Specialty: Rheumatology

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MD2B Connect Physician ID # 164

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Where will the rotation take place: This  outpatient US clinical experience will take place at two offices: one is 20 miles west of downtown Washington DC and the other is 40 miles northwest of downtown Washington DC. The distance between the two locations is 25 miles. Please note that you will not be traveling between these two locations on the same day. 

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Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 AM to 5 PM

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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.

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What you will do: This is an outpatient experience during which you will be under the supervision of a physician who is board-certified in both internal medicine and rheumatology. Learners rotating through this practice will see a wide spectrum of rheumatologic disease, and learn about the latest treatments in the specialty. He holds a hospital appointment at the Virginia Hospital Center where he enjoys teaching internal medicine residents and medical students from Georgetown University.

 

He believes in providing his patients with whole person care with a focus on both physical and emotional wellbeing. There is an emphasis on building strong relationships with patients, and learners will understand how best to support patients with chronic disease. ​

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After a few days of observation, you will take on an increasing role in patient encounters and learn the following under the preceptor’s supervision:​

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• Taking patient histories.

• Performing physical exams under the physician's supervision.

• Presenting patients.

• Entering progress notes in the EMR. 

• Have opportunities to research the literature to answer clinical questions at the point of care.

• Being involved in patient education.

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

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You will receive regular feedback on your performance. 

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There may be opportunities to participate in projects to improve the practice. Please note that the availability of the project is at the discretion of the preceptor. 

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Please note that this preceptor requires rotators to complete HIPAA training prior to the rotation. You may take one of the following courses:

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• HIPAA Exams

• HIPAA Training

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Rotators should send the certificate of completion to us.

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​​Who should consider this rotation: International medical graduates (IMGs) and students seeking US clinical experience in Rheumatology.   ​

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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.

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See Where Our Students Applying to Internal Medicine Have Received Interviews or Matched

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Read Dr. Desai's Interview with Dr. Roy Ziegelstein (Vice Dean for Education at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Former Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center) about How to Match Successfully in Internal Medicine