VCOM 2021 Annual Report

ALUMNI VIEWS

Getting to Know a Patient’s Journey

Yasir Abdul-Rahman, DO VCOM-Virginia, Class of 2016 Family Medicine, Inova Primary Care, Gainesville, VA

is a great mix. You have the professionals, the well-endowed communities who can support a family, and the working-class people who work in the service industry. They are the people who make our world go around, and most of the time, they are part of the immigrant population. Once they get to the United States, most people lose their touch of home, and they don’t feel at home. When I see an immigrant who has adopted the United States as their home for an opportunity, I want to make sure I know their journey. It only takes five minutes to ask a question to get to know them. I meet many people applying to medical school or finding a second career in medicine, trying to find a way through boards and residency. Of course, I will devote my time to be part of their journey, but, at the end of the day, I know they’re going to make it. If I can help guide them the right way or motivate them, that’s a gift. I’m currently working with University of Virginia medical students. I’m trying to encourage these great medical students to choose primary care specialties because that’s where we are most in need. I love to teach. I teach because I want the students who are working with me to be prepared: whether for their exams, boards or residency. I want them to squeeze knowledge out of every encounter they have the way I did when I was a student. I learned so much through my interactions, and I want to help them do the same. ■

Q: What’s your favorite thing about being a physician? What drives and motivates you?

A: With most patients I see, I look at them and ask, “What is the worst that could happen?” I try to help them prepare for the worst case scenario. It’s like when a car breaks down, and you don’t know what to do. So when I see a patient who is behind in their care or who has a couple of diagnoses not under control, I want them to be in control, just in case something happens. So if a vital goes awry, I want them to know what to do. I want them not to panic and go to the emergency room where they will wait and eventually be told, “You’re fine. Follow up with your primary care physician.” I think that is why I enjoy allowing people to spend time with me. I enable them to live their life to the fullest and not have to do extra erroneous stuff in this very complex medical network. People can get lost, especially if they’re immigrants and especially if finances are tight. I enjoy that aspect of putting my education and my experiences together to make it easier for them. Q: Are you hoping other immigrants follow in your footsteps to become a physician, and how are you helping the population find the correct care? A: I’m blessed to say yes. That’s why I chose my clinic in Northern Virginia. It gave me a great opportunity to serve a population that

Follow Dr. Abdul-Rahman on Twitter: @FamilyMed_App

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