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Pakistan is the 3rd Largest Source of Foreign Doctors in America
Pakistan is the third biggest source of foreign doctors who make up a third of all practicing physicians in the United States, according to OECD. Vast majority of Muslim doctors in America are of Pakistani origin.
Foreign Doctors in America:
About 30% of the 800,000 doctors, or about 240,000 doctors, currently practicing in America are of foreign origin, according to Catholic Health Association of the United States. Predictions vary, but according to the American Association of Medical Colleges, by 2025 the U.S. will be short about 160,000 physicians. This gap will most likely be filled by more foreign doctors.
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Pakistani Doctors in United States:
As of 2013, there are over 12,000 Pakistani doctors, or about 5% of all foreign physicians and surgeons, in practice in the United States. Pakistan is the third largest source of foreign-trained doctors. India tops with 22%, or 52,800 doctors. It is followed by the Philippines with 6%, or 14,400 foreign-trained doctors. India and Pakistan also rank as the top two sources of foreign doctors in the United Kingdom.
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Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan |
Dow Medical University of Health Sciences:
There are 3,100 graduates of Karachi's Dow University of Health Sciences, contributing the largest pool of doctors among the 12,000 Pakistani doctors in the United States. About 1,900 are from Lahore's King Edward Medical College and the rest from Karachi's Agha Khan University, Lahore's Allama Iqbal Medical College and other medical colleges in Pakistan, according to Dr. Humayun Chaudhry, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of State Medical Boards in the United States.
Doctor Shortages:
India has six doctors for 10,000 people and Pakistan has eight. The comparable figure for the United States is 25 doctors per 10,000. And yet, the United States continues to import thousands of doctors from these two South Asian nations. Predictions vary, but according to the American Association of Medical Colleges, by 2025 the U.S. will be short about 160,000 physicians. This shortfall will most likely be filled by foreign doctors from countries like India and Pakistan.
Summary:
Pakistani doctors make up the third largest source of practicing physicians and surgeons in the United States. And more are coming to make up the continuing shortages in spite of the fact that Pakistan has only eight doctors per 10,000 people, only a third of the 25 doctors per 10,000 in the United States. Will this change after President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20, 2017? Only time will tell.
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Riaz Haq
Over 1,000 Pakistani doctors obtain US residency in one year: PMDC - Pakistan - DAWN.COM
https://www.dawn.com/news/1903083
ISLAMABAD: Around 1,061 Pakistani doctors — the highest ever in a single year — have obtained residency positions in the United States (US), Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) President Professor Rizwan Taj revealed on Tuesday.
Notable institutions, from where the maximum number of doctors have achieved residency positions include King Edward Medical University, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Dow Medical College, Shifa College of Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University (JSMU) and Khyber Medical University.
Mr Taj claimed that the “impressive performance of the doctors exemplified the standards set by the PMDC in overseeing medical education in the country and its strong curricula and training programmes”.
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There are a significant number of Pakistani doctors practicing in the United States. The Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA) represents over 15,000 physicians of Pakistani descent serving in the USA and Canada. APPNA also provides humanitarian aid and supports medical education in Pakistan. Many Pakistani doctors also pursue careers in the US after completing their residency programs.
Apr 10, 2025
Riaz Haq
Pakistan-American surgeon appointed Chief AI Officer at US college of medicine
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2587116/pakistan-american-surgeon-appo...
Dr Adil Haider says AI can strengthen healthcare systems at scale if implemented responsibly
Pakistani-American surgeon-scientist Dr Adil Haider has been appointed the Inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine (CI MED), the world’s first engineering-based medical school, according to a press statement issued on Wednesday.
The newly created role marks a major milestone in Dr Haider’s global career spanning Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. As CAIO, he will lead the strategic and responsible integration of artificial intelligence across medical education, research, and clinical innovation at CI MED.
Dr Haider joins Carle Illinois after completing a transformative 6.5-year tenure as Dean of the Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan. During his leadership, the institution quadrupled its research funding, achieved top-100 global ranking status, and secured multiple international accreditations. Widely respected for his mentorship and accessibility, he remained a popular figure among students.
Speaking on his appointment, Dr Haider said artificial intelligence has the potential to strengthen healthcare systems at scale if implemented responsibly and grounded in real clinical needs.
CI MED Dean Mark Cohen said the appointment reflects the institution’s commitment to making artificial intelligence foundational to the future of medicine, adding that Dr Haider’s leadership would ensure innovation remains ethical and patient-centred.
Dr Haider will also serve as Medical Director for Research Informatics at Carle Foundation Hospital and as a Visiting Professor at the University of Illinois’ Grainger College of Engineering.
Dr Haider has authored over 450 publications, secured more than $200 million in research funding, and founded Boston Health AI in 2024, with a mission to improve care for one billion patients worldwide.
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CI MED Appoints International Expert to Lead AI Initiatives
https://medicine.illinois.edu/news/ci-med-appoints-international-ex...
Carle Illinois College of Medicine has appointed internationally recognized surgeon-scientist, biotech entrepreneur, and academic leader Dr. Adil Haider as its inaugural Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO).
In this newly created role, Haider will lead the strategic vision, development, and responsible deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) across CI MED. He will be responsible for advancing AI-enabled medical education, translational research, and clinical innovation.
Adil Haider (left) has been appointed by CI MED Dean Mark Cohen (right) as the college's first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.
Adil Haider (left) has been appointed by CI MED Dean Mark Cohen (right) as the college's first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.
“By establishing the role of chief AI officer, Carle Illinois is signaling that artificial intelligence is not peripheral, but foundational to the future of medicine,” said CI MED Dean Mark Cohen. “Dr. Haider brings a unique combination of academic rigor, clinical expertise, and entrepreneurial experience. His leadership will help ensure that AI at Carle Illinois is innovative, ethical, and meaningfully improves health outcomes, transforming our clinical, research, innovation, and educational missions for the future.”
In addition to his duties at CI MED, Haider will serve as the medical director for research informatics at Carle Foundation Hospital, strengthening alignment between academic innovation and real-world clinical practice. In this dual role, Haider will help integrate advanced informatics and AI-driven tools to enhance care delivery, clinical efficiency, and the patient experience across the Carle Health system.
Jan 15
Riaz Haq
https://www.uabmedicine.org/news/uabs-sheikh-is-one-of-the-first-fe...
University of Alabama at Birmingham Assistant Professor Saulat Sajjad Sheikh, MBBS Division of Transplantation is one of the first female transplant surgeons from her originating country, Pakistan.
Sheikh attended medical school at the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan, where she was conferred the “Best Graduate” award. She subsequently completed her general surgery residency at York Hospital, York, Pennsylvania. Sheikh graduated from UAB’s Abdominal Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery Fellowship in 2020.
During her residency, Sheikh considered specializing in gastrointestinal surgery; but after experiencing the gratification of changing an individual’s life by successfully transplanting a kidney or liver, abdominal transplant surgery was her new goal. Curing end-stage organ disease and offering a renewed chance at life for a patient became a passion for Sheikh.
Sheikh had several barriers to overcome before she could become a transplant surgeon. The Journal of Pakistan Medical Association reported in 2016 that 69.6 percent of registered medical doctors were male. When she decided on the field, Sheikh knew it was rare for a female medical doctor to specialize in surgery, let alone abdominal transplantation.
“Transplant surgery in Pakistan is not easily accessible, and there are only a few established transplant centers,” Sheikh said. “It was such a privilege and honor to attend one of the finest medical schools in Pakistan and then complete the rest of my training in the United States.”
According to a recent study conducted by Aga Khan University Hospital, where Sheikh attended medical school, 72 percent of female surgeons in the AKUH Department of Surgery said cultural barriers to a surgical career existed because of their gender. Further, about 40 percent of the women report having been discouraged by family or close friends from pursuing surgery as a career field.
Not only did she face gender barriers, but Sheikh also had personal challenges. She simultaneously began her two-year fellowship while single-handedly caregiving for her 7-month-old daughter. At the time, her husband, current UAB Acute Care Surgery Fellow Zain Hashmi, M.D., was still finishing his general surgery residency at the Sinai Hospital of Baltimore.
“It was certainly difficult raising a child and completing my fellowship, but I had to remind myself of my ‘why,’” Sheikh said. “I chose UAB because of the potential for growth, mentorship and stability. Dr. Jayme Locke is an incredible role model for me. She was the only female faculty in transplant at UAB when she started here. I have been with the UAB Division of Transplantation for just over two years, and I feel like I am barely scratching the surface with how far I can go.”
As an only female child from a conservative family, Sheikh said she was lucky her parents permitted her to capitalize on the available opportunities and sent her off into the world to pursue her goal of becoming a transplant surgeon. Both her mother and father are retired physicians —her mother is an OBGYN, and her father practices family medicine.
“My parents were and continue to be supportive of my pursuing my dreams to become a transplant surgeon, even though they often received side comments from the community, doubting my career and life path,” Sheikh said. “When I first started out on this journey, it felt like a distant dream; but now here I am, living my dream every day.”
on Saturday