I’ve had the privilege of being a guest on a variety of different podcasts in the past year or so. I have compiled them here for easy reference. Look through the topics and have a listen!

My American Story

I was excited to get to tell my story on Her American Story podcast! Listen in to hear about my life, growing up as the child of Syrian immigrants in America’s Midwest. Find the episode linked here or at Her American Story on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Self Work, Spirituality, and Being an Ophthalmologist

It was a pleasure speaking to Dr. Damaris Raymondi about a variety of topics. How I chose my career, my father as an inspiration, struggles in medical school & residency, esp as a young wife & mother and a woman in hijab. About the month of Ramadan. The road to starting my own practice. Homeschooling my kids while working part-time and starting a school. Words of wisdom from my religion & my love of patient education. Listen here or find New York Eye Doc wherever you get your podcasts.

To LASIK or not to LASIK

Many people ask me if LASIK is a good option for them. In this interview on the GetHealthy360 Podcast with Dr. Kris Ferguson, I discuss laser vision correction and vision correction with lens exchange or cataract surgery. Listen here to get a better understanding about the pros and cons of these different treatments that can allow you to see well without glasses or contact lenses; and an explanation of how age affects our recommendation of one treatment over the other.

In Pursuit of Contentedness

I had a great conversation with Dr. Errin Weisman in this podcast interview about my personal pursuit of contentedness. I shared my experiences trying to fill every moment of my time and how I deal with the challenges of time passing and embracing contentedness. I also tell the story of founding a non-profit that has blossomed into a full-time school, Carriers of Light, with which I still have the pleasure of being closely involved.

Per Merriam-Webster dictionary, contented is an adjective meaning: feeling or showing satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation. Contentedness is the noun of that feeling.

Some of us experience a mid-career ennui. As life finally starts to settle down, the new calm can feel like a void because we are so used to working to achieve the next milestone. Especially for those of us in medicine, we have been running for so many years from one step to the next; undergrad, MCAT, med school, USMLE, residency, board exams, fellowships, etc. It is non-stop for 12+ years. As that is finishing up, some may be getting married, trying to start a family, buy their first home, succeed in their job, or spend time with their young children. But as the years post-training pass, and the high-adrenaline pace of those years fades into the distance, we may find ourselves in a lull.

Most of us have always been high-achievers and might not know how to just sit down and enjoy the temporary quietude. We don’t know how to sink into and experience contentedness. This has been my struggle, as I share in this conversation.

My Experiences with Imposter Syndrome

I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Kristin Yates about my experiences with imposter syndrome, particularly as a medical student. I explored how being different from others, as the only one in hijab, furthered my isolation and false sense that I was the only one feeling that way. Listen here to this episode the Imposter to Unstoppable podcast.