Home: Toronto, Canada. Age: 40-something. Birthplace: Egypt. Profession: Family physician. Title: Doctor / MD. Pronouns: He/Him/His. Languages spoken: English, Arabic.
Current project: Cosmetic dermatology. Recent professional development: Fellowship of College of Family Medicine. Latest accomplishment: Assistant clinical professor of family medicine/faculty of medicine, McMaster University Family Medicine. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Leaving a high-volume corporate clinic to start my own direct primary care (DPC) practice. Hobbies: Soccer, squash, and functional fitness. It’s my moving meditation. Recent travel or adventure: Attending a family medicine conference in Italy. Last book read: Empire of Pain, by Patrick Radden Keefe
Moral compass: The Golden Rule, but with a stethoscope. How do you define a perfect friendship? Laughter over coffee, honesty without judgment, and showing up, even when inconvenient. How do you define an ideal business relationship? Trust, clear communication, and shared goals. What is your greatest joy? Seeing a nervous kid leave my office grinning, usually with a sticker and a high-five. What is your greatest fear? Missing a subtle symptom that mattered. What is your guilty pleasure? Medical dramas, while yelling at the inaccuracies (Grey’s Anatomy, I’m looking at you). What word or phrase do you use far too often? Let’s circle back. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? Books and travel.
What was your favorite childhood toy or game? Lego stethoscope (prophetic). Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? My residency mentor. What’s the best advice you received growing up? Listen twice as much as you speak; ears don't get you in trouble (my grandmother). What’s the best advice you received in your career? Good doctors treat diseases. Great doctors treat people with diseases. What is your go-to source of news and information? The New England Journal of Medicine meets BBC Global News. What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? Patient stories. The most profound lessons come from exam rooms. What company or organization do you most admire? Doctors Without Borders.
What is your big idea?
Partnering with local schools/gyms to prescribe free fitness/nutrition programs, not just pills.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field? Pushing for medical record systems that prioritize patient narratives over checkboxes. What change would you like to see in the world? Healthcare where geography doesn’t dictate the quality of care you receive. What widely held belief do you reject? That more testing always means better care. Often, it just means more anxiety (and bills). What mega-trend most concerns you? Medicine becoming more algorithm-driven.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? House Calls & Hard Lessons: A Doctor’s Unscripted Journey. What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Rami Malek, who nails intensity with quiet warmth. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? Dr. Patch Adams, to swap notes on healing with humor. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? It was always a doctor. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? My grandmother’s handwritten recipe book. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? Hiking with my family, enjoying places in Italy, and leaving behind one really good dad joke. What advice would you give your younger self? You’ll forget 90% of those medical school flashcards. It’s the 10% that matters. How to say “I don’t know” with confidence.
Personal mission: To heal with both science and soul, remembering that every chart number is someone’s favorite person. Personal motto: Listen deeply, act wisely, and never stop learning. Favorite quote: "The good physician treats the disease; the great physician treats the patient who has the disease" (William Osler).
