I was honored to rotate at New York Presbyterian Queens for 4 weeks as sub-intern in the department on EM. The program was supervised by Dr. Alla Bardash; she is an excellent clinician and above all a kind teacher. She made sure that I fully benefit from my time at NYPQ by preparing a schedule that allowed me access to all the concerned departments i.e. The trauma bay, Urgent care and The Adult and Pediatric ER.

All the attending doctors, residents and nurses were swamped due to the excessive patient load, yet they always encouraged me to participate not only in patient management but also to assist in clinical procedures. The staff worked diligently with compassion, care and the utmost professionalism reflecting that welfare of the patient was at the core of their combined efforts.

Dr. Bardash took special interest in our teaching sessions and conducted lectures exclusively for the visiting students on some very curious clinical cases and exciting but at times puzzling techniques like splinting, intubation and the most dreaded ECG interpretation. Moreover, systemized conferences were scheduled every week, to which physicians from various departments and hospitals were invited to speak and later interactive sessions were conducted where problem-based-learning was promoted in small groups. We were allocated complex (practical) clinical cases in the simulation lab under the supervision of Dr. Richard Shin, that helped us practice emergency response protocol for each particular clinical scenario. Emergency management in cases of MVA, aspiration in neonates and pericardiocentesis are to name a few. This not only allowed me to practice my procedural skills in an acute setting and in a timely manner but also gave a boost to my confidence. Working with a new team everyday gave me an idea of how different physicians practiced different approaches in the hospital setting.

One of the most striking feature of the NYPQ was the cultural diversity which I came across, be it the patients or the staff. It was a wonderful experience and I got to learn about different cultures and how they all came together in the clinical settings. The approach of providing clinical care which was patient centric and in tune with their cultural, racial and ethnic needs, helped promote rapport and patient responsiveness. The most crucial part of the entire elective was working at the trauma bay where one could easily become flustered, but the cool headed staff of the ED at NYPQ made it look ridiculously easy.

I feel very privileged to have had this opportunity. I would like to thank the entire staff of Global Health Education; Dr. Madelon Finkel, Ms. Dianne Young and last but not least Anastasia and Sejal. From their laser quick responses to my queries, arranging meeting for the international students to the constant reminders to enjoy our stay in New York, they were a revelation. Especially Ms. Young, who helped, supported and cared for us throughout the duration. I would certainly recommend this rotation to all those who are interested. It has been a joyous journey of learning, friendship and achievement. I would love to come back and be a part of NYP someday!