Today we’d like to introduce you to Naureen Alim.
Hi Naureen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
“Dar-ul-Sukun” means “house of peace” and it is the name of a home for physically and mentally disabled adults and children in Karachi, Pakistan. It was when I volunteered here at the age of 16 that I discovered my passion for service. This was further cemented in college at the University of Wisconsin – Madison when I joined Habitat for Humanity in Florida to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Andrew.
Biology was always my favorite subject, so pursuing medicine seemed like the natural path. After earning a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Bacteriology, I stayed on at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health for my M.D. degree. From there, I moved to Houston and completed my Internal Medicine residency at the Baylor College of Medicine followed by a dual three-year Fellowship in combined Immunology and Rheumatology.
By this time I knew that I enjoyed patient care and not research. I also wanted to practice in a way that prioritized connection and education. With the encouragement of my husband, I decided to take the leap and open up my own solo private practice.
In 2010, I founded Houston Rheumatology and Allergy Clinic in the heart of the Texas Medical Center where I cared for patients for fourteen years. It gave me the freedom to balance professional fulfillment with being present for my two sons.
In 2024, I joined CLS Health, a multispecialty group near the Galleria area. I am now part of a multi-disciplinary care team taking care of complex patients. Our practice offers injection and infusion treatments tailored to each patient’s needs. Over the past several years, I have also been recognized by my peers as one of Houston’s Top Docs.
Patient care will always be my foundation, but I am now channeling some of my energy towards speaking and education. My future goals are to make autoimmune health more understandable and relatable and to inspire patients to take charge of their own health.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Smooth? Quite the opposite. But that’s where the real growth happened. As most people know, medical trainees receive very little education on the business of medicine. So when I decided to start my medical practice straight out of fellowship, people thought I was a bit crazy. It might have been a combination of crazy, and the unwavering support of my husband, who encouraged me not to waste time on detours if my ultimate goal was to own a private practice.
I will be the first to admit that I have made every mistake imaginable. My first biller disappeared, leaving two months of unbilled claims, right when I had zero dollars in my bank account. I spent thousands ordering an infusion medication for my very first patient, who called me to say she had changed her mind about the treatment (thankfully I caught the shipment in time). Several medical assistants quit without notice, and one weekend my entire office flooded leaving me without a space to work.
It was a crash course in billing, infusions, compliance, and crisis management. I will never forget the day I was a receptionist, medical assistant, and doctor all in one, smiling through patient visits so no one would see the chaos.
The truth is that every challenge taught me resilience, resourcefulness, and the art of staying calm. And with the struggle came freedom and autonomy which I wouldn’t trade for anything.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a rheumatologist and what I love most about this field is that it’s where the science of medicine meets the art of patient care. Every patient is a story, every case a puzzle. Many patients do not fit textbook descriptions. I enjoy both the challenge of solving the puzzle as well as the meaningful and long lasting relationships I develop with my patients along the way.
I treat all rheumatologic conditions, but what defines my practice is that I treat each patient as a unique individual. Part of my role is to help them understand their condition so they can feel empowered long after they leave my office.
Since autoimmune diseases are complex and the treatments can feel overwhelming, I encourage patients to participate in the decision making process when it comes to their care plan. Apart from traditional medicines, I discuss holistic strategies that incorporate diet and exercise. Stress can be a big factor in autoimmune disease flares so I also encourage them to prioritize self-care and incorporate mindfulness or meditation into their routine.
In the last few years, I have expanded my mission beyond the clinic. I use social media to share health and wellness tips, workouts, and practical tools, to help my patients (and a wider community) stay connected and informed. My goal is to create a community where people are thriving with their chronic autoimmune condition.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I was seven when my parents took me to Disneyland, the quintessential magical place. But the real magic for me wasn’t Mickey or the fireworks. It was seeing a completely different side of my dad.
He agreed (somewhat reluctantly) to ride the Matterhorn with me. As the roller coaster climbed higher, I suddenly heard a low, trembling wail behind me. My usually calm, unshakable father was terrified. I was so shocked I forgot to scream myself.
When the ride ended, I asked him why he was so scared. He said, “I’m a mechanical engineer. All I could think about was everything that could go wrong with the ride’s mechanisms.”
In that moment, I realized even the people we look up to most, our parents, have fears. But they still show up, buckle in, and hold on tight for us.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitnessrheum
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/wellnessrheum
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/naureen-alim-md-239a7338
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wellnessrheum
Image Credits
CLS Health
Nermin Saleemi
