Zainab Rasheed

Zainab as a medical student

Zainab as a child

• A few basic facts about me:

  Pronouns: she/her

  I’m currently an MS4 at Central Michigan University

• What kind of identities do you inhabit?

  Indian, Muslim, American

• The path to medicine is not easy. Can you tell us why you decided to pursue it?

  I always knew I wanted to help people, I just didn’t know how. I fell in love with anatomy through a physiology class I took in college. I started volunteering at the hospital and realized I found my budding passion. I found that physicians could use their knowledge and platform to educate others and advocate for patients. There’s so much room for advocacy in medicine. I continue to be passionate about women’s health and fighting to end health disparities.

• Can you describe a challenging moment in medicine that made you rethink your career path?

  I dislike feeling helpless and unable to provide care to people based on insurance coverage or financial resources. It is sometimes very challenging to be just one person trying to battle a huge system. Working one on one with patients helped me realize how important it is to fight for our patients and combat health disparities. I’ve realized that even if I can’t make systematic change, I can make a difference in one life. That can be just as important. Remembering that always renews my passion for medicine.

• Why are you interested in this organization?

  I’m interested because our patients are often disadvantaged and overlooked. PM&R’s goal is to restore function, dignity and quality of life. Our patients need strong advocates. I want to help build a platform where rehab physicians can come together to advocate for our patients and work on health disparities that directly affect them. I had a tough time navigating medical school and finding mentors in PM&R. I would like to make that process easier for others.

• Can you tell us a little bit of your aspirations - either for your career or for the field of medicine (if you’re a medical student?)

  I am still trying to figure out what area of rehab I want to pursue, but I know I want to work in underserved communities.

• Where can we find you on social media?

  Twitter

  Instagram

Last updated 02/2022