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I'm looking for some advice regarding the commute out of NYC (anywhere with subway access) to either Valhalla, Stony Brook, or New Brunswick NJ. I'm in the process of selecting where I will be doing a medical residency. I prefer to live somewhere in the city (any borough is fine, as long as it is a safe area). Which of those places would be reasonable to commute to? I will have a car, because from what I understand public transportation is not reliable in those places.
For example, New Brunswick has a train that goes to midtown penn station in 1 hr, but I heard it is unreliable. I could potentially live somewhere midtown and either drive or take the train.
Stony Brook seems to be the most inconvenient, although I could live in another part of Long Island closer to Queens (Hicksville? Flushing?) and commute for 1+ hr.
Valhalla seems to be the most doable, since the Metro North is supposedly more reliable than the LIRR or Jersey transit. It is less than 1 hr by train to grand central station. I could potentially live in Upper East side and drive up.
I can't say about Valhalla or New Brunswick. However Stony Brook is doable if you live in Jamaica, Queens. I used to work in food service or in Stony Brook and would do that commute via the LIRR. It was brutal, but doable.
I have been to Valhalla many times because my grand dad is buried in a cemetery there. LOLZ what a fitting name for a burial location.
Just take Sprain Brook North to I think exit 100C. It aint that far. And I am coming from Flushing area.
Stony Brook is further. New Brunswick means you have to get through tunnels and bridges, and I95. Never a good idea. You may as well just live in NJ.
What does Valhalla have to do with a burial location? Lol
What about commuting from a point in NJ closer to Manhattan like Jersey city or secaucus? Google maps says it's about 40min to New Brunswick from those points, and if I live there I can get to Manhattan in less than 30 min. Basically my social life is in the city so the easier I can get to Manhattan the better. Is Jersey City very urban with a good social scene? Or any other good areas to commute to New Brunswick from with easy access to the city?
I can't say about Valhalla or New Brunswick. However Stony Brook is doable if you live in Jamaica, Queens. I used to work in food service or in Stony Brook and would do that commute via the LIRR. It was brutal, but doable.
I never thought of that. Jamaica has both subway access and LIRR. Or I could drive, though Google maps predicts a 1 hr plus drive in ideal conditions... It has taken me more than 2 hours to get to stony brook from Brooklyn with traffic, so unless going from queens is more predictable in terms of travel time Jamaica seems a bit of a stretch...how long was your commute on the LIRR? Did you have to transfer to buses once you got to stony brook to your work destination?
So sounds like Valhalla is the best location out of the three. Now I just have to figure out which is better New Brunswick vs stony brook. So far New Brunswick seems to be closer to an urban area like Jersey City (I've never been, don't know much about the scene in NJ, correct me if I'm wrong lol). Stony brook is within a 1 he drive to queens (like the flushing area or Jamaica) but before that it is all suburbia (don't know much about Long Island either but it seems to be less happening than some places in NJ)...
Why must you live in NYC? Depending on what you intend to specialize in, a medical residency is very grueling even more so than medical school. Living close by the hospital is definitely better than a long commute and the exorbitant NYC housing costs and all of the stress that living in the city brings on. And why not Geisinger?
Geisinger is in Pennsylvania....? I know residency has long hours, but on my occasional off days I want to have easy access to a good social scene. Or even if I want to meet a friend after 7pm, it would make more sense if I could be there by 8pm or so. These three programs are all similar to me in terms of "fit" academically, now I just need to stratify them based on the impact on my life outside the hospital, and where I will be living will greatly determine where I get to hang out. I'm single with no family obligations, so I don't want to be stranded in suburbia when I do have a few hours free in evenings/weekends.
Do you guys know if traffic is better on Long Island or I-95? Someone mentioned I-95 is not good, why's that?
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