Why did you become a Physician?
My inspiration came from home. My father was a Family Physician who migrated during the partition of India and Pakistan. He opened a charitable clinic close to a mostly refugee area. He had a regular job working for a multi-national running an employee clinic. In the evenings, he would provide medical services to underprivileged patients. His patients would sometimes show up at our home in the middle of the night because they knew he would take care of them. His patients and their families considered him a Saint. As a child I wanted to be that person, to love and care for my patients. My choice of Nephrology during medical training came close to my dream. We, as nephrologists, are very close to our very complicated, underprivileged patients. We develop a patient-physician bond, a trust gained over a long period and usually preserved for the long term.
Tell us about your educational and professional background.
My professional life started at the age of sixteen (16). I was offered to join a professional field hockey team (Pakistan’s National game) with an initial earning above what young physicians were making. I played for a professional team, a city team and a state team for eight years, but this did not stop me from my dream of becoming a doctor. I entered Pakistan’s top medical school at that time, Dow Medical College. After completing my training, I volunteered at my father’s clinic and later moved to Michigan to do my Internal Medicine Residency at Michigan State University. I opted to do Nephrology at Baylor College of Medicine. I moved to Lexington in 1994 and joined Nephrology Associates of Lexington. In 2013, noticing the decline in privately owned medical practices due to mismanagement, I entered the University of Louisville and graduated with an MBA in 2015. After graduation, my partners gave me the duties to lead as President of Nephrology Associates. I promised to protect our letterhead and with the help of my partners, we have been able to grow and prosper. Over that time I realized that physicians and hospital management need to work together, benefiting the patient as the end product. For many years I have worked with the medical staff at St. Joseph Hospital in different positions and now as President-Elect of the Medical Staff. I also work on some committees at St. Joseph Hospital and as Medical Director for a freestanding, corporate-owned dialysis unit. At the national level, I am member of the Health Care Payment Committee at Renal Physician Association.
My education and working at many different levels help me broaden my approach to tackle difficulties we face on a short and long-term basis, also in future planning, services, and growth.
What are your interests outside of medicine?
I love to work at my farm taking care of my animals. We have bee hives, and we harvest the honey and give it to our family, friends, and co-workers. I enjoy watching the UK men’s basketball. I take my kids to all the home games and some final-four games. I love watching my kid’s soccer games.
Why did you join the Lexington Medical Society?
Over the years I saw the decline in the dignity of the physician in the eyes of our patient. The trust between the physician and patient in communities were spiraling down. I was frustrated with new state and federal laws and regulations that made it more difficult to practice medicine. At a party, Dr. Farhad Kareem introduced me to Lexington Medical Society as we were discussing the difficulties we as physicians are facing in this modern era, he asked me to join the society if I want to make a fundamental change. I realized the time has come for all physicians to come together and work for a single goal of becoming healers in the eyes and hearts of general population and legislative branch, where our voices are heard, and our words matter. I joined Lexington Medical Society to help our fellow physicians, to gain back our respect in the community. I want to follow our predecessors at Lexington Medical Society to further their work.
