SUNY Downstate Medical Center facts for kids
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| Type | Public medical school |
|---|---|
| Established | 1860 |
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Parent institution
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State University of New York |
| Chancellor | Deborah F. Stanley |
| President | Wayne J. Riley, MD, MPH, MBA, MACP |
| Students | 1,846 |
| Undergraduates | 211 |
| Postgraduates | 1,635 |
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Other students
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1,040 residents |
| Location |
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40°39′19″N 73°56′45″W / 40.6554°N 73.9457°W |
| Website | [1] |
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is a public medical school and hospital located in Brooklyn, New York. It's a key part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. This university is the only academic medical center that focuses on health education, research, and patient care for the 2.5 million people living in Brooklyn. It's also the only state-run hospital in New York City.
Downstate Health Sciences University includes several important parts. These are the College of Medicine, Colleges of Nursing, School of Graduate Studies, School of Health Professions, and the School of Public Health. It also has the University Hospital of Brooklyn, a big research center, and special biotechnology facilities.
Many doctors who work in New York City graduated from Downstate. It also has one of the largest training programs for young doctors in the country. Downstate is a major employer in Brooklyn, helping many people find jobs. It also brings a lot of money into New York State.
Contents
Discovering Downstate's Past: A Journey Through Time
SUNY Downstate celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2010. This marked the year the Long Island College Hospital first opened its doors to students. But Downstate's story actually began even earlier, in 1856. A small group of doctors started a free clinic in Brooklyn. They wanted to help poor immigrants.
This clinic was first called the German General Dispensary. It aimed to help German people in Brooklyn. But soon, it started helping everyone. In 1857, it became a charity and was renamed The St. John's Hospital. This was the first of many name changes.
How Medical Training Changed at Downstate
In 1858, the state officially allowed the Long Island College Hospital of the City of Brooklyn to operate. It could also give medical degrees. Students had to attend lectures and train with a doctor for three years. A new idea was that medical students should learn by helping patients in the hospital. This was a big change for its time. Other medical schools soon started doing this too.
In 1860, the school officially opened with 57 male students. It was one of only 11 medical schools that accepted African American students. Famous doctors, like Dr. Austin Flint Sr., taught there. Dr. Flint helped make the stethoscope a common tool for doctors.
Over the next few decades, the Long Island College Hospital grew a lot. It added more facilities and courses. By World War I, women could also be admitted. Training for doctors who had already graduated was also added. In 1930, the college and hospital became separate. This meant each had its own leaders. The school was renamed the Long Island College of Medicine in 1931.
Joining the SUNY System
In 1945, the college bought a large piece of land. This land would become the future Downstate Medical Center. The "Downstate" era began on April 5, 1950. This is when the State University of New York (SUNY) and the Long Island College of Medicine officially joined together. It was called "Downstate" to tell it apart from the SUNY medical center in Syracuse, New York, which is known as "Upstate". A few years later, the current campus was built in the East Flatbush area of Brooklyn.
In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower helped start the building of the Basic Sciences Building. The campus grew quickly after that. A student center, dorms, and a nurses' residence were added. In 1966, Governor Nelson Rockefeller opened the University Hospital of Brooklyn (UHB). This is Downstate's own teaching hospital. The School of Graduate Studies, the College of Health Related Professions, and the College of Nursing were also started that year. In 1987, Governor Mario Cuomo and Mayor Edward Koch helped start the new Health Science Education Building. Most student classes are held there now.
Academic Programs: Learning at Downstate
SUNY Downstate offers many professional education programs. These programs prepare students for careers in healthcare. Most students come from the New York City area. Many have immigrant backgrounds. They also come from different racial and cultural groups. These differences make the learning experience better for everyone.
Downstate has a College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Together, they offer more than 30 health-focused programs.
College of Medicine: Becoming a Doctor
The College of Medicine gives out the MD degree. This is one of the oldest medical schools in the country. It has about 800 students, making it one of the largest medical colleges in New York State. Many doctors working in New York City graduated from Downstate's College of Medicine.
The college also offers a special MD/PhD degree. This combines medical training with advanced research.
School of Graduate Studies: Deep Dive into Science
The School of Graduate Studies has three main programs. The Neural and Behavioral Science program is the oldest. Scientists here study the brain and behavior. The Molecular and Cellular Biology program focuses on how cells work. This includes topics like heart health and cancer. The Biomedical Engineering program works with NYU's Polytechnic Institute. It focuses on things like robotics and medical imaging.
The school also works with the University at Albany. They offer an MD/PhD program in nanoscale medicine. This program teaches students how to use tiny technology (nanotechnology) to improve healthcare.
School of Public Health: Community Health Leaders
The School of Public Health was the first new school at SUNY Downstate since 1966. It started in 2001 as a program within the College of Medicine. In 2008, it became its own school. It offers five master's and three doctoral programs. It also has programs that combine different degrees.
College of Health Professions: Allied Health Careers
The College of Health Professions is for undergraduate and graduate students. It has trained almost 4,000 healthcare professionals since 1966. Most students already have a four-year college degree in another field. Its midwifery program was the first of its kind in the nation.
College of Nursing: Caring for Patients
The College of Nursing offers programs for nurses. One program is for licensed nurses who want to earn a bachelor's degree. Another is for students with a degree in a different field who want to become nurses quickly. This college is one of only four in New York State that offers master's degrees for all advanced nursing roles.
Patient Care: Helping the Community
University Hospital of Brooklyn: A Place for Healing
| University Hospital of Brooklyn | |
|---|---|
| Geography | |
| Location | 450 Clarkson Avenue Brooklyn, New York City, United States |
| Organization | |
| Hospital type | Teaching |
| Affiliated university | SUNY Downstate College of Medicine |
University Hospital of Brooklyn (UHB) provides full medical care throughout Brooklyn. It has a main hospital site in Central Brooklyn. It also has nine smaller clinics in different neighborhoods. UHB can care for over 300,000 patients each year. The hospital has 8 floors, 12 operating rooms, and emergency rooms for adults and children. It also has many outpatient clinics.
HEAT Program: Supporting Youth Health
The HEAT (Health and Education Alternatives for Teens) Program helps young people. It focuses on providing care for youth who are at high risk for certain health conditions. The program offers complete medical services for patients. HEAT also works with the community.
Brooklyn Free Clinic: Care from Students
The Brooklyn Free Clinic (BFC) is run by students, mostly from the College of Medicine. The BFC offers medical and mental health care. It also provides health screenings for people in Brooklyn who do not have health insurance.
The clinic holds an annual conference about health. It has won awards for its advertising campaigns.
Research: Discovering New Health Solutions
SUNY Downstate is an important place for research. Scientists and doctors here study many important health problems. In the past, they were strong in heart biology, brain science, and medical tools. Now, they research topics like how the brain learns and remembers. They also study heart disease, robotic devices, and pain. Other research areas include imaging technology and how cells work.
Downstate is the only academic medical center in Brooklyn. This helps it play a big role in research that connects basic science to patient care. Researchers work together to bring new discoveries from the lab to help patients.
Downstate receives many grants for its research. It is one of the top grant recipients among all SUNY campuses. Downstate is also the only healthcare facility in Brooklyn that has won a Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology.
Notable Faculty: Inspiring Minds
- Alexander Skene, MD - An expert on women's diseases. He discovered the paraurethral glands, also known as Skene's gland.
- Chandler McCuskey Brooks, PhD - He led the Graduate program from 1956 to 1966. He did important work on the spinal cord, brain, and heart function.
- Robert Furchgott, PhD - He won the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology in 1998 for his research on nitric oxide.
- Carl Axel Gemzell, MD/PhD - He was the first to use FSH to help women who could not get pregnant.
See also
- University Hospital of Brooklyn at Long Island College Hospital
- State University of New York Upstate Medical University
