Thoughts on this approach?

Saturday was my first night IFR cross country. I was flying right seat in
a 172SP with an instructor on the left. The flight was from KHHR Hawthorne
CA to Bermuda Dunes. All was well and as expected until Palm Springs
approach. They vectored us to a point south of the VOR-C approach approx 4
miles from the VOR at 4000. We were not established on the final approach
course. Then I got "cleared for the visual".

Airport elevation is 73', meaning that a ridiculous descent of 1150 ft/min
at 90 kts would have been required to get to the MDA of 920 at the MAP if
we had been flying the VOR-C.

What was I expected to do here? I have an instrument rating but only 150
hours so I don't have much experience. I expect an instrument approach,
even a visual, to allow me to make a landing using a normal descent rate
and not have to make laps in the pattern to descend.

What happens if you refuse a visual approach?