My Journey into Emergency Medicine: A Calling Born from Crisis

My passion for emergency medicine began in the most unexpected and devastating way. In 2005, a massive earthquake struck the northern regions of Pakistan, claiming nearly 100,000 lives and leaving countless others injured and displaced. I was a young high school student at the time, witnessing the unimaginable suffering of my people amidst a healthcare system already strained by limited resources in our part of world. It was a moment of helplessness-but also one of clarity. I realized then that my calling was to be there for people in their most critical, vulnerable moments.

The chaos of that disaster taught me something no textbook ever could: that in emergency care, every second matters and compassionate, skilled intervention can mean the difference between life and death. I wanted to be that difference. I wanted to bring hope to those in despair, stability to the unstable, and relief to the suffering.

Today, I am proud to serve as the Head of the Emergency Department at one of the busiest public hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. Our 38-bed facility manages over 250 patients in a 24 hour period—many of whom arrive in life-threatening conditions. Through collaborative efforts with the government and hospital leadership, we have initiated free-of-cost emergency care for all critical patients. This is not just a medical service; it is a lifeline for the underserved communities who walk through our doors every day, and treatment with dignity and pride is our mission.

Emergency medicine is not confined to the scenes of natural disasters or war zones. It exists in traffic accidents, heart attacks at home, sudden collapses at work or injuries at the local bus stop. It is a specialty that responds to the most extreme as well as the most ordinary circumstances—anywhere, at any time.

One in three citizens visits an Emergency Department each year. That means millions of stories, each unique, each urgent. Mine began in tragedy, but it continues in service, compassion, and the unwavering belief that competent and timely emergency care should be accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Emergency medicine is not just my profession, it is my passion.
And every day in the ER, I am reminded why I chose this path…!!!