Born and raised in Calgary, Canada, Dr Shaqil’s long academic journey started a with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, where he was a Chancellor’s scholarship recipient, followed by an MD from the University of Calgary, internal medicine training at the University of Saskatchewan, a sub-specialty training in infectious diseases at the University of Toronto, and finally a Master of Public Health at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with a focus in clinical effectiveness.
Today, Dr Shaqil is a physician lead for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (Saskatoon Area) Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. Over the past three years, he has collaborated with an antimicrobial stewardship mobile app to optimise antimicrobial use. This has become especially useful for healthcare professionals during the current Covid-19 pandemic. Through the app, called Spectrum, Dr Shaqil is disseminating knowledge regarding infection prevention and control policies, testing criteria, clinical management and treatment, and real-time data trackers. His work has gained him recognition at a national level, and he was recently interviewed by CTV News in Canada to discuss antimicrobial resistance and the critical importance of preserving these precious resources.
Even during these critical times, Dr. Shaqil has found boundless opportunities for innovation to strengthen and improve the healthcare system.
“It is essential that we support each other as a community during this pandemic; together, we will build strength and resilience.”
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Healthcare Hero - Dr Shaqil Peermohamed
For Dr Shaqil, infectious diseases were actually the inspiration for studying medicine. The intellectual stimulation and unpredictable nature of emerging and re-emerging outbreaks of infections fueled his passion to solve their mysteries.
