Dr IMRAN SAJID

I'm a portfolio academic clinician, working across clinical practice, policy, teaching and research.
I work as a specialty doctor in pain medicine in a secondary care NHS trust and as a GP with extended role in musculoskeletal medicine.
I'm also a regional NHS sector clinical lead for musculoskeletal and diagnostic services, having spent over a decade working in these policy domains.
I offer a unique perspective, with a rare array of extensive accreditations across the natural, social and formal sciences, reflecting my drive and capacity for learning.
GENERAL MEDICINE
MUSCULOSKELETAL MEDICINE
PAIN | DIAGNOSTICS | MENTAL HEALTH
EVIDENCE TRANSLATION
TEACHING & RESEARCH
MBBS, BSc, AICSM, MRCGP, DPMSA, DCP, DipSEM, CMCBT, DipFIPT, PgCERT, EDPM, FFMLM, MAcadMEd, DFPH, DipMSKMed, PgCERT USS, MFSEM
"Medicine is a science of uncertainty and an art of probability."
WILLIAM OSLER
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”
MARCUS AURELIAS
”When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
VIKTOR E FRANKL
"That which is used - develops. That which is not used wastes away."
HIPPOCRATIC CORPUS
"...When I accept myself just as I am, then I can change."
CARL ROGERS

CLINICAL BACKGROUND

MEDICINE
(Latin) medicīna: “the healing art"
MUSCULOSKELETAL
(Latin) musculus: “little mouse” - sceleton: “bony framework”
PAIN
(Greek) poinē: “retribution, penalty"
DIAGNOSTICS
(Greek:) diagnostikos: “able to distinguish”
PSYCHOLOGY
(Greek) psykhē: “breath, spirit, soul”

Whilst finding general medicine deeply rewarding, my additional clinical qualifications include psychology, psychiatry, musculoskeletal care, exercise and pain medicine, all of which profoundly enhance my approach.

I have particular expertise in the care of new or chronic pain conditions, for example, joint problems or headaches, as well as long-term condition management, particularly for those with multiple health conditions, and supporting individuals suffering difficulties in their emotional wellbeing.

With a research interest in diagnostics, I have a unique understanding of testing science. For example, utilising Bayesian reasoning to avoid over-medicalisation or unnecessary worry for patients from results. I am also a qualified fitness instructor.

I believe clinicians should aim to understand people's individual values and concerns, whilst sharing the latest evidence behind the available choices, framing the benefits and risks in an understandable manner. I value the importance of empowering individuals to attain a sense of chronic wellness and to develop their innate adaptability to overcome the inevitable challenges of life.

My clinical work spans primary care, community care and secondary care services, including musculoskeletal and pain medicine, urgent care and rapid response teams. I spent much of the pandemic working in a Covid-19 acute care unit. Experienced in high-resource systems, I have also fortuitously worked with, taught and learnt from individuals across a plurality of cultures and demographics globally, including deployment in low-resource settings, such as humanitarian work in Rwanda.

I strongly believe in the value of continuity of care with the same, familiar physician, and the role of supporting patients to navigate the complexity of the healthcare system.

TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS

MBBS,  BSc,  AICSM,  MRCGP,  DPMSA,  DCP,  DipSEM,  CMCBT,  DipFIPT,  PgCERT,  EDPM,  FFMLM,  MAcadMEd,  DFPH,  DipMSKMed,  PgCERT USS, MFSEM(UK)
QUALIFICATION
(Latin) qualificare: “of a certain quality”
"That which is used develops. That which is not used wastes away."
- Hippocratic Corpus
From Harvard University in the United States, to Canada, across the UK, to Brussels, I've been fortunate to train at some of the World's leading institutes and to receive mentorship from numerous international experts in their fields.
Imperial College London
Royal College of General Practitioners
Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Worshipful Society of the Apothecaries
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
School of Health, University of Bath
CBT Canada
Premier Training International
University of Westminster
European Pain Federation
Faculty of Medical Leadership & Management
Stanford Online Continued Professional Development
Academy of Medical Educators
UK Faculty of Public Health
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
UK Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine
Imperial College London
Royal College of General Practitioners
Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Worshipful Society of the Apothecaries
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
University of Bath
CBT Canada
Premier Training International
University of Westminster
European Pain Federation
Faculty of Medical Leadership & Management
Academy of Medical Educators
UK Faculty of Public Health
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
UK Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine
Stanford Online Continued Professional Development
Imperial College London
Royal College of General Practitioners
Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
Worshipful Society of the Apothecaries
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
University of Bath
CBT Canada
Premier Training International
University of Westminster
European Pain Federation
Faculty of Medical Leadership & Management
Academy of Medical Educators
UK Faculty of Public Health
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Stanford Online Continued Professional Development
UK Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine
  • Membership of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine (MFSEM) UK
    Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Edinburgh, UK
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Imaging (Ultrasound) (PgCERT)
    University of Cumbria, UK
  • Diplomate Membership of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine (DFSEM) UK
    Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine, Edinburgh, UK
  • Diploma in Musculoskeletal Medicine (DipMSKMed)
    The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, UK
  • Diplomate Faculty of Public Health (DFPH)
    Faculty of Public Health
  • Membership of the Academy of Medical Educators (MAcadMEd)
    Academy of Medical Educators (AoME)
  • Founding Fellowship of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management (FFMLM)
    Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management, London, UK
  • European Diploma in Pain Medicine (EPDM)
    European Pain Federation, Belgium
  • Postgraduate Certificate for Teaching in Primary Care (PgCERT)
    University of Westminster, London, UK
  • Diploma in Fitness Instructing and Personal Training (DipFIPT)
    Premier Global Training International, UK
  • Certificate in Medical Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CMCBT)
    CBT Canada, Toronto, Canada
  • Diploma in Sports and Exercise Medicine (DipSEM)
    School of Health, Bath University
  • Diploma in Clinical Psychiatry (DCP)
    Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
  • Diploma in the Ethics & Philosophy of Healthcare (DPMSA)
    Worshipful Society of the Apothecaries of London
  • Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP)
    Royal College of General Practitioners
  • Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) & Associateship of the Imperial College Schoolof Medicine (AICSM)
    Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London
  • Bachelor of Sciences in Medical Sciences with Neuroscience (BSc)
    Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London

EVIDENCE TRANSLATION & POLICY

EVIDENCE
(Latin) evidentia: “proof”
"Medicine is a science of uncertainty and an art of probability."
- William Osler

Much of my professional background has been in translating scientific evidence for healthcare policy, as a methodologist accredited in epidemiology, medical statistics and public health, with a working understanding of health economics, along with a degree in health philosophy and ethics. This erudition has provided an interdisciplinary lens to meet the demands of the information age.

WHAT TO BELIEVE?

We live in a time where there is so much information, we can almost always find something to support our beliefs and feed into our own biases, regardless of accuracy.

Google will often just support any stance you like. Try searching for the impact of coffee on longevity:

Whilst some ‘epistemic uncertainty’ will often exist, it’s more important than ever to have a lens to filter today's information overload and understand the quality of data and ideas. Particularly in healthcare, where evidence suggests, 30-50% of activities may be ineffective. Furthermore, across specialities, many studies demonstrate clinicians are often unable to quantify both the benefits and harms of their practices.
LEADERSHIP & 
MANAGEMENT TRAINING
National UK 'Musculoskeletal Champion' Leadership Programme
Hult Business School, UK
International Physician Leadership Development Programme
Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health & Institute of Healthcare Improvement, Boston, United States
Primary Care Research and Leadership Fellowship
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) North West London, UK
With extensive leadership training, I have chaired numerous regional policy committees, with a passion for reducing the gap between research evidence and clinical practice. With expertise in health economics, I have been involved in the management of several divisions of the regional health economy, including urgent and emergency care, diagnostics and musculoskeletal services. I am currently a clinical lead for a regional Integrated Care System in London and I was awarded Founding Fellowship by the UK Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management for my impact on healthcare redesign.

TEACHING

DOCTOR
(Latin) docere: “to teach, instruct or point out”

I am eternally grateful for the education gifted to me by my tutors and mentors. I find teaching immensely rewarding and deliver postgraduate clinical training and supervision to doctors as well as hold experience as a university adjunct faculty lecturer in health policy. I am also an accredited Member of the Faculty of Medical Educators.

Dr Imran Sajid Canada Presentation

RESEARCH 

RESEARCH
(Old French) re: “intensive” - cerchier: "to search"
"Without data you're just another person with an opinion."
- W. Edwards Deming
Dr Imran Sajid TEDx Talk

My research interests include exploring the utility of diagnostic tests, musculoskeletal and pain medicine, as well as behavioural science in the context of leadership and system change. This includes both quantitative and qualitative expertise, from randomised controlled trial design, observational studies, or analysis of business intelligence data, with working knowledge in R statistical programming.

In addition to peer-reviewed publications, I have presented at numerous international scientific conferences, including keynotes, as well as being a selected speaker for the UK's NHS TEDx. I am also a peer-reviewer for several high impact medical journals.

SELECT PUBLICATIONS & TALKS

NON-MEDICAL INTERESTS

Outside of medicine, I have expertise as an international dance instructor and choreographer, having previously founded an award-winning UK collegiate dance company. I am an internationally published photographer and videographer, as well as an avid motorcycle rider, with a fond appreciation for most 80s nostalgia.