Specialty: Psychiatry

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MD2B Connect Physician ID # 194

Where will this rotation take place: This combined inpatient and outpatient US clinical experience will take place in Houston (approximately 25 miles southwest of downtown Houston). Although you will be spending time at the preceptor's outpatient practice and hospital, the two locations are close to one another. Please note that on  the first day of the rotation you will spend time completing the necessary hospital paperwork in the HR Department of the hospital. This paperwork may take most, if not all, of the first day. 

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Hours: Monday 8 AM to 4 PM; Tuesday 8 AM to 11 AM; Wednesday 8 AM to 4 PM; Thursday 8 AM to 4 PM; Friday 8 AM to 11 AM

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Hours have been provided by the preceptor. Hours are subject to change at the preceptor’s discretion, but the minimum total hours will remain approximately the same.

What you will do: You will be under the supervision of a physician who is board-certified in psychiatry. He has a background in education having served in the past as a faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Houston Medical School. He continues to teach regularly, and enjoys working with international medical students and graduates. As evidence of his commitment to education and the specialty, he has written about important issues in psychiatry, research that has been published in such journals as Medical Education and Academic Psychiatry. 

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Your mornings will be spent in the hospital where you will meet with the attending physician, nurse practitioner, and a multidisciplinary team of professionals to discuss new patients as well as the progress of established patients. The typical caseload for these rounds is 10-15 patients. One weekend every 4-5 weeks the attending is on hospital call. If you are interested in taking call with the physician, please let him know early in the rotation.

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As a result of hospital policies, inpatient activities will be more observational. In the outpatient setting, you will take histories, present patients, and help with note writing. This will take place primarily on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons with the preceptor. Monday afternoon is an optional experience during which you can work with the attending's nurse practitioner in the office (note that the attending will not be in the office on Monday afternoon). Please note that the clinic experience will be a mix between in-person visits and telehealth encounters using video calls.

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This will be an excellent opportunity to experience the care of psychiatric patients in varied settings. Given that you will be exposed to a wide variety of mental illness, you will learn the major DSM signs and symptoms for Bipolar Disorder, Delirium, Dementia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Schizophrenia, Substance Abuse & Dependence, and Substance Intoxication & Withdrawal.

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This pracitioner is trained in treatment modalities that patients require when standard treatments have proved unsuccessful. For example, depressed patients who have not responded to psychotherapy or medication may be treated with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Rotators will have the opportunity to understand the indications for such treatment, how the procedure is conducted, and other issues related to the therapy. You may also be able to observe the use of esketamine for patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. 

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For rotators interested in learning about partial hospitalization programs in psychiatry and how these  programs can benefit patients, please let the preceptor know as his nurse practitioner is involved in such programs. These are structured mental health treatment programs typically taking place several hours a day. These have been found useful in transitioning patients from the inpatient to the outpatient setting or for outpatients who need treatment that goes beyond what can be given in a standard outpatient encounter. 

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There are also research trials that are in progress in the practice. Of note, past rotators have had opportunities to write case reports during this rotation. If that interests you, please let the preceptor know. The availability of such opportunities is at the discretion of the attending. 

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Please note that this experience requires a criminal background check or police report from your native country within the past year.

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​​Who should consider this rotation: International medical graduates (IMGs) and students seeking US clinical experience in psychiatry. IMGs seeking careers in family medicine or internal medicine will also find this rotation particularly useful since mental health problems are common in these specialties. 

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​How to obtain a letter of recommendation: The rotator should ask the preceptor for a LOR near the conclusion of the rotation. Dr. Desai has provided the physician with guidelines about best practices in letter writing that meet residency program requirements. In some cases, the preceptor may ask the rotator to write a letter of recommendation draft. 

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​During the rotation: Our team will be checking in periodically with you to ensure that you are having an optimal experience. We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions during the rotation.