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The purpose of medicine is to cure illness, improve patients’ quality of life, and save lives in situations ranging from the most mundane work accidents to the most tragic disasters. It is an empathetic field of study at a fundamental level. Dr. Anas Rahim uses the fields of pain management and anesthesiology as ways to both help his fellow humans endure (or escape) the pains and discomforts life gives them, and act in accordance with his faith and beliefs.
The board-certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist has been a servant and healer for most of his life, applying his work ethic and Muslim values to his community’s benefit wherever he goes.
“Both as an anesthesiologist and pain doctor, my job is to establish trust, put patients at ease and get them feeling better,” Dr. Rahim says. “I am blessed to have the privilege to care for people medically, and it’s my responsibility to be there for those I care for and those I work with.”
We were given the unique opportunity to speak with Dr. Anas Abdul Rahim about his career, his goals, his inspirations, and his plans for the future.
Can you walk us through a typical day in your life as a physician? How do you ensure productivity while balancing patient care and personal commitments?
When I show up to work, I review all my procedure patients' charts scheduled that day; I go through their MRI’s and last notes, then chart review any returning patients to make sure I’m already caught up when I enter the room. I work closely with my medical assistants, fellow physicians and procedure team to optimize the patient experience and make as positive of an impression as possible.
In order to work efficiently, I’ve instilled a culture of honesty and equality in the workplace. Everyone’s opinion matters, and we all take time to listen to different ways that we can make things better. Whether you’re the front desk employee or the doctor doing the procedure, we all treat each other with respect and work toward being there for the patient.
How do you stay updated on advancements in anesthesiology and pain management techniques?
As a board certified anesthesiologist and fellowship trained pain physician, a part of my requirements are to participate in daily MOCA questions that ensure I’m constantly reviewing the developing scope of anesthesia and pain management. I stay up to date by regularly reading newsletters from the APSF (Anesthesia Patient Safety) and the ASIPP (American society of interventional pain physicians). I also listen to the ACCRAC podcast hosted by anesthesiologist Judd Wolpaw where they discuss common topics that come up for an anesthesiologist.
As a physician, if I’m not up to date, I’m shortchanging the patient of the potential for the best care possible. I’m a firm believer that it’s all physicians’ responsibility to be on a journey of lifelong education to continue to learn in the evolving field of medicine.
Medicine often requires continuous learning. Can you share a specialized skill or technique you taught yourself and how you approached mastering it?
Repetition is key. I learned in medical school that not all students bear the same skill set. Some are great critical thinkers, and some are great at memorizing data, and some are creative. Whatever you don’t excel at, you have to work towards.
As humans, we naturally forget. It’s what makes us human. As a physician, you don’t have that luxury, and that’s why continuous education is paramount. Medicine has become hyper specialized, which is nice because it allows for continuous repetition of concepts that allow you to truly perfect your craft.
What has been the most difficult decision you’ve made recently in your professional practice? How did it turn out, and would you approach it differently now?
I had a very difficult decision to make recently, as I’ve decided to leave practicing as a full time pain management physician to practice as a full-time anesthesiologist. I spent an extra year training for pain, and don’t want to lose that skillset, but ultimately, I’m very pleased with my decision. I was able to learn a ton about the business side of running a medical practice, which was both very challenging and enlightening.
Who has influenced your journey as a physician the most? How did their guidance shape your career or philosophy of care?
My father is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist. Long ago I learned from him that it’s not just how much you know as a doctor, but how you communicate with your patients that matters. I learned the importance of having great bedside manner and establishing rapport with your patients from my father. Both as an anesthesiologist and pain doctor, my job is to establish trust, put patients at ease and get them feeling better.
When I was growing up my father taught me that God gave us two ears and one mouth, emphasizing that we have to listen before we talk. That is especially true as a physician. I have to look deeper than just the pathology and see the patient as a fellow human, be compassionate, listen and be there for them as a whole—I must go beyond just treating their medical problem to also be present for the emotional component of their visit.
Reflecting on your career, can you share a particularly challenging case or situation you encountered? How did you navigate it?
During my first year of practice as an attending anesthesiologist, I was presented with a patient with a difficult airway due to a mass in his oropharynx that put him at risk for complications. Fortunately, this situation was something I had trained for. I reviewed the CT scan of the patient's airway, discussed the case with fellow colleagues and communicated my concerns to the surgeon. This allowed us to establish multiple plans to navigate what could have been a very difficult problem.
In this specific case, I ensured that the surgeon was available bedside in case things became difficult. By God’s grace and our appropriate planning, our initial plan A went off without a hitch and all ended very well. This was a boost of confidence for me as a young anesthesiologist and reinforced that a good plan was always step one for success!
In your opinion, what key qualities have contributed to your success in bridging clinical practice, patient care, and personal values?
It’s not hard to be a reasonable human being. Every day, I wake up and try to do something that leaves the world a more positive place. I am blessed to have the privilege to care for people medically, and it’s my responsibility to work hard for those I care for and those I work with.
Ultimately, my faith reinforced my family’s strong values, encouraging me to be the best version of myself every day. Whether that’s in my responsibilities as a physician, as a business owner, as a father, or as a husband, I have to work toward taking the next positive step no matter what obstacles I face.
It’s these responsibilities and values that encouraged me to put pain management aside and refocus my career on anesthesiology once more.
We’d like to thank Dr. Anas Rahim for taking the time to speak with us and share some of the unique circumstances and inspirations in his working life as a pain management specialist and anesthesiologist.
