Global Engagement Faculty Spotlight
Nima Aghaeepour
As part of our Global Engagement Strategy, we want to highlight our Global Community right here within the Department. It is an honor to get know Dr. Nima Aghaeepour. Dr. Tanaka is an Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine. He is also our Vice Chair for Data Science Research. We are grateful he took the time to share a part of his story.
Where did you grow up?
Iran
How do you think your upbringing influenced your world view? (culture, religion, geography, economics, other factors)
The gap between the U.S. and Iran is so large that enables me to rise above day-to-day politics and appreciate the unique experiment that this country is..
How is healthcare different in other countries where you have lived/visited/worked?
In Iran, much of healthcare is privatized. Canada is a single-payer system. The U.S. is a heterogeneous system where you can get both the best and worst healthcare in the world.
How do you think we can improve the care of our patients in the USA?
Just because somebody has a condition it doesn’t mean that we need to “treat”. End-of-life care in general is a poor investment. That funding can be used more effectively elsewhere to create value for the society.
How does a global perspective strengthen the care of patients?
A global perspective helps better understand the aspect of medicine that is driven by tradition and not science.
What has been your most challenging or surprising lesson learned when engaging with other cultures?
I have learned that we have more in common than I initially would have guessed.
What has been the most amazing thing you have seen while traveling to another country?
The autobahn in Germany!
Thank you, Dr. Tanaka. It is an honor to call you a colleague and member of our global community!