May 10, 2023
“It’s an emotional thing. You are trying to do work that you are passionate about, and you’re not thinking about awards. But it’s tremendous validation when people recognize what you are doing” said Arif Nazir, MD, CMD, about receiving the 2023 William Dodd Founder’s Award for Distinguished Service. Dr. Nazir, a past president of AMDA and chief medical officer, primary care at BrightSpring Health, received the award at PALTC23 in Tampa, FL, this past March.
A true innovator, Dr. Nazir is one of the founders of the popular AMDA On-The-Go podcast program. He also has served on and chaired several AMDA committees. He is a frequent presenter at annual conferences and other programs. He has published numerous articles in JAMDA and other journals and publications. He was also one of the drivers behind AMDA’s Shark Tank program.
His passion for innovation and change drive him, and he is adamant that “the norm is not enough.” For instance, medication optimization and deprescribing have long been a passion for him, and he took this to a national level with the Society’s popular Drive to Deprescribe program. However, he stressed that he hasn’t done any of this in a vacuum. “There have been so many great partners coming forth when I suggest something. That is the beauty of AMDA. People are so willing to get involved and make things happen,” he noted.
While so many of Dr. Nazir’s efforts are cutting-edge and even visionary, much of it is another day’s work for him. He said, “Things like Drive to Deprescribe are what I do every day. I’ve been fortunate to be able to bring my professional passions to life in my daily work.” This means challenging himself. As he explained, “I hope my legacy will be that I never settled for the easy way and that I went the extra mile to do the right things.” Getting outside of his comfort zone and taking the tougher road, he said, is important to creating positive change.
Many of his professional passions and innovative efforts resonate with young practitioners, and this is very gratifying to Dr. Nazir. “We have a responsibility to inspire new generations of practitioners, and I am pleased that they are responding to things like the Shark Tank and Drive to Deprescribe,” he said.
Like so many of his colleagues, Dr. Nazir looks forward to his interactions with his AMDA family at the annual conferences. “It creates an infectious energy that amplifies the passions of those doing good work. It’s a way of recharging,” he observed. He credits Dr. Dodd for “creating an unbelievable peership” that continues to live on through the organization. “It has been an absolute pleasure and great fun to be involved with AMDA,” Dr. Nazir said. “Starting on the day I first joined the Society, the value of connecting with amazing people was absolutely clear. I hope we continue to prioritize the annual conference. It’s not just a professional gathering. It’s way more personal.”
Though Dr. Nazir never met Dr. Dodd, receiving the award named for him is meaningful. He said, “I don’t think there is another award I would be more honored to get. It is the greatest honor of my life. There were so many amazing people nominated. That people who are my mentors, advisors, and colleagues think I am worthy of this is so moving.”
Watch this video of Dr. Nazir discussing his award.
