Dawood Umer

Completed 3-week nephrology observership with two board-certified nephrologists

Involved in inpatient (ICU, wards), outpatient, and dialysis unit care
Observed cases including,
AKI

AKI on CKD
ESKD
SIADH
HIV-associated Nephropathy

IgA nephropathy

AIN
Kidney stones
CKD-MBD
Participated in morning rounds and case discussions with residents
Learned evidence-based diagnostic and treatment strategies
Discussed population-based risk stratification in CKD, including the use of APOL1 gene testing in African American populations

Gained experience in counseling, goals-of-care discussions, and interdisciplinary coordination
Engaged with diverse patient populations across multiple clinical settings.

Completed 2-week externship under a board-certified rheumatologist in the outpatient setting.

Took 3-4 new patients' histories daily, performed focused physical exams, and documented notes in EPIC

Managed diverse cases including,
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Psoriatic arthritis

Lupus
Mixed and undefined connective tissue diseases.
Osteopenia

Participated in:
Patient history review and symptom discussion

Diagnostic workup and interpretation Treatment planning and medication overview

Gained insight into:
Clinical presentations of autoimmune and rheumatic diseases

Long-term management strategies
Importance of multidisciplinary care

Supervised by an Infectious Disease Specialist,
Participated in rounds, bedside evaluations, and team discussions
Took patient histories, performed focused exams, and presented cases to the infectious disease attending before bedside rounds
Updated notes in EPIC after the rounds
Communicated effectively with patients and their families regarding the nature of the illness, management plans, and expected course of the disease

Observed patients with:
Sepsis
Bacteremia
Drug reactions like DRESS syndrome PUO

Viral infections

Assisted with reviewing:

Antibiotic choices
Dose Adjustments

Culture Results

Learned about infection control and inpatient infectious disease management.

Evaluated pre-op fitness of 5–6 cardiac surgery patients daily

Explained procedures and obtained consent for elective and emergent surgeries, including

CABG
Valve repairs/replacements
CHD correction

Wound debridement and Rewiring

Managed 8–10 post-op patients daily, transferred from ICU/HDU to floors, addressing:

Post-operative pain
Respiratory issues
Arrhythmias

Fever, chest pain, cough, hospital-acquired pneumonia AKI
Delirium

Transferred patients to ICU/HDU when needed after consulting senior faculty

Reassured patients and families about the likely post-op course

Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams on management plans

Handled up to 15 patients during 36-hour calls every fourth day.

12-month House-job/Internship at a major tertiary care hospital with 3-month rotations in each listed specialty

Internal Medicine:
Managed 2–3 inpatients daily on the floors

Performed:

ABGs
NG tubes

Foley

Ascitic taps

Handled on-call duties:
36-hour floor calls every 4th day for 1 month

12-hour ER shifts (day/night) weekly for 2 months

Medical Oncology:
Covered up to 25 terminally ill patients on 24-hour solo calls

Managed transfusions and SOS care;

assisted in OPD

Anesthesia:

Learned,
Spinal anesthesia

Sedation

Intubation

Assisted in Gynaecology OT, SICU, and multi-specialty elective OTs.

Surgery:

Participated in,

Rounds
Minor OTs

Blood draws

Did 24-hour calls rotating through the floor, casualty OT, and ER

Volunteered for nearly 5 years with Patient Helping Hands, a medical student-run NGO that aims to help non-privileged patients and support our teaching hospital through donations, as part of the finance and outreach team.
Led monthly donation drives in early years and later mentored 250 junior volunteers to take leadership roles.
Participated in quarterly organizational meetings, actively contributing to strategic improvements.

Conducted interviews for prospective volunteers, ensuring their strong alignment with our mission and commitment to the cause.

Organized community fundraising events and campaigns
Helped renovate hospital wards, secure donations for essential medicines, and fund costly diagnostic tests for underserved patients