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Physician ID:
328
Hours:
Monday – Friday 8:30 AM to 5 PM
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.
Location: Houston
This combined inpatient and outpatient US clinical experience will take place in Houston approximately 65 miles north of downtown.
Inpatient/Outpatient US Clinical Experience in Critical Care/Pulmonology in Houston
Specialties: Pulmonology, Critical Care, Internal Medicine
Location: Houston
Price:
Hospital Letterhead: No
Faculty Appointment: Yes - Faculty Member of Family Medicine Residency Program at Sam Houston State University
Information about this clinical experience:
You will be under the supervision of a physician board-certified in internal medicine and pulmonary / critical care. This physician holds a hospital appointment within the HCA Houston Healthcare System as well as other hospitals in the greater Houston area. The preceptor is an experienced educator and teaches family medicine residents at Sam Houston State University.
During this clinical experience, you will split your time between the inpatient and outpatient settings. In the hospital, you will take part in daily rounds within the intensive care unit. A wide range of patients with life-threatening conditions will be seen. The emphasis will be on learning how to stabilize, evaluate, and treat these critically ill patients while working within a multidisciplinary team. Rotators will have the opportunity to observe bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, and other procedures. To prepare for the critical care part of this clinical experience, we recommend using the following resources:
Medical Student’s Guide to the Intensive Care Unit
In the clinic, you will encounter the typical conditions seen in an outpatient pulmonology practice, including obstructive sleep apnea, COPD, asthma, interstitial lung disease, and lung cancer. Students will be able to observe how PFTs, home sleep studies, and walk tests are performed and interpreted. We recommend that you read the following articles to help you prepare for the clinical experience:
A Comprehensive Review of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
An Update on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome—A Literature Review
Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Review Focusing on Exacerbations
Going Back to the Basics: An Asthma Review
Interstitial Lung Disease: A Review
The practice has an active research focus and is a center for clinical trials. Currently, 3-4 trials are underway involving patients with obstructive sleep apnea, COPD, and lung cancer. Rotators can observe how the preceptor’s research team screens patients for enrollment, performs follow-ups, and monitors progress. As clinical trials are often done in hospitals and outpatient practices associated with residency programs, this can be an excellent opportunity to gain insight into this important area.
During your experience, you will learn the following U.S. medical practices under the preceptor’s supervision:
Taking patient histories under supervision.
Performing physical exams under the physician's supervision.
Presenting patients.
Interpreting pulmonary function tests and thoracic imaging.
Researching the literature to answer clinical questions at the point of care.
The activities above will mostly take place in the outpatient setting. As a result of hospital policies, inpatient activities will be more observational.
Who should consider this rotation:
International medical graduates (IMGs) and students seeking US clinical experience in internal medicine. IMGs seeking careers in internal medicine, pulmonology, and critical care will also find this rotation particularly useful.
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.
Testimonials
Dr. X is an excellent preceptor and educator. One of the doctor's greatest strengths is the ability to simplify difficult clinical concepts and explain the reasoning behind diagnosis and management in a way that is easy to understand and remember. Dr. X's teaching is consistently evidence-based and up to date; the doctor frequently refers to current research and guidelines and then compares the evidence with what the doctor has observed and implemented in practice. This made the rotation especially valuable because I was able to understand not only what the current recommendations are, but also how they are applied to real patients.
I was also very impressed by the care and attention Dr. X gave to patients. Even when an issue extended beyond the immediate infectious disease problem for which we was consulted, the doctor remained attentive to the patient's overall clinical picture and concerns. The doctor communicated complex medical information in simple, reassuring language, and it was clear that patients trusted him, felt comfortable asking questions, and were genuinely happy to see the doctor.
The infectious disease service also provides exposure to a very broad range of patients and clinical conditions. Because consultations take place throughout the hospital, I had the opportunity to observe patients across different levels of care and clinical settings, including the medical floors and ICU. This made the experience valuable not only for learning infectious disease but also for strengthening my understanding of inpatient internal medicine and the management of medically complex patients.
Dr. X is very friendly, kind, and approachable. I never felt hesitant to ask questions, and the doctor created an environment where learning felt natural rather than intimidating. The doctor regularly encouraged clinical reasoning and discussion rather than simply providing an answer. Overall, this was an excellent rotation for gaining exposure to evidence-based infectious disease, inpatient medicine, and thoughtful patient-centered care.
DS
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