CUNY School of Medicine

Medical school of the City University of New York

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CUNY School of MedicineType| Public medical school

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Established| June 10, 2015

Parent institution

| The City University of New York
Dean| Carmen Renée Green, M.D.

Academic staff

| 117
Students| 500
Location|

New York

New York

USA

40°49′10″N 73°57′00″W﻿ / ﻿40.8194°N 73.9500°W﻿ / 40.8194; -73.9500
Campus| Urban
Colors| Sky Blue
Affiliations| The City College of New York Brooklyn College
Website| medicine.cuny.edu
Townsend Harris Hall houses the CUNY School of Medicine. Designed by famed New York architect George B. Post and completed in 1908, the Collegiate Gothic-style building is named for Townsend Harris, the founder of City College, and was dedicated in a ceremony at which Mark Twain was the featured speaker.

The CUNY School of Medicine (CUNY Medicine) is the medical school of The City University of New York (CUNY). Founded in 2015 on The City College of New York (CCNY) campus, CUNY Medicine became the only public medical school in Manhattan and the first medical school to open in New York City since 1860.[1]

The school partners with St. Barnabas Hospital (Bronx), Harlem Hospital Center of NYC Health + Hospitals, and Staten Island University Hospital of Northwell Health for clinical medical education.[2]

Currently, the major pathway of admission to the CUNY School of Medicine for the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree is through an accelerated, seven-year B.S./M.D. curriculum offered through the highly selective Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program.[3] The CUNY School of Medicine also offers a two-year M.S. program in Physician Assistant studies.[4]

As of September 2024, Brooklyn College's 8-year coordinated B.A./M.D. program has become another admission pathway into the CUNY School of Medicine. The program currently accepts 15 students per year. Students who successfully complete the curriculum receive a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College and conditional entry to the CUNY School of Medicine for their medical studies.[5]

## History

[edit]

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The CUNY School of Medicine has its roots in 1973 when the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education was founded. This institution was named in honor of Sophie Davis (née Kesner), the wife of Colonial Penn founder Leonard Davis, a graduate of CCNY and a major benefactor. Its purpose was to address the increasing demand for primary care physicians in the United States, particularly in urban areas. The Sophie Davis School admits students primarily from high schools all across New York State and attracts talented graduates from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds in New York City, with a focus on minority students, including those of African-American and Hispanic descent. The school offers a challenging curriculum, and approximately 40% of its graduates pursue careers as primary care physicians.

Leonard and Sophie Davis

Before the start of its current 7-year curriculum, students completed their undergraduate education (B.S.) and the first two years of medical school at Sophie Davis. After passing the USMLE Step 1, they transferred to one of several affiliated medical schools to complete the final two years, which primarily consisted of medical rotations, and earn their Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. The schools that accepted Sophie Davis graduates included NYU School of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, New York Medical College, Albany Medical College, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Dartmouth Medical School, and Stony Brook School of Medicine.

In 2016, the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education was renamed as the Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program when it became part of the CUNY School of Medicine.[6] Upon completing the accelerated 3-year Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program, students receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Sciences from The City College of New York and gain direct admission to the CUNY School of Medicine, without the need to take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT).[7] After finishing the traditional 4-year medical school curriculum, students are awarded the Doctor of Medicine degree. The CUNY School of Medicine no longer requires graduates to commit to a career in primary care.

## Mission and outcomes

[edit]

The CUNY School of Medicine has a clear mission: to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in the field of medicine,[3] encourage its students to pursue post-graduate training in primary care, and ultimately practice medicine in areas of New York State facing healthcare shortages. The school stands out in several key areas. It holds the top rank in New York State and the third rank in the entire United States for the enrollment of female medical students. Moreover, it holds the first rank in New York State and the fifth rank in the United States for the number of underrepresented minorities graduating with an M.D. degree, making it one of the top four medical schools nationally in recruiting African-American students.[8]

The statistics from the CUNY School of Medicine demonstrate that 65% of its graduates choose to practice medicine in New York State, surpassing any other medical school in the state. Furthermore, 41% of its graduates opt for careers in primary care, placing the CUNY School of Medicine among the top 10 medical schools in the U.S. in terms of producing primary care physicians. Additionally, 26% of its graduates decide to practice in healthcare shortage areas within New York State.

Over the past decade, the school has maintained a commitment to diversity, with approximately 42% of its enrolled students coming from underrepresented minority backgrounds.

The CUNY School of Medicine's Residency Match Rate for 2025 was 100%.The average national residency match rate is 93.5%.[8] Previous years were as follows: 2024- 96.5%, 2023- 100%,[3] 2022- 98%, 2021- 98%, 2020-100%.[citation needed]

## Location

[edit]

The school's address is 160 Convent Ave, Townsend Harris Hall, New York, NY 10031.[9]

In 2003, it moved into its permanent home in Townsend Harris Hall, which had been renovated as part of CCNY's Terra Cotta Restoration Project, and to build modern teaching capabilities into its classrooms, seminar rooms, a long-distance conference room, and teaching laboratories.

## Notable alumni

[edit]

* Jonathan Woodson, M.D. (Class of 1977), Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs and Director of TRICARE Management Activity
* Helen Burstin, M.D. (Class of 1984) Senior Vice President for Performance Measures of The National Quality Forum
* Laurie Zephyrin, M.D. (Class of 1997), National Director for Reproductive Health, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "About - CUNY School of Medicine". CUNY School of Medicine. July 14, 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
2. ^ Najarro, Ileana (July 14, 2015). "CUNY Medical School to Open in 2016". New York Times. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
3. ^ a b c "Combined bachelor's and MD programs offer a direct path from high school to medical school". AAMC. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
4. ^ "Prerequisites & Requirements - CUNY School of Medicine". CUNY School of Medicine. September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
5. ^ https://www.brooklyn.edu/honors-academy/ba-md/
6. ^ Skelding, Conor (July 14, 2015). "New CUNY School of Medicine accredited". Capital New York. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
7. ^ Claybourn, Cole (May 2, 2024). "How Medical Schools Are Improving Access for Underrepresented Minorities". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
8. ^ a b Magazine, Harlem World (March 18, 2024). "Harlem's CUNY School Of Medicine Achieves Outstanding Residency Placements On Match Day". Harlem World Magazine. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
9. ^ "CUNY School of Medicine". The City College of New York. July 3, 2015. Retrieved May 16, 2024.

## External links

[edit]

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