My rotation with Dr Usman Khan in February 2023 outpatient and inpatient settings was a phenomenal experience. Typical days included rounds and consults at Houston HCA, where I also observed various heart-related procedures like angiography and venous ablation. I played an active role on the Epic Heart and Vascular Center team, taking patient histories, doing physical exams, and recording it all in the EMR system. Dr. Khan was awesome at teaching and giving feedback, which helped me improve my clinical skills, knowledge and communication skills. I observed multiple venous procedures under supervision of Dr. Khan and he made sure we knew the indications and contraindications of each of them by the end of the rotation. During my time at the hospital, he would make sure we were part of the team and always kept us involved whether it be localizing the diseased vessel, calculating pressures or having breakfast at the cafeteria. He would often stay after hours to teach his students and at the end of our days at the clinic, Dr. Khan conducted a daily quiz with us going over basic EKG interpretations and ECHOs
The team was super friendly, and Melisa, the RN, taught me some basic medication dose adjustments and venous Doppler U/S techniques. This rotation let me show off my teamwork, clinical know-how, and people skills. Working together with the team to provide top-notch patient care was definitely a highlight.
What really stood out was how they mixed in scholarly articles into our daily routine. We had weekly student presentations on the latest guidelines and journal clubs to talk about new research. During my time there, I gave a presentation on the 2023 JACC/AHA Guideline for Survival after septal reduction in patients >65 years old with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It felt like a crash course in being an intern, and it was one of my favorite rotations in the US. Dr. Khan’s commitment to teaching and making this a memorable experience for all students was awesome. The encouragement and constructive criticism I got at the Epic Heart and Vascular Center will be a valuable asset in my professional career. Even though my time was short, I’d definitely recommend this rotation to all med students and grads. It’s a solid 10/10.