Dr. Shafik Dharamsi
Professor and Dean
Education & Experience:
Dr. Shafik Dharamsi, PhD, brings over 25 years of international experience in global public health to his role as the fourth Dean of the College of Public Health. Born in Tanzania and a first-generation college graduate, Dr. Dharamsi is dedicated to student success. He began his career as an inner-city schoolteacher and later joined the Aga Khan Development Network as Regional Director for early childhood development and poverty alleviation in East Africa.
Dr. Dharamsi established his academic career in Canada, earning an interdisciplinary PhD from the University of British Columbia, where he also received academic tenure in the Department of Family Medicine and led the Center for International Health. Dr. Dharamsi has held various leadership positions, including Founding Associate Dean of the School of Osteopathic Medicine at the University of the Incarnate Work in San Antonio, Dean of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso, and Senior Advisor to the Provost at New Mexico State University. He serves on the boards of several national and international organizations, furthering his commitment to global public health.
Teaching Areas & Public Health Interests:
I have over 25 years of experience establishing public health education, research, and community development initiatives designed to improve health outcomes around the world. My teaching and research focuses on global health, social epidemiology, ethics, and health professions education. I am particularly interested in transformative learning and high-impact educational practices in relation to the question of how to better educate the next generation of health professionals to address health challenges and improve community well-being.
Professional Activities & Awards:
I have served on several national and international boards and have been recognized internationally for my work in the areas of ethical global engagement and advancing social accountability and health advocacy through transformative approaches to health professions education.
Scholarly Interests:
My research is at the intersection of global health, social epidemiology, social determinants, ethics, and health professions education. I am particularly interested in transformative learning and high-impact educational practices in relation to the question of how to better educate the next generation of health professionals to be responsive to health inequities and the social determinants of health, and to take an inclusive, diverse, and community-centric approach to addressing these challenges.
Social media