologist. He was friendly but had a thick accent - there were times he didn't understand me and that I didn't understand him. I hadn't anticipated a language barrier. I felt like I fielded questions well but am worried that he didn't get it all. He asked trivia questions but called them "common knowledge questions" and acted like he really expected me to answer them. And on the serious questions, I felt like he wasn't really listening. He asked me a lot of things that made be repeat myself. UNFORTUNATELY for me, the other interviewees had much different experiences: very relaxed with basic questions. Guess it's just the luck of the draw.
the school is a good school, but it seems that all the students are there because of the cost, not because they love it. though they did seem relatively happy.
The interview was very relaxed--she barely asked me any questions. Then we had a really brief tour and a pretty shabby lunch. Over all, except for the interview itself, nothing really impressed me about the school, except maybe the fact that Kings County Hospital is a great place to get clinical experience.
The experience overall was very good. The staff in the admissions office was nice, and the interview was more conversational. My interviewer and I talked about our respective research and I believe that we clicked on a lot of things.
Now to address something I've consistently seen written about Downstate: People have posted complaints about the quality of the facilities and in the same breath have praised the low tuition. If Downstate charges almost half of what other schools charge, one cannot expect state of the art facilities. That is the trade off! If fancy classrooms and anatomy labs are what you desire then, if you can, attend a more expensive school. I found the facilities to be very adequate. I think anyone who interviews at Downstate needs to maintain this perspective.
This was my first interview so I was somewhat nervous but the interviewer was very nice and made me feel comfortable. The questions seemed standardized and were read off a sheet.
It was my first interview so I was very nervous. But the staff and students really calmed me down with their jokes and positive attitude. It was nice that there is a hospital right across the street where students work in during their 3rd and 4th yrs.
The interviewer basically told me up front that as far as he was concerned, I was admitted, and that the interview was pretty much a formality. After that, it was just an awesome conversation. He also had to fill out some form with questions on it.
Great day, everything went well. There was a lot of down time but I had brought a book, so no big deal. The interview was cool and I didn't have the crazy interviewer that some people mentioned on this website. My interview started out boring, since my interviewer asked me questions off a sheet and wrote all my answers down without even looking at me. But when we digressed and talked about topics not on the sheet the interview got a lot better.
The interviewer asked a series of questions off a sheet. There were a lot of questions, however, none were especially difficult. They were standard questions that I had expected. The interviewer took notes during the interview. I was never really pressed for a more in depth response and didn't feel like the interviewer wanted to challenge me. Although my interviewer had reviewed my file before hand, we discussed most of the experiences that I had listed on my AMCAS application for clarification of dates, etc.
Overall I was impressed with the school. My interviewer did not follow the so called question sheet at all. I had all my answers prepared on what I was going to say about Downstate and why I wanted to go to Downstate. We actually barely talked about anything medically realted at all. In fact, he was more interested in why I chose to go to MIT rather than my interest in medicine. I think he was surprised with me because I did not fit the typical MIT stereotype. We also talked about our mutual interest in how engineers need a larger role in medicine as well as the prospects of Bioengineering at MIT. The interview was seriously a conversation about anything and everything. I tried to prepare, but my interviewer did not follow the standard format.
We spent the first 15 minutes on a couple of standard questions and the rest of the 45 minutes on Shakespeare, New York, and what Downstate has to offer. The interviewer was very nice and made me feel very comfortable.
I was very nervous at first, but once I started talking, things got a little better-- they try to be very relaxed and laid back. Everyone at Downstate was very friendly and eager to answer questions and give advice.
My interviewer took notes during the entire interview, but explained what was going to happen very well.
The interviewer spent more time than I would have preferred talking about the courses she taught, and asking specifics about my undergraduate school because her daughter was looking into going to school there. The questions were more formatted than I expected- there was literally a worksheet she had to fill out. I felt she wasn't truly listening to my answers, rather simply asking the necessary questions. It was, however, not at all stressful, and I feel students really have a good support system here- from both peers and faculty.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. I had read many posts on this site and SDN which slammed downstate and I took that to heart. In the end, they were all wrong predispositions to have. The students were happy, the staff was very helpful (when the admissions director saw me run into the admissions office, he was gracious enough to stop what he was doing to walk me to my interview site across the street at Kings County) and the facilities really weren't as bad as they were made out to be.
I guess the only drawback is the neighborhood, but in all honesty I doubt that that'd be a deciding factor in attending downstate. Heck, columbia med is on 168th street, an area comparable to downstate's location, but you don't see people camplaining about attending columbia because of it.
I thought that it was a good interview but i ended up getting rejected. it goes to show you that you can never gauge these things. oh well i think its a good school if your not too scared of the city and if you wanna work in an urban setting where patients are from all walks of life
it was an overall good experience. my interviewer was totally cool and nice so it made my first med school interview ever as least stressful as it could have been. what really made me feel comfortable was that I think I won my interviewer over by just the fact that when I lived in New York, i went to Stuyvesant High School (he has sons of his own in high school, so he must know how hard it is to get in there...lucky for me i guess). in fact, he was more impressed by that fact than by anything else i had done, it seemed. by the end of the interview, which was for a wait-list position only, he was almost like a counselor, asking me where else i had gotten interviews and giving me confidence that i would most likely get in somewhere (hasn't happened yet, so i'm still crossing my fingers)
The interview itself went well. My interviewer had some positive things to say about me which was encouraging. The group of people I was interviewing with was extremely down to earth and great to talk to, unlike other schools I've interviewed at. The students at the school also seemed very happy there, and REAL.
Overall, I was pleased with the experience. The people in the admissions office were very nice. My interviewer was a really nice person, and he even offered me his home phone number in case I had anymore questions. We did have much in common, though, so I wouldn't say for sure that he does this for everyone. Still, it made me feel comfortable. He said positive things about the school but was honest with its shortcomings. Had I not wanted to attend a different school for personal reasons, I would have seriously considered going to this school.
Interview went well, they didn't ask any hard questions, just the basics. However, I hated the environment. I felt like someone was going to rob me and current medical students told me that you WILL get robbed/mugged at least once a year, if not more. You have to live close to the school so that your life revolves around classes and then straight to your apartment. Places to go out for weekends are to Queens, Manhattan, or to the better parts of Brooklyn. This is a great school, but the worst possible location.
My interview itself was wonderful. My interviewer really knew my file and was the nicest lady in history. It was very much a conversation and she clearly seemed to be on my side as far as getting me into school. I don't know if I can see myself at Downstate though. It is just such a depressing environment to spend four grooling years of hard work. However, I do not agree with the previous poster who said its not worth going if it was your only acceptance. I actually think they have a strong curriculum if you can handle the facilities/location. Fortunately I have other acceptances.
Initially, I went to the Downstate interview feeling really stressed because of all the negative comments that I read on SDN. However, I found those comments to be false. The staff at Downstate is very friendly, esp. the Associate Admissions Director who even took the time to answer some questions after my interview. I was very impressed by how well prepared the interviewer was regarding my file. I spoke to other students at the interview and they also said they were surprised at how nice the interviewers were compared to what they read about this school on this site.
The whole experience was far better than I had ever expected. My interviewer tried to make things very conversational -- and very comforatable -- and seemed to really be on my side. Even though I'm not the strongest candidate, he focused on my high points as if he was building a strong case to present to the admissions committee. This was very comforting. The campus gets 7 out of 10 stars -- and if you've lived in a large urban city like Los Angeles or Brooklyn, then it's exactly what you'd expect. The tour sold me -- lots of talk about block curriculum and case-based learning, and the two medical school tour guides were very candid about grading system, group study, competition among students, etc. Overall, an incredible experience and a great school.
I really liked downstate. The comments on this site are very misleading. I may be attracted to downstate because i'm from brooklyn and used to the urban atmosphere but really did you ppl expect harvard or vassar architecture in the heart of a depressed brooklyn neighborhood? Its not glamourous but its the realities of most hospital conditions in this country- functional and well kept but not the pretties thing in the world. Labs are fine- the smell was fine and i actually liked the set up. Also the student body seemed to be really awesome. If you aren't uptight and want to work with underserved populations this is the school for you. If you want to become a doctor for reasons other than prestige and money, then this is also the place for you.
I would choose any school over downstate with the lack of reputation and minimal training and down atmosphere that they provide with run down facilities and professors and administrators who think that they are g-ds gift to the world.
Besides having to hop off the train and into a cab due to technical difficulties on the subway, I had a great day. The other interviewees were nice, and we had a chance to talk to/get to know each other before we went on the tour. We received a very brief orientation session of about 15-20 minutes, and then spent some time with two med students, who took us on a tour and had lunch with us. Then, we had afternoon interviews, but only after sitting in the interviewee room for over an hour.
My experience was extremely positive. I had a great time talking with my interviewer. She was fantastic and made me feel so comfortable during the interview. The student tour guides were very positive and made sure all questions were answered. You can tell they really enjoy medical school.
we talked for an hour and a half. The coversation was smooth and the interviewer was generaly a nice guy although a bit spacey. the students at downstate seem happy and overall it seems like a good school
I would like to say that I had good personal recs, a high gpa, and high mcat score. I was insulted and accused of things that were not in my application. It was an outer world and horrible exp.
Overall, the experience was not as stressful as I thought it would be. The staff in the admissions office was very warm and welcoming, and their attitude made my first interview a much easier experience. Both my interviewer and the other interviewers I had seen were easy to talk to, and seemed very happy to be at Downstate.
This was a horrible interview. The doctor that interviewed me was crude. He used a lot of foul language, which didn't impress me much. I could have dealt with, but it seemed like from the moment I walked in his office, he had it set that I should go to SUNY Stony Brook (which ultimately I got accepted into), but the point is that I was interviewing for Downstate. I don't believe that an interviewer should make this decision for you.
I went in there with a stress level of 10 but by the time I met with my interviewer it decreased to 3. I wasn't asked any difficult questions. I was kind of worried going in after reading some of the negative comments that were posted on this site. However, I don't share the same opinion as those who were "negatively impressed" with the neighborhood surrounding the school especially since my undergrad institution is located in a similar area and I want to worked in an underserved community. If accepted I will seriously consider attending.
Overall, I wasn't impressed. My interviewer focused on my grades and MCAT score. He wasn't interested in anything else on my application. I think there's more to an applicant than their grades. The school seems to care more about numbers than extracurriculum activities, leadership skills or .
Overall, I wasn't impressed. My interviewer focused on my grades and MCAT score. He wasn't interested in anything on my application. I think there's mroe to an applicant than their grades. The school seems to care more about numbers than anything else.
I was kinda worried going into this one, just from all the negative experiences that have been posted on this site. But my experience could not have been more comfortable...my interviewer was extremely nice and enthusiastic.
it was overall very positive, i guess i was feeling a bit down on the school because of all the negative comments, but i think now that those may just be spoiled kids who aren't used to some of the realities of life or interested in underserved populations. the interviewer was great and said that i should get in, and let me ask all the questions i wanted. he tried to answer honestly, and it seemed to me that he did. cool school, unless you want to gimp out into some overpaid underworked uberspecialty.
Overall, this was a very relaxed interview, everyone was very helpful and supportive, and made every effort to make you feel at ease throughout the process.
My interviewer was late and the interview was too long. I left there feeling inadequate, like what I was doing now was not impressive whereas some higher ranked schools did find what I was doing very interesting and admirable.
Two students conducted the tour of the medical school, the library, the gym, and the study desks. Then we had sandwiches and cookies for lunch while we could ask the guides more questions. Then, after the lunch, I had my interview with an MD. I got the impression that my interviewer did not want to be there conducting the interview. He did not seem interested in my application and even questioned the significance of my clinical experience. I left Downstate with a very negative impression and I now know that I will not be happy attending medical school there.
I have already been accepted somewhere else, but I decided to go on this interview because of it's location in New York City (the med school I got into is kinda of rural). I wasn't expecting much from the school, I just tried to see if I could see myself being happy at the school, which, I don't think I would be, even though it's only a subway ride from Manhattan. Also, I am interested in urban medicine and would someday like to practice medicine in an enviromnent where Downstate is located. But I think I want to get the best training possible first, and I have a feeling I wouldn't get that at Downstate.
I had an interview with a physician who was very nice. She basically went through my application with me, asking me to clarify certain things, specically Grades (I have several W's). Since I have taken time off since college she asked me a lot about my job and things i have done outside of the medical field. Pretty straight forward, mostly just clarifying things in my application.
The interview went extremely well. It was very laid back and comfortable. The standard expected questions were asked, I asked a bunch of questions. My interviewer was very kind, and we got alone well.
It was a very low stress interview. My interviewer seemed to have read my application thoroughly and asked me direct questions about what I wrote. Overall, I like Downstate.
very negative. The comments about this school on the sdn website are very accurate. I'm glad that other people also shared a basically negative exp interviewing at this school. I had high hopes for this school, but having encountered such negative energy here from a variety of persons, I would not attend this school. There is no excuse for the way that their admissions' interviewers relate to students. Also the assistant dean of admissions was unhelpful and curt.
I went to SUNY Downstate with an open mind and was pleased with the interview process. The staff ushered me to a waiting room where I met a few morning interviewees who were waiting for their tour and lunch. Most interviewees were generally reserved and quiet but I spent a lot of time chatting with a fellow interviewee. Then the associate dean of admission entered and gave his informal and "matter-of-fact" speech regarding SUNY Downstate's qualities. He admitted to not having experience working with students and was rather defensive over SUNY Downstate's shortcomings. The tour guide consist of three 2nd/3rd year students. The anatomy lab was a well-lit and spacious space (typically 4 person per cadaver). The lecture hall and student center (gym) were outdated, but the students stressed that Downstate emphasizes curriculum and clinical care over appearance of the infrastructure. Lunch consisted of a variety of wraps, chips, and soda. Morning interviewees have plenty of time to relax afterwards but I had only five minutes to eat!! My interviewer was fantastic partly because we went to the same undergraduate institution. He clearly have gone through my file as he recalls activities and courses that I mention without flipping through. He also kept eye contact and never wrote anything down, so I kept my answers brief since he won't remember the details anyway. He was clearly passionate about his work and environment which I had several opportunities to ask about. On the way out, he escorted me to the exit, passing by the ER/trauma room. I walked away with a smile.
Heed the SDN warnings, several of my peers felt similarly and had interviewers that were angry people. Out of six of us, five reported a hostile interview experience.
Overall very negative. The place is falling apart, the students were unenthusiastic, but nice. I think they felt the faculty was substandard in terms of how they relate to students
I came there with an open mind, not wanting to be influenced by all the negative comments I had read. I did not get the interviewer from hell, but nevertheless I did not get a good impression. My interviewer did not seem interested in anything I had to say - he just ran down his list of questions without asking many follow-up questions to any of my responses. Luckily I was able to answer all the questions after reading this website. When I got there the staff almost made fun of me for being nervous. The worst part was that I had just come off the red-eye flight that morning and was starving, and I couldn't eat my lunch because they changed my interview time to an hour early without telling me.
overall terrific experience: admissions escorts you to your interview, interviewer escorts you back - students seem really happy there and get really excellent clinical training. other plusses: organ-based curriculum, extra mini-courses (photography or something of the sort), *CHEAP* tuition, supportive faculty. Downsides are the facilities and the sub-crappy neighborhood...but those are the prices to pay for really good clinical experiences.
Led from holding-tank room to office of Anaesthesiologist, sort of antisocial, reading questions from a canned list and writing answers as I gave them. Not wonderful, but not horrible, decent tour (small campus), crappy lunch. Subsequent subway ride to Manhattan greatly recommended.
Facilities were aweful. Neighborhood OK. Students didn't show much cohesiveness at all. Tour was a joke. Lunch looked like it was made by the Dean's wife 5 minutes before we got there.
The interview itself was ok... just ok. My interviewer never worked with students; not in class, not in research. So he really couldn't answer my questions. He was a very nice man though.
All my questions were answered the day before anyway by the students I had met.
The overall experience was really good and the school does a great job educating their students and providing things to do outside of class. They tend to plug the whole "less debt" thing.
Overall very laid back and easy-going. There is a lot of negative feedback here, but from what the student hosts said it seems like there's really just one evil faculty interviewer who is most likely the basis for all of the negative comments (so don't worry!!!!). Everyone I interviewed with had an extremely easy time. I'm still not entirely sold on this place, but the interview/tour left me with a good impression.
Another thing to note for future interviewees - it was pretty obvious that they have a set of about 10 questions that ALL interviewees get.
I was worried after reading several posts about the bad neighborhood and run-down facilities. If you've ever been to NYC outside of Times Square and other touristy places, you'd realize the neighborhood is not dangerous at all. While the facilities are not spectacular, the cheap in-state tuition more than makes up for it.
The admissions staff was very nice, as were the students, but besides that, the day was terrible. they charge u for parking. the day is organized so it is almost impossible to get to your interview on time. the lunch was truly pathetic. my interviewer was obnoxious. it was a barrage of questions start to finish. he did not care about my answers at all, all he cared about was trying to push me around. he asked insane questions that have nothing to do with anything (see above). he asked more questions in this interview than i had in 5 previous interviews combined. he insulted me personally. he treated me like crap.
The admissions director was quite frank with those of us interviewing that day, and said that most of us will have very stress-free talks with faculty while some may have to answer some tough questions. Unfortunately, I fell in the latter category since I've taken some time off doing non-medically related activities. During the interview, no matter how I tried to explain my choices and decisions, I felt like I wasn't quite getting through to my interviewer
Extremely low stress, it was a pretty comfortable conversation. The admissions staff were very friendly and my tour guides were hilarious, very informative and amenable to answering my reams of questions.
I went to downstate expecting to be dissapointed. Instead, I was very pleased with all that I saw. The people I met were all friendly and excited to be a part of downstate. The facilities were perfectly fine. Yes, the anatomy lab was a little stinky, but come on people what do you expect? The interview was mostly just a conversation, and was not stressful in any way. Downstate is now one of my top choices, and the price is right.
After requesting a second interview and sending a letter about Dr. Selzer's behavior (as per the school's request; they had had problems with him before), I was then treated very badly. They sent me a "cover your a--" kind of letter that did not reflect the good will that I had shown them in mine. Though I am quite angry now, I was so incredibly patient then, that I will never forget how this institution allows its faculty to treat prospective students. If you are gay ( I am not), if you are a woman ( I am not) or if you care about issues related to human kind forget this school. Both faculty who interviewed me were white males in "high positions ( they give you the person's specialty and title when you get there)." If these are the people who they elect to interview students, all I can say is
The interview at Downstate was definitely a non stress interview. They asked the standard questions - Why do you want to become a doctor? What are your activities? Blah Blah Blah. After my interview, the interviewer tried to kid of "sell the school" talking about all of its strengths etc.
My interview was great. The interviewer really took the time to get to know me and allowed me to tie up loose strings in my application. That doesn't happen very often! She and the rest of the admissions staff were very accommodating and receptive.
My interview was with the Dean of Student Affairs and strangely, he didn't seem all that familiar with the school. The interview was not particularly high pressure, although I undoubtedly did most of the talking.
Interview went very long, over 1 hour, but was very pleasant. A young practising doctor interviewed me and was very understanding and encouraging.
Student tour guides were very positive about the school, but they gave me the feeling that the school community is not very cohesive --probably has to do with the location of the school.
Overall, positive. If I get in here, I'm going here - the cost is great. Those of you not liking the neighborhood - I am a 10 year NYC resident, and have lived in a neighborhood right near the school for over two years (it was a 15 minute walk for me to get to my interview). While it isn't pretty, it really isn't dangerous, and you can find a decent apartment near the campus for the same or slightly less than the school housing.
it was really nice, my nervousness went from a 7 to a 3, because my interviewer made me feel comfortable, i came out gleaming from ear to ear, but you never know.
My general impression was alright. While the other people that I met were very nice, my interviewer kind of soured the experience. He conducted the interview in the psych ER, on a couch in a small office. He was interrupted several times and was completely unprepared to interview me. I had to rehash my entire application over with him, and even so, I don't think he had all of the facts straight. He also read off the questions, and in general is ill-suited for conducting interviews. He left no time for questions. The facilities are standard and institutional.
It was pretty good, just a lot of interviews. The faculty interviews aside from the director was very informal. Seemed like a nice place, although i felt like i stood out walking to and from teh subway.
Some of the restaurants have bullet proof glass hiding the clerks. Bit shocking but i even asked someone for directions on the street and they were helpful.
My interviewer and I did not really click. Maybe b/c it was my first interview, but the person just read off the questions. jotting notes the entire time and writing the report as i was leaving! the school itself gave me good vibes.
Overall, the experience was alright. The dean of admissions stressed to us that the interviews would be very low stress. My interviewer rarely talked, so I used this to my advantage and controlled the interview. It was kind of awkward because at times I felt like I was talking to myself. Wasn't all that impressed with the school. Worst anatomy lab I've seen.
Overall the interview was alright considering it was my first one. The questions weren't too hard, however I really don't think that the interviewer got to know me at all. He flipped through my application and some other papers alot. It didn't make the interview conversational at all.
the facilities weren't as bad as I was expecting. the interview itself went into a lot of depth into everything on my application. the students were very open and friendly.
Very nitpicky, My last choice and i got grilled. I felt like they were making a point. The students were lackluster and not that positive about the school. Made me feel lucky to have other interviews in NY State.
My overall impression was that the interview was tough, given that it was my first one. The interviewer seemed to be trying to break me down with every question, and what made it tough was that he seemed uninterested in a lot of things I had to say. At the end of the interview, however, he gave me positive feedback about how I did, although I have not heard back from them yet. Go figure, that's med school admissions for you.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest that the admissions office should better organize the interview day schedule to minimize downtime, improve communication and interaction with candidates, provide more engaging activities during the visit, and enhance the overall experience by addressing logistical issues and offering more informative sessions or tours. Additionally, there is a recurring theme of transitioning to online communication and application processes to streamline operations and reduce waste.
Organize the time wasted better, offer better options than tuna for food during an interview day, the picture prompt seems unnecessary and an additive stress for an interview day, interact with the candidates more instead of keeping us in a room for hours.
The admissions office can be a little warm, even if it is a chilly day. More variety of snacks and drinks like tea or coffee would be a huge plus for morning interviewers.
The interview day program at Downstate is far below average and gives a very poor impression of the school. Each component of the day, as well as the overall schedule, needs to be carefully looked at and systematically improved. A committee of current M1s may be helpful because they have experienced the interview trail recently and can make suggestions based on what they encountered elsewhere.