Landing in the United States

This was my first time in the States, and I can't imagine a better place to begin my journey in the US. Though the plane landed early in the afternoon, it wasn't until 8 p.m. in the night that my friends and I finally reached our Airbnb. Hit by jet lag, we could not do anything productive for the next two days. We were in Houston to complete a 4-month clinical rotation at Houston Methodist Hospital.

Our rotations at Methodist were scheduled to start on Monday, and it was a fairly short distance from where we were staying. The preceptor and physician assistants were so amazing to all of us. We learned so much in just 4 weeks! It’s not just about knowing the diagnosis; rotations like this teach you how to communicate effectively to maximize the value of each patient encounter.

Houston Methodist Cafe sells the best coffee!

While my medical college had prepared me for patient care, this rotation prepared me to adapt to a new dimension and culture of healthcare administration. Not only did we have direct patient interaction, but we also had the opportunity to conduct telemedicine consultations, which truly equipped me to deal with the current mode of healthcare administration. 

While we were focusing daily on enhancing our patient care and communication skills, we were also making sure that we enjoyed our time in Houston to the fullest! We went to so many places, including the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Hermann Park, Rice Village for some amazing ice cream, River Oaks for Mexican food, Amy's ice cream (expensive but tasty! ), and NRG Stadium, where Taylor Swift was playing! AND how can I forget Olive Garden!!

View from our preceptors office at Houston Methodist Hospital

Houston truly felt like home, thanks to my best friends, with whom I spent most of my time, and the amazing new friends I made! So grateful for this opportunity.

I will definitely regret not visiting the zoo and the NASA Space Center, but hey, that's a great excuse to visit Houston again!