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Alum Draws on Past Careers to Succeed in Medicine
Patient care, says Zubair Siddiqui, is all about problem-solving. And he should know, too: As a veteran of the United States Air Force, an engineer by trade, and now a physician, he’s trained to solve problems of all shapes and sizes.
Dr. Siddiqui (AUC Class of 2013) is a PGY-3 resident in the University of Texas Southwestern family medicine program. Born in Pakistan, Dr. Siddiqui moved to the U.S. in 1998, and two years later enrolled at Georgia Institute of Technology to study electrical engineering.
After graduating, he spent almost a year as a contractor for Dell Computers before joining the U.S. Air Force. There, he served as an officer and worked in developmental engineering, program management and systems safety management.
“I always had a deep desire to be in a field that’s not only challenging, but allows me to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Dr. Siddiqui. “I enjoyed my experience in the Air Force, but I was looking for a new career.”
Medicine seemed like a natural fit. But it wasn’t an easy decision.
“Deciding to go to medical school was tough. I wasn’t a traditional student. I was in my 30s, I was thinking about family and finances,” said Dr. Siddiqui. “You just need to have some faith in yourself, make sure you are working as hard as you can, and make the best of the opportunities given to you. It requires a lot of planning. You need to think about if you were to have a setback during your education, how would you manage that, and how would you get back on track. Then, if you do run into any obstacles, you’ll be prepared.”
Dr. Siddiqui credits his family, friends and AUC network for supporting him throughout his journey to MD.
“I’m grateful to my wife, parents, colleagues, all the professors at AUC and the physicians who helped me become the physician that I am,” Dr. Siddiqui said. “I’ve loved every bit of my experience,” said Dr. Siddiqui.
After residency, he plans to pursue a career as a hospitalist.
