04-14-2022 Howard Magazine - Flipbook - Page 12
3 THINGS
BY MIKE KLINGMAN Howard Magazine
Shafeeq Ahmed
president of Howard County General Hospital
Shafeeq Ahmed, president of Howard County
General Hospital since June 2021, brought a cultural diversity to the institution that mirrors the
community it serves. Born in Trinidad of Indian
parentage, he grew up in both Laurel, Maryland, and the Virgin Islands; studied at Boston
University; and spent three years as a lieutenant
commander in the U.S. Naval Medical Corps.
An obstetrician/gynecologist by trade, Ahmed,
49, lives with his family in Clarksville. Here are
three things you might not know about Ahmed:
The doctor has a degree of interest
in fine arts. “I’ve always been interested in
cartooning; in high school, I drew a comic book
for our yearbook, using classmates as characters.
During COVID, I got back to art and took up
acrylic painting.
“Using YouTube tutorials, I did forest scenes
as well as a painting for my wife for Valentine’s
Day: a scene of a couple kissing while standing
on the side of the road, in the shadows, in the
rain. Did she like it? She posted it on Facebook,
so that’s a ‘like,’ I guess.”
He’s a caregiver both at work and at
home. “My dad, who is 77, has dementia, so we
moved him in with our family in 2019 when my
mom passed away. He was a doctor too; we still
watch movies together and reminisce about old
times. It has been a challenge, especially during
the pandemic, but I felt lucky to have him at
home rather than at-risk in a facility.
“How could I not help him? Being a secondgeneration immigrant, I remember all the great
things my parents did to get me into the position
I’m in. When my mother died, she did so knowing [her husband] was in good hands, and with
family.”
Cooks for a cause. “During COVID, for a
United Way fundraiser, I did a one-hour Zoom
cooking show. I made Indian butter chicken
— the breast sautéed with onions and Indian
spices, and with a tomato cream sauce. About 18
people cooked right along with me, in real time.
We could see each other and they did real well.
We’ve thought of doing it again, but right now
my plate is pretty full.”
12 | SPRING 2022 | howardmagazine.com
PHOTO BY KIM HAIRSTON