IPN Spotlight: Dr. Zohray Talib (Associate Professor of Medicine & Health Policy, George Washington University)
Dr. Zohray Talib is Associate Professor of Medicine and of Health Policy at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She practices Internal Medicine and is a leader in global health with expertise in health workforce, community engagement and medical education. Dr. Talib is a Member of the National Academy of Science Global Forum of Health Professions Education and currently serves as the Honorary Secretary of the Aga Khan Health Board for the USA. She has worked with leadership of medical schools in Africa to improve the quality of their education programs. She currently leads a study across ten countries examining the value of bringing students and academic rigor to community health facilities. Dr. Talib has consulted for programs in Central Asia and Africa and has published on different aspects of building capacity within health system in low-resource settings. Dr. Talib received her B.Sc. in Physical Therapy from McGill University and her M.D. from the University of Alberta.
What skills have helped you in your career?
Being able to develop my career in multiple dimensions simultaneously – as a clinician, as an educator, as a program director, and as a global health researcher.
Balancing the urgent daily tasks, while also investing regularly in a longer-term goal and keeping my eye on the ball of what contribution I would like to make.
As a mom of three kids, the balancing act can get complex so I have embraced creative ways of managing at home including scheduling meals in advance, shopping online for groceries and getting the kids involved in housework.
What do you wish you had known or done differently throughout your career?
There were times during residency training that I could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. The days seemed long and I was not able to nurture any other part of my career path. At those times, I needed reminders that it is important to embrace certain phases of learning and dive deep in skill-building. In hindsight it is much easier to appreciate the value of having immersed myself in clinical training for that time.
What is next for you in your career?
I would like to continue to strengthen the academic health sector in low-resource settings. I feel strongly that strong academic institutions can underpin and sustain development. Strengthening academia will require diversifying partnerships (e.g. to include the private sector) and innovative thinking on how we teach and evaluate education programs. I would like to continue to build the evidence and advocate for decentralizing academia. Bringing academic rigor and resources to low-resource communities and under-served areas creates a vibrant environment where there is synergy and efficiency between teaching, learning, service and research.
What do you do for continuing education and improvement?
I am constantly learning. I am an ad hoc reviewer for several medical journals which is a way to keep abreast of what is happening in my field of work. My research and teaching roles require me to read the literature regularly and I often read about the conditions my patients have. Like many others, I also watch TED talks and enjoy reading articles on social media.
What advice would you offer to others?
Allow for creative paths to achieve your career goals – don’t assume just because you can’t see the path that there isn’t one. Career paths are rarely linear. New doors often open at unpredictable times, so allow for that while working diligently towards the goals you set. Work hard and smart but also seek mentors to guide you in different aspects of your career. It is very uncommon to find one mentor who can advise on everything and often it takes time, effort and patience to find the right mentor. Be bold and ask those you admire if they can guide you on your path.
Areas where you can help other Ismailis:
•Mentoring professionals interested in global public health
•Finding opportunities to get involved in our community service
•Monitoring and evaluation