Physician Profile: UVMC Psychiatrist Enjoys Scuba Diving, Watching Cricket

Rafay Atiq, MD, is Medical Director of Upper Valley Outpatient and Inpatient Behavioral Health Services in Troy.

What is your clinical specialty?
Psychiatry (adult)

Where did you go to school?
Dow Medical College in Karachi, Pakistan (medical school), and Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine (psychiatry residency)

What brought you to Premier Health?
My mentor at Wright State University approached me with an opening at UVMC in their behavioral health facility. I wanted to stay local to help with the growing needs of the community. Over the course of the past decade, I have had the privilege to work with an excellent team at both inpatient and outpatient behavioral health and forge stronger bonds with the community.

Why did you choose medicine as a career?
My mother is an OB/GYN, and I spent the first 13 years of my life living in a hospital. My mother was the medical director of that hospital, and we were given residence within the premises of that facility. I chose to become a doctor because I saw the passion and joy my mother had for her job, and I wanted to follow her footsteps.

Who are the people who influenced and/or mentored you?
My mother and my faculty at WSU and at Aga Khan University Hospital (located in Karachi, where I spent two years doing psychiatric training before moving to the USA). They shaped my professional career by showing me the passion and empathy that is required to uplift and inspire patients every day.

What is one thing most people don’t know about you?
Halloween is my favorite holiday.

Where is your hometown?
Centerville, Ohio

What, if any, sports team(s) do you cheer for?
Pakistan Cricket Board

What is the last book you read?
“The Gene: An Intimate History” by Siddhartha Mukherjee

What is your favorite song in your playlist?
“Majesty” by Nicki Minaj

What is your favorite food?
Biryani, a traditional Pakistani meat and rice dish

What is your favorite hobby?
Scuba diving

What is your favorite animal, and why?
Dogs because they make great companions

Where is your favorite vacation spot, and why?
Any serene beach with multiple diving spots and diverse marine life

Describe something for which you are especially thankful:
My wonderful friends for being there during the high and low points in my life.

Pick a Side

iPhone or Android?
iPhone

Early bird or night owl?
Early bird

Beach bum or mountain hiker?
Beach bum

Dress shoes or tennis shoes?
Both

Paperback or e-reader?
Paperback

Coffee or tea?
Coffee

Cooking or baking?
Cooking

Sweet or salty?
Salty 

Back to the November 2018 issue of Premier Pulse