Inpatient/Outpatient US Clinical Experience in Cardiology in New Orleans

Information about this clinical experience:

You will be under the supervision of a physician who is board certified in cardiology. The physician is on staff at multiple hospitals, including Ochsner Health and Baton Rouge General Hospital among others. The preceptor is actively involved in the education of medical students and serves as “Clinical Assistant Professor” at an Ivy League medical school located in the Northeast. During residency, the doctor was the recipient of an award given to a resident who demonstrates unselfish devotion and compassionate concern to patients. 

This preceptor believes in tailoring the experience based on the interests of the rotator. Rotators will learn how to evaluate and manage patients with a wide range of cardiac complaints. Emphasis will be placed on delivering guideline-based care to patients with heart disease. Rotators will be able to spend time in the cardiac catheterization lab, electrophysiology lab, and round with the structural heart disease team. One to two days will each be spent with the nuclear medicine technician, ultrasound technician, and stress test technician learning how to perform cardiac stress tests and echocardiograms.

The inpatient component of the rotation will take place at two different hospitals, approximately once a week. In addition, the physician takes weekend call during one weekend of every month. During this weekend, the rotator will round with the physician at the hospital.

As this is an underserved community, learners will gain insight about the factors that are driving health care disparities including income, education, employment, housing, transportation, and limited insurance, and how these factors can lead to an increase in cardiovascular disease.

During your experience, you will learn the following U.S. medical practices under the preceptor’s supervision:

• Taking patient histories.

• Performing physical exams under the physician's supervision.

• Presenting patients.

• Researching the literature to answer clinical questions at the point of care.

• Educating patients.

• Spending time with other healthcare professionals in the office to understand their roles and responsibilities.