Imran Sharief
| Imran Sharief | |
|---|---|
| Born | Pakistan |
| 🏫 Education | D.J. Government Science College, Karachi (1984) Dow Medical College, Karachi (MBBS, 1991) St. Joseph Mercy Hospital / Wayne State University (Residency, Internal Medicine) Medical College of Ohio (Fellowship, Pulmonary & Critical Care) Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit (Fellowship, Sleep Medicine) |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| Known for | Sleep medicine research, COVID-19 public health advocacy, Pakistani-American diaspora civic engagement |
Imran Sharief (MD, FCCP) is an American physician specializing in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, critical care medicine, and sleep medicine. Born in Pakistan and trained in both Pakistani and American medical institutions, he has practiced in the United States and held academic appointments at the University of Arizona and Wayne State University. He gained national media attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, appearing as a medical commentator on outlets including Fox News and the Daily Mail. Sharief is also known for his humanitarian and civic engagement work, particularly within the Pakistani-American diaspora community.
Early life and education
Imran Sharief was born in Pakistan and completed his secondary education at D.J. Government Science College, Karachi, in 1984. He earned his MBBS from Dow Medical College, Karachi, in 1991, one of Pakistan's oldest and most prominent medical institutions.
Following his MBBS, he completed an internship in internal medicine at Civil Hospital Karachi. He subsequently moved to the United States, where he completed a residency in internal medicine at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, affiliated with Wayne State University in Michigan. He then undertook fellowships in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the Medical College of Ohio, and in sleep medicine at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit.
Medical career
Sharief has practiced pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine in the United States for over 18 years. He has held academic positions as Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Arizona and at Wayne State University, where he supervised medical trainees and contributed to clinical education.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sharief worked as an intensivist managing critically ill patients at Northridge Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. In December 2020, he became the first physician at that facility to receive the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, describing the moment as historic and publicly urging community members to get vaccinated.[1] He emphasized the vaccine's safety based on clinical trial data and his personal experience, and encouraged the public to follow public health guidance.
Research and publications
Sharief has authored and co-authored research in sleep medicine, pulmonary medicine, and neurology. His work spans topics including CPAP adherence, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea in hemodialysis patients, the relationship between sleep-disordered breathing and cardiovascular disease, lung cancer classification, and COVID-19 imaging practices.
Among his peer-reviewed publications is a study on the effect of sleep-disordered breathing on the sleep quality of bed partners, published in SLEEP, the journal of the Sleep Research Society (Oxford University Press, 2008). The study examined 110 household pairs enrolled in the Sleep Heart Health Study and found that among couples where one partner had sleep-disordered breathing, the unaffected partner slept better than their affected counterpart, though not differently from partners in couples where neither had the condition.[2]
Additional publications include work in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology,[3] and in CHEST, the journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.[4]
Media appearances
Sharief has served as a medical analyst and commentator on numerous television and digital news platforms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he regularly appeared on Fox News, discussing vaccine safety, treatment options, and public health measures.[1][5] He contributed commentary to the Daily Mail regarding the use of an arthritis drug in COVID-19 patients, and to the New York Post on umbilical cord-derived stem cell treatments in early-stage trials.[6]
He has also appeared on Pakistani television channels including Geo TV, ARY News, SAMAA TV, 92 News, Dunya News, PTV, and Metro News.
Civic engagement and humanitarian work
Organizations
Sharief is the founder and president of Pakistan Meri Jaan, a diaspora advocacy organization. He served as founder and past president of the Council of Pakistan. He has also served as General Secretary of the U.S. board of the Shahid Afridi Foundation, which supports education and healthcare initiatives in Pakistan, and as an advisor to Shine Humanity USA.
COVID-19 community response
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sharief organized town halls to disseminate accurate health information within Pakistani-American communities. His initiatives included food drives, mask distribution campaigns, healthcare equipment fundraising, and support programs for first responders. He also coordinated vaccine facilitation efforts and the distribution of medical supplies to hospitals in Pakistan.
International engagements
Sharief has participated in bilateral civic discussions involving U.S. and Pakistani officials, including engagements with members of the United States Congress and Pakistani government leadership on topics such as diaspora relations, public health coordination, and humanitarian relief.
Sleep medicine advocacy
Sharief has written publicly on the importance of sleep centers in the healthcare landscape, highlighting the link between untreated sleep disorders and conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and depression.[7] He has advocated for greater access to sleep medicine services, including through telemedicine and portable at-home diagnostic technologies.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Doctor who received COVID-19 vaccine wants to be 'role model for the community' in getting the jab". Fox News. December 21, 2020. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ↑ Sharief, Imran; Silva, Graciela E.; Goodwin, James L.; Quan, Stuart F. (October 2008). "Effect of Sleep Disordered Breathing on the Sleep of Bed Partners in the Sleep Heart Health Study". SLEEP. 31 (10): 1449–1456. doi:10.5665/sleep/31.10.1449. PMC 2572741. PMID 18853936.
- ↑ "Research publication by Imran Sharief". Neurology. American Academy of Neurology. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ↑ "Research publication by Imran Sharief". CHEST. American College of Chest Physicians. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ↑ "Are coronavirus masks necessary for vaccinated people?". Fox News. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ↑ "Coronavirus treatment with umbilical cord-derived stem cells shows promise". New York Post. January 15, 2021. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ↑ "The Foundation of Sleep Center by Dr. Imran Sharief". Gulf Times. July 30, 2023. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
External links
Category:Living people
Category:Pakistani emigrants to the United States
Category:American medical doctors
Category:Pulmonologists
Category:University of Arizona faculty
Category:Wayne State University faculty
Category:Dow Medical College alumni
Category:COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
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