Anoma Ahmed
Title: Associate Professor
Department: Physician Assistant Studies
Campus: Long Island
Area(s) of Expertise: Global Health, Women’s Health, Cultural Competence
Education Credentials: M.B.B.S., M.S.
Industry Credentials: PA-C, MBBS
Joined New York Tech: 2007
Anoma (Zehra) Ahmed (’04) joined New York Tech as a principal faculty member in 2007 in the Department of Physician Assistant (PA) Studies. She was the academic coordinator of the program in 2013-2015 and was the department chair from 2015 - 2020. She has also held the position of Director of Admissions (2020-2021) and Director of Clinical Education (2017-2018). She was the Coordinator of Student Activities & Community Health Initiatives (2007 to 2013) and continues to work with students on numerous outreach activities.
Ahmed brings her diverse ethnic background and experiences of living and working in South and East Asia to her position as the Assistant Director of Cultural Competency/Community Education. In addition to this role, she was the site coordinator for El Salvador in the Center for Global Health beginning in 2008. Her interest in global health is apparent in her scholarly work and service. She was a board member and continuing medical education (CME) chair of the Physician Assistants for Global Health from 2014-2016. She was a member of the International Clinical Rotations Subcommittee of the Physician Assistant Education Association from 2013-2017. She was the vice president (2011-2013) of Community Health Initiatives and Partnerships Global, an NGO that worked in El Salvador. She has travelled with student on medical outreach programs to Ghana, El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
A few of the numerous committees she has served on, both in the School of Health Professions and the university, are NYIT Strategic Planning Committee (2019-2022), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Taskforce (2020-2022), co-chair of the Dean’s Speaker Series (2011-2019), the Inter Professional Education Committee, the Ad Hoc Committee on Institution-Level Educational Goals, and the Curriculum Committee. She also served as a member of the steering committee for the Institute of Clinical Competence renovation project (March 2017- May 2018). From April 2017 - 2019, she served on the steering committee of the Medical Academic Program for the 21st Century (‘MAP-21”) of NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Her teaching, research, and service interests are in women’s health, global health, and cultural competence. She is a strong advocate of integrating technology into all facets of the program and mentor’s faculty in this endeavor.
Ahmed received her BS in PA Studies in August 2004, and M.S. degree in instructional technology/professional trainer in December 2019, from New York Tech. She has worked clinically in emergency medicine, nuclear medicine, hematology/oncology, neurology and surgery. Her medical education began in Sri Lanka, where she earned her medical degree (MBBS ‘91). As a physician, she worked in women’s health, pediatrics, critical care, and family medicine. The diverse subjects she teaches in the PA program reflect this wide experience.
Publications
- Simon, E., Ahmed, A. Z., & Winter, S. (2021, September 1). Protein S Deficiency and Thrombosis: Selected Case Studies. Clinical Advisor. https://www.clinicaladvisor.com/home/topics/cardiovascular-disease-information- center/protein-s-deficiency-thrombosis/3/
- Wolf, C., Ahmed, A.Z., Schmidt, G. and Winter, S., 2020. Predictors of Attrition Among Accelerated and Traditional Physician Assistant Students. The Journal of Physician Assistant Education, 31(4), pp.204-206.
- Ahmed Z, Wolf C. Standardized Patient Encounters to Assess Improvement in Interpersonal Skills, Communication Skills and Professionalism in the Clinical Year. Journal of Physician Assistant Education, 2013; 24(2):67e.
- Parisi, V., Ahmed, Z., Lardner, D., & Cho, E. (2012). Global health simulations yield culturally competent medical providers. Journal of Medical Education, 46(11), 1126-1127. doi: 10.1111/medu1.2012.
- Ahmed, A. Z. A Day in the life of a PA in Ghana. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, October 2011.
- Ahmed, A. Z. When the patient asks – What is a nuclear cardiac stress test? Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, January 2009.
Webinar Presentations
- Chamberlain’s College of Health Professions (CHP) presents: Health Disparities: How Can We Work Together to Eliminate Them? presenter Dr. Zehra Ahmed. Monday, February 28, 2022.
- ReelDx Education presents a Real Patient Video Case Review.
Title: Toddler with fever and seizures presents unresponsive in a developing world setting. Panelists: Zehra Ahmed PA-C, MBBS; William Blazey, DO; David Spiro, M.D. Presented on 1/23/2017.
reeldx.app.box.com/s/mm7fijf5b6umm6lcy2kt54l6whvjt9ak
Presentations
State & National Conferences
- Zehra Ahmed, MBBS, PA-C, MS. Cultural Humility in Global Health, Virtual CME Conference, Physician Assistants for Global Health (PAGH), April 2022.
- Ahmed Z. & Wolf C. Do Students Honor the Honor Code? Physician Assistant Education Association’s Annual Education Forum, October 2020.
- Ahmed Z. & Loscalzo C. Faculty Forum, New York State Society of Physician Assistants, Virtual CME Conference, October 16, 2020.
- An Interprofessional Experience in Peredo, Haiti. Patricia M. Chute, Ed.D, Kelly A. Lavin, OTR/L, OTD, Brookshield Laurent, D.O., Zehra Ahmed, PA-C, MBBS. American Speech Language-Hearing Association Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. November 17, 2016.
- Cultural Competence 101 Workshop. New York State Society of Physician Assistants, Annual CME Conference, Tarrytown. October 8, 2016.
- Navigating International Clinical Education: Risks, Resources, Research. Panel discussion with N. Hudak, R. Ditoro, and K. Wyne. Physician Assistant Education Association Annual Education Forum. Washington, D.C. November 12, 2015.
- Addressing the Needs of LGBT Patients in PA Education. Presented by Corri Wolf, M.S., PA-C, RD, and Zehra Ahmed, MBBS, PA-C, at the Physician Assistant Education Association Education Forum in Philadelphia, Penn., on October 18, 2014.
Honors + Awards
- Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Assistants Award, February 6, 2019
- Faculty of the Center for Global Health: 2014 Presidential Engagement Award for Student Engagement in Global Education, New York Tech.
School of Health Professions
- Standard of Excellence, Distinguished Teaching Award, New York Tech 2011
- Award for Outstanding Teaching, School of Health Professions 2010-2011
- Award for Outstanding Service to New York Tech, 2007–2008
Department of Physician Assistant Studies
- Outstanding Educator of the Year 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016
- Student Appreciation Award 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021
Courses Taught at New York Tech
- Clinical Medicine I, II, III (HEENT, Endocrinology, Geriatrics)
- Clinical Skills I and II
- Behavioral Medicine
- Clinical Decision Making
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
- Women’s Health
- Pediatrics
- Anatomy
- Pulmonology & Gastroenterology
- Cultural and Health Disparity Issues in a Global Setting (for the Certificate in Global Health)