Nassau
Guide to AUC: Nassau
Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) is located in East Meadow, Nassau County, New York, about 30 miles from Manhattan. It is located on Long Island and is considered part of the New York Metropolitan Area. While there is no “Nassau University,” the hospital is named after its location in Nassau County as well as its several university affiliations (Stony Brook, NYCOM, NYCPM, AUC, Hofstra) and its role as a teaching hospital. AUC students who rotate at NUMC are allowed to do all five core rotations, as well as electives in many subspecialties.
About Nassau University Medical Center
Founded in 1935, Nassau University Medical Center is a 530-bed tertiary care teaching hospital, caring for over 80,000 emergency patients, as well as an additional 178,000 patient in its 80-plus outpatient specialty clinics each year. It has a Level I trauma center, providing the highest level of care to the region’s most critical patients. As a teaching hospital, it also has auditoriums, research facilities, teaching amphitheater, as well as a comprehensive medical library. The hospital is 19-stories tall, and is the tallest building in Nassau County.
The hospital is located on 2201 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow, NY 11554.
Places to Live
Most students go through sites like craigslist, airbnb, etc. to find places to live. Unfortunately, the selection for places within walking distance of the hospital is limited. If you don’t have a car, I’d recommend living around East Meadow, which is where the hospital is located. If you do have a car, you could consider places further away such as New Hyde Park, Floral Park, or even Queens (although the commute would be very long, and most students do not live this far).
Amenities
Cafeteria — The hospital has a cafe where you can order food, as well as an eatery with cheaper food, mainly for staff and students.
Library — There is a medical library located at the hospital. To get in, you would need your student ID. Many students come here to study when they have time.
Internet — There is free internet throughout the hospital. There is also free access to Up-To-Date.
Getting In
The closest and busiest airport to NUMC is JFK International Airport. From here, you can take a taxi. By public transportation, there really isn’t an easy way.
Getting Around
While supporting a large population, much of Nassau County is still very suburban, and therefore the best way to get around is by car .There are also public buses, but they are not so reliable. I once waited 40 minutes for a bus that was supposed to come 20 minutes earlier.
At NUMC, students can get a free parking pass. The student/staff parking lot is located at the back of the hospital.
When you arrive
Before you start your rotation, you will be contacted by the rotation coordinator at NUMC. You will show up in the morning at the medical education department. You can ask the information booth in the hospital where this is and they will point it out for you. Once you fill a few forms out, you will then go to the Humans Resources Department to get your picture taken and an ID made. This ID will not only identify you as a member of the medical team, but also get you into the library. If you drove your car, go to the Department of Public Safety in the basement of the hospital to get a parking decal to place on your windshield so that you’d be allowed to park in the student parking at the very back of the hospital.
In order to get access to the electronic medical record, you must first do an online training on how to use the EMR platform called Sunrise (Eclypsis). You watch a few interactive videos, then take a quiz. If you pass, then you will get access to the EMR system. It’s important to read the background and vitals of a patient before seeing him or her, and learning how to use Eclypsis is the key to this at Nassau. After you pass the exam, you will be given an Eclypsis access name and password (which you can change).
Things to Do
Explore Long Island — The rural and sophisticated charms of Long Island contrasts much with the looming urban jungle of the City, just over the horizon. In Long Island, you can visit cute, quaint fishing villages with stretches of beach. Fresh seafood abounds. And of course, there are the Hamptons, the weekend getaways of the elite in New York City.
New York City — Of course, there is always something going on in the Big Apple. It is the city that never sleeps. There is no good way, nor is there a fast way to get into town… Manhattan is located about 30 miles away from East Meadow.
Floral Park — Passing by people praying in Hindu temples, school children cramming at tutor schools, and lots of Indian bakeries and fine dining, a stroll through Floral Park isn’t just a look into the Indian diaspora in America, but an immersion.
