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Interested in learning more about this rotation? Start the process for a free introductory meeting with our team
Physician ID:
231
Hours:
Monday through Friday 8 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: Los Angeles
This outpatient US clinical experience will take place in Los Angeles, California.
Outpatient US Clinical Experience in Family Medicine in Los Angeles
Specialties: Family Medicine
Location: Los Angeles
Price:
Hospital Letterhead: No
Faculty Appointment: No
Information about this clinical experience:
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, the doctor opened up a practice in Southern California. The physician has held hospital appointments at Lakewood Regional Medical Center and Los Alamitos Medical Center. The preceptor has educated international medical graduates from all over the world and is dedicated to helping learners grow through experiences in the practice.
When the doctor opened the practice ten years ago, the doctor 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, the physician trained in homeopathy and bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. One interesting treatment the doctor offers is hormonal therapy for patients suffering from traumatic brain injury symptoms. Research indicates that some TBI patients experience significant improvement with such treatment.
Seeing that many patients were suffering from depression, anxiety, addiction, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, the doctor also has made the treatment of these conditions a major part of the practice. Given that most patients with psychiatric illness initially present to their primary care physicians, the doctor feels that all doctors need to be well versed in the evaluation and management of patients struggling with their mental health. The physician is a known expert in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a cutting edge treatment for depression. Of note, in the practice, the preceptor 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)
Rotators will have the opportunity to observe how the preceptor interacts with these patients in a compassionate manner. This preceptor is known for bedside manner, listening skills, and patient-centered nature. 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:
Managing Behavioral Health Issues in Primary Care: Six Five-Minute Tools
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
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.
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 was an outstanding preceptor who ensured that I remained actively involved throughout the entire rotation. The doctor encouraged participation at every opportunity, answered all of my questions with patience, clarified my doubts, and shared a remarkable amount of clinical knowledge in a relatively short period of time. Dr. X frequently challenged me with questions during patient encounters, which kept me engaged, helped identify gaps in my knowledge, and motivated me to continuously improve my clinical reasoning.
In addition to Dr. X, I had the privilege of rotating with other doctors and physician assistants. Every member of the team was welcoming, approachable, and genuinely enthusiastic about teaching medical students. Dr. X shared valuable experiences from their clinical careers, discussing memorable patient cases, diagnostic approaches, and practical tips on effective case presentations. These discussions greatly strengthened my understanding of clinical reasoning and reinforced the importance of developing a broad differential diagnosis before arriving at a final diagnosis.
One of the greatest strengths of this rotation was the emphasis on active learning. I was consistently encouraged to obtain patient histories independently and perform physical examinations whenever appropriate. This significantly improved my confidence in history-taking, physical examination skills, patient presentations, and my ability to build rapport with both pediatric patients and their families. I also gained a deeper appreciation for how textbook presentations often differ from real-world clinical practice and how patient management frequently requires individualized decision-making based on each patient's unique
circumstances.
Overall, this rotation has been one of the most valuable clinical learning experiences of my medical training...I am sincerely grateful for the mentorship and support I received throughout this experience, and I would gladly choose to rotate here again if given the opportunity.
SM
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