20 Years, 20 Leaders: Farzanna S. Haffizulla, MD
“The infrastructure of all of these changes must be cemented by human connectedness, compassion and empathy in order for us to drive quality, value and satisfaction in medicine.”
Our connection to the experiences of those who came before helps to define the present and future of medicine. The Foundation is celebrating 20 years by joining in conversation with 20 women leaders in all aspects of medicine to understand their stories and how their experiences will shape the next generation.
Farzanna S. Haffizulla, MD, FACP FAMWA is assistant dean for community and global health at the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine at Nova Southeastern University. Dr. Haffizulla was the 2014-2015 national president of the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA). She is involved on many levels with AMWA, including being the co-chair and founder for AMWA’s Preventive Medicine Task Force, founder of AMWA’s fellowship program, and she served on AMWA's governance, finance, membership and global health committees.
She is the host, anchor, and clinical editor for the nationwide health program Mission Critical Health, and works with Elsevier’s Practice Update team as host of its oncology and rheumatology series. She has contributed to the production of more than 600 clinician-directed videos to facilitate the translation of the most updated scientific advances and research into improved patient outcomes nationally and globally.
The author of two books, Harmony of the Spheres: Career, Family and Community and Lead with your Heart: A Doctor’s Rx for Personal and Professional Success, Dr. Haffizulla founded and runs the work/life balance site Busy Mom MD.
Here’s what we learned during our conversation with Dr. Haffizulla.
Why did you choose to go into medicine or your related field?
My mother, Meharoon, was the charge nurse at the San Fernando General Hospital in Trinidad. As a young girl, maybe four years old, she would take me into work with her and I would sit at the nurses’ station and color. One of those times, we were in the pediatric burn unit, and I could hear the children crying. My heart ached for them and I felt their sadness envelop my entire being. Amidst the beeping monitors and IV tethers, I would sneak near their beds and tell them colorful, playful stories. Seeing them change their sadness into laughter ignited a fire in me to continue to help and heal. Today, I am an Internal Medicine physician in private practice with the honor and privilege of taking care of adolescents and adults.
What’s your core philosophy?
Strive to always augment your knowledge but ensure that you lead your life with empathy and compassion. Maintain a perpetually positive mindset and stay humble, receptive and adaptable as you navigate life. Celebrate diversity and fight fearlessly for equity and inclusion.
What motivates you?
For me, that’s changed over time. Now, I am involved in many leadership activities, but I used to be very shy, in the back of the room, not wanting to raise my hand. I knew I would be a better doctor, a better person, and make a greater positive impact if I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and changed my mindset. I also believe in having an unwavering, positive mindset combined with a fierce drive to serve the needs of humanity. This thought process pushes me constantly beyond boundaries. All four of my children (Zarina, Anisa, Nadia and Adam) are also my greatest teachers. Their innocence and untethered approach to solving problems of the human condition gives me perpetual hope for the state of humanity.
How do you motivate others?
I am a firm believer in encouraging and uplifting everyone around us. There are more than enough opportunities for each of us to be successful. I often share personal stories of trials and tribulations and how important they were in shaping my skills as a community leader. I share with others that it is important to live an informed life, free of regret! Everything happens for a good reason. I also embrace the opportunity to mentor students and others willing to engage in shared learning. I learn as much (maybe more) from my mentees than they do from me.
What challenges have you had to overcome?
Many. I am an immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago and a woman of color in medicine. My nemeses in college were public speaking and organic chemistry. One turning point in my naturally shy nature was when my public speaking professor and my classmates nominated me to represent our class in the University’s Public Speaking Festival. I was overcome with horror and fear. When I walked into that intimidating hall filled with college students, I saw my whole class and professor sitting front and center cheering me on. Shockingly, I won first place! I felt instantly re-programmed and learned quickly how to embrace the energy of a crowd and be an effective public speaker.
Another challenge was organic chemistry. It was initially difficult for me to grasp at first. I knew it was a weed-out class and I was not going to be weeded out. I was determined to be a physician! I went home and feverishly studied out loud, often acting out the characteristics of the mechanisms I sought to understand. The clanging of pots and the mesmerizing scent of the rich curries my mother nurtured on the stove top was my comforting backdrop as I finally conquered this nebulous subject. Today, I actually teach organic chemistry to seniors at American Heritage!
Another challenge I faced was when I had my first baby, Zarina, when my husband, Jason and I were in medical school. I got a lot of negative, biased comments from people who thought that a pregnant woman had no place in medicine. Hearing comments like, “How dare she be in the surgical rotation with her big pregnant belly,” fired me up to push myself to new heights. I studied intensely before rounds and was never one to back down from either a new surgery or a challenging case. Soon, I earned the respect of the entire clinical team and was emblazoned to get more involved in advocacy for women in medicine.
Humans fail. Please share a time when you failed and what you did next to move forward.
As a leader in an organization, I wanted to put a spotlight on diversity, equity and inclusiveness but I didn’t succeed in moving that forward within the leadership circle. So, I reached out to a wider circle of influence and I am happy to say that this move shed much needed light on the issue and brought fresh solutions to improve this situation. While we still have a long way to go, we are headed in the right direction.
Who was your most important mentor(s) and why?
My mother was my ideal role model of a working woman and indeed my best mentor. The empathy and compassion she showed was palpable. She was outspoken but in a kind way. I saw her save family members from death. I saw her save patients from serious complications. She worked nights so she could come home and make us gourmet lunches to take to school. Her love for her family drove her to balance work and life in the most creative ways. Other important mentors in my life are Dr. Diana Galindo, another past president of AMWA. She took me under her wing early in my medical career and always selflessly opened up opportunities to bolster my professional journey. She is still very much an important part of my life! And Maya Angelou, who I had the privilege of listening to when she served as Keynote for our medical school graduation. The power in her voice and magic of the words in her books and poems injected me with endless inspiration. Her power of positive influence still emanates strongly across the world.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned?
Being grateful for what we have is so important. I never live with regret, even for the bad things that happen in life. I have also learned to lead with my heart. Passion is the best compass to chart a successful future. This same passion fuels your creativity to pave the way towards achieving your goals. I also learned the importance and necessity of always giving back. I am proud to serve humanity and feel honored to take care of life as an Internal Medicine physician.
How do you define success and how do you measure up to your own definition?
We have to go beyond success and become a person of value. We each bring unique elements to our world. These collective differences are the source of solutions for every problem we face. The Covid-19 pandemic is the world’s biggest opportunity to step up to the plate and work together to eradicate this virus and heal our world. I approach any initiative I’m involved in with a goal of synergizing multiple stakeholders. I add value to these initiatives when I work towards creatively overlapping organizational goals to achieve the greatest positive impact. This is at the core of my work to achieve health equity in our diverse South Florida community.
What do you see in store for the future of medicine and the related fields?
The landscape of medicine is rapidly changing. The future of medicine will be driven by actionable data, and fluid, interoperable technological media, artificial intelligence and consumer-centric patient care. Precision medicine, telemedicine and the use of genomic data will drive a more pro-active preventive model of health care. The infrastructure of all of these changes must be cemented by human connectedness, compassion and empathy in order for us to drive quality, value and satisfaction in medicine.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women in medicine and the medical sciences?
The next generation of women will help to re-define medicine and what it means to be a physician. My advice is to strongly support each other and to continue the tireless efforts and momentum started by many trailblazing leaders before them. I will also encourage them to embrace their uniqueness, passions and compassion as they fearlessly forge ahead as our future in medicine, science and health care.
The Backstory on Dr. Haffizulla
Dr. Haffizulla has given numerous national and local keynote speeches and lectures on topics including work/life balance, disease prevention, heath care innovations and personalized health.
In her capacity as an AMWA leader, she worked to promote the Surgeon General’s National Prevention Strategy and promoted initiatives to reduce disease burden in the United States through work with the Office of Women’s Health and the Department of Health and Human Services. She received AMWA’s Presidential Recognition award and the prestigious Bertha Van Hoosen award, named for AMWA’s founder.
Dr. Haffizulla has earned several additional awards including a Quality First Award from the Florida Heath Care Coalition and a Leading Physician of the World Award from The International Association of Healthcare Professionals. She was named an Outstanding Woman in Healthcare by the International Women’s Leadership Association (IWLA), which also recognized her as a Woman of Outstanding Leadership in May 2014. Dr. Haffizulla was also featured in the American College of Physicians My Kind of Medicine series in September 2014 shortly after receiving the Florida Chapter of the ACP’s 2014 award for Volunteerism and Community Service.
She is a national delegate, representing Florida for Drexel’s Institute for Women’s Health and Leadership’s Vision 2020 program. In 2017, Dr. Haffizulla was awarded the Most Outstanding Advocate for Integrated Community Care in the World at a ceremony in London, England. In April 2018, she received a Woman of the Decade award and served as a plenary speaker at the Women’s Economic Forum and All Ladies League in New Delhi, India.