Deccan Alumni Association of North America (DAANA) was founded in 2016 by a group of Indian-American physicians from Deccan College of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India. DAANA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the state of Virginia. There are several hundred physicians and surgeons from DCMS settled in USA and Canada. There are several hundred more doctors from the medical school settled across the globe in England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and other countries.
DAANA CLERKSHIPS AND GRANT PROGRAM
DAANA is committed towards helping DCMS students for obtaining positions in post graduate training programs in the United States. We know the difficulties in today’s competitive environment.
Through our alumni we have been successful in establishing clinical observerships in private practices and training programs across many cities in the US.
The Board of Directors (BOD) serves as the governing body of Deccan Alumni Association of North America (DAANA). The BOD consists of alumni of Deccan College of Medical Sciences (DCMS), nominated and carefully selected by peers based on their credentials. The BOD is comprised of a President, Secretary, Treasurer and Officers.
Dr. M Taruj Ali is from the 1990 Batch of DCMS. He is board certified in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine as well as Sleep Medicine. He is the Medical Director of the Sleep Lab at Pulmonary Associates of Richmond. Dr. Ali also practices at Henrico Doctors Hospital. He is married to Dilshad Ali and they have three children. Taruj likes traveling, biking, nature, swimming, cricket, and spending time with family and friends.
Location: Richmond, VA Medical Education: Deccan College of Medical Sciences Hyderabad, India Residency: St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center – Columbia University Fellowship: St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center – Columbia University Board Certifications: Diplomate, American Board of Sleep Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine – Internal Medicine, Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine Affiliations: American Medical Association Richmond Academy of Medicine American Thoracic Society American College of Chest Physicians American Academy of Sleep Medicine Medical Society of Virginia Society of Critical Care Medicine American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (life member) Fellowship: Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals Board Certifications: American Board of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases and Sleep Medicine Affiliations: American Medical Association, American College of Chest Physicians, American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
Dr. Shaista Safder is an alumnus of the 1995 batch of DCMS. She has lived in the United States since 2001. Dr. Safder MD FAAP, serves as Director of the Pediatric GI Motility Laboratory and Director of the Healthy Lifestyle Program at the Center for Digestive Health and Nutrition at the Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando, Florida. She is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Florida State University, and the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, as well as a Pediatric Gastroenterology Attending at the Center for Digestive Health and Nutrition. She currently serves as the chair of the pediatric obesity committee with the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Her research interests include motility disorders, allergic gastro enteropathies, defecation disorders, obesity medicine, and medical education.
She and her husband call Florida home and are enjoying raising their two kids in the Sunny state. She loves to travel, have good food, and time spent with loved ones. Her faith and her family ground her and impact every decision she makes. She hopes to serve in her role on the Board of Directors with humility, honesty, and humanity.
Location: Florida, USA Medical Education: Deccan College of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad, India Residency: Pediatrics – Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia -Chief Resident Fellowship: Pediatric Gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Board Certifications: American Board of Pediatrics, Pediatric gastroenterology, and Diplomate of the American board of obesity medicine.
Current Position: Director, Hospital Medicine Prime Physicians 5808 Callaway Lane Fort Smith, AR 72916
Graduate Training: 7/2004 – 6/2007 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) 4301 W.Markham St. Little Rock, AR 7220 Licensure:Arkansas State Medical Board. Education: 07/2004 – 06/2007 the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) 4301 W.Markham St. Little Rock, AR. 6/2007 10 / 1993 – 05 / 1998 Deccan College of Medical Sciences. Hyderabad, India. Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), 11 / 1999 07 / 1991 – 06 / 1993 St. Alphonsa’s Junior College. Hyderabad, India. Major: Botany, Zoology, and Physics & Chemistry. Board of Intermediate Education (B.I.E), 06 / 1993
Memberships in Honorary/Professional Societies: Member of the American Medical Association (AMA), Member of the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) Member of Western Arkansas River Valley Medical Reserve Corps (WARVMRC),
Volunteer Experience: 09/1/2005 – 10/4/2005 – Fort Chaffee Hurricane Katrina Evacuee Care Volunteer Physician Worked as a volunteer physician at the medical clinic for Katrina evacuees organized by Western Arkansas River Valley Medical Reserve Corps (WARVMRC), Fort Chaffee, Arkansas.
Dr.Altaf Aman is a Hospitalist at Swedish American Hospital in Rockford, IL & at Northwestern Medicine in Huntley, IL. He’s based out of Chicago, IL. After finishing medical school in DCMS, he did an internship in general surgery at Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia and then FM residency at the LSU in Shreveport Monroe Program and has been a Hospitalist since then at different hospitals.
Dr.Aman volunteers at the Hayat Clinic for the underprivileged in the Chicago area and has been on a medical mission overseas to help the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. He has been on the mentorship committee associated with DAANA and has held the position of chair for the mentorship program.
He’s among the Editors of the medical school magazine, Odyssey, whose second Edition was published in 2018 at the mega union in Chicago. He held an exhibition of his photographs taken from his phone in Hyderabad and raised close to 1.8 lacs which was donated to DAANA to be used for charitable causes.
Dr.Aman loves to hold events and was part of the DAANA Global Mega Reunion in Chicago in 2018 and the DAANA Chicago get-together in 2021.
Dr.Aman is an active member of SHM ( Society of Hospital Medicine ) and the AMA ( American Medical Association) In his free time, he loves to travel and is passionate about it and leaves no opportunity in taking pictures from his I phone.
Welcome to the DAANA Alternate Career Pathway (ACP) Mentorship Program. Our Vision is to serve our global Alumni Community who are seeking alternate careers by facilitating resources and tools to enable a best career choice and professional development.
Our Mission is to “GUIDE” G– Give U– Utmost I– Intellectual advice D– to Determine E– an Effective career choice
