In their own words
Clinical Rotation Experience
I completed my clinical rotation with Dr. Usman Khan at Epic Vascular and Heart Clinic, Richmond Clinic, and HCA Houston Healthcare, Houston, Texas.
It was a great learning experience where I gained exposure to cardiovascular and vascular medicine. During my visits to Epic Vascular and Heart Clinic and Richmond Clinic, I participated in patient encounters by taking histories, performing examinations with patient consent, and learning effective communication skills from Dr. Khan. I learned to take detailed histories, focus on important clinical details, communicate effectively with patients, and develop a systematic approach to clinical assessment and diagnosis.
He taught us how to create professional clinical notes using eClinicalWorks (ECW) and how to make them accurate, organized, and professional, including proper grammar, punctuation, and attention to detail.
At the clinics, I had the opportunity to observe VenaSeal procedures for varicose veins. Watching Dr. Khan perform these procedures with great skill and precision was a valuable learning experience.
At HCA Houston Healthcare Hospital, I observed Dr. Khan performing coronary angiography skillfully, which helped me understand more about interventional cardiology and the management of cardiac patients.
One particularly valuable clinical experience was seeing a patient with resistant hypertension who was not responding adequately to medications. Dr. Khan recognized the possibility of an underlying cause and recommended a sleep study, which revealed obstructive sleep apnea. Seeing his thorough clinical reasoning and approach to identifying and managing the underlying cause was a great learning experience for me.
I also participated in case discussions and presented Section 6.2 and 6.3 of the 2023 ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation, focusing on risk-based selection of oral anticoagulation and balancing the benefits and risks of therapy.
Throughout the rotation, I learned to approach patients more systematically, communicate professionally, pay close attention to clinical details, and apply clinical knowledge to real patient encounters. This experience strengthened my confidence in patient care, clinical reasoning, documentation, and evidence-based decision-making.
Overall, this rotation improved my clinical skills, communication, history-taking, clinical reasoning, documentation abilities, and understanding of cardiovascular care in the U.S. healthcare system. I am grateful to Dr. Khan for his guidance and mentorship.
