WASHINGTON – In a historic moment for Pakistan, Dr. Omar Atiq has been nominated as the first US doctor of Pakistani origin to be the next president of the prestigious American College of Physicians (ACP).
Reports in local media quoting sources said, Dr. Atiq is the first physician of Pakistani descent, the country that makes up a third of all practicing physicians in the United States, and the only second international medical graduate to be selected for this position.
Atiq, who founded the Arkansas Cancer Clinic in 1991, is the only candidate for the post and the elections will be held in January next year.
Pakistan’s envoy to the United States Asad Majeed Khan also shared a tweet as he hailed the stupendous achievement. “A proud and historic moment for the Pakistani American community, we acknowledge and appreciate this outstanding professional achievement”, he wrote on Twitter.
Dr. Omar Atiq becomes the first ever Physcian of Pakistani descent & only the second international medical graduate to be elected as President of American College of Physicians. A proud and historic moment for Pakistani American Community. Congratulations Dr Atiq. @PakinUSA https://t.co/TyMZTrv8ke
— Asad M. Khan (@asadmk17) September 26, 2021
Tariq also made headlines earlier after he forgave more than half a million dollars in outstanding debts from nearly 200 patients. He runs Arkansas Cancer Clinic that offered cancer treatments ranging from chemotherapy and radiation therapy along with diagnostic tests.
In April, he was named chair of ACP’s Board of Governors as he had been a fellow for almost 3 decades. The fellowship is an honorary designation that recognizes ongoing individual service and contributions to the practice of medicine.
The extraordinary physician got his medical degree from the Khyber Medical College, University of Peshawar, Pakistan.
This Pakistani-American doctor just forgave 650,000 debt of cancer patients
