OUTPATIENT US Clinical Experience
IN family medicine

Specialty: Family Medicine

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MD2B Connect Physician ID # 231

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Where will this rotation take place: This outpatient US clinical experience will take place in Los Angeles, California. 

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Hours: Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM

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What you will do: You will be under the supervision of a highly experienced family physician known for providing holistic care to patients through a combination of Western medicine, homeopathy, and other modalities. The attending had a background in surgery and surgical research before finding her calling in family medicine. After completing family medicine residency, she opened up her practice in Southern California. She has held hospital appointments at Lakewood Regional Medical Center and Los Alamitos Medical Center. She has educated international medical graduates from all over the world and is dedicated to helping learners grow through experiences in her practice. 

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When she opened her practice ten years ago, she recalls that many patients were dissatisfied with conventional care. Medications were not always the answer and patients sought her advice about supplements and other non-traditional treatments. Hoping to provide these patients with other options, she trained in homeopathy and bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. One interesting treatment she offers is hormonal therapy for patients suffering from traumatic brain injury symptoms. Research indicates that some TBI patients experience significant improvement with such treatment. 

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Seeing that many of her patients were suffering from depression, anxiety, addiction, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, she also has made the treatment of these conditions a major part of her practice. Given that most patients with psychiatric illness initially present to their primary care physicians, she feels that all doctors need to be well versed in the evaluation and management of patients struggling with their mental health. She is a known expert in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a cutting edge treatment for depression. Of note, in her practice, she collaborates with a psychiatrist colleague. For one week of the rotation, students will spend time with the technician learning how to perform EEG, TMS, and neurofeedback. (Please note that this experience remains within the regulations of California pertaining to the unlicensed practice of medicine. Rotators will not be practicing medicine but will be learning under the guidance of the physician preceptor)

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Rotators will have the opportunity to observe how the preceptor interacts with these patients in a compassionate manner. This preceptor is known for her bedside manner, listening skills, and patient-centered nature. Her patients appreciate that they are never hurried through their visit, with a typical visit lasting 30-45 minutes.  Useful articles to read before starting the rotation include:

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• Bridging the Communication Gap Between Physicians and Their Patients With Physical Symptoms of Depression

• Managing Behavioral Health Issues in Primary Care: Six Five-Minute Tools

• Depression in the Primary Care Setting

• Bioidentical Hormones: An Evidence-Based Review for Primary Care Providers

• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: A Clinical Primer for Nonexperts

• Neurofeedback: A Comprehensive Review on System Design, Methodology and Clinical Applications

• American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology Disease State Clinical Review: A Neuroendocrine Approach to Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury

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You will receive regular feedback on your performance. 

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Who should consider this rotation: International medical graduates (IMGs) and students seeking US clinical experience in family medicine. IMGs interested in psychiatry will also find this experience useful given the large number of patients seen in this practice with mental health illness. 

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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. 

​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.