Teaching Philosophy

I am a full-time faculty member at the Aga Khan University in the Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences. I have been actively involved in teaching, learning, and research at AKU since 2012 across undergraduate and postgraduate programs. I teach Physiology and Molecular Biology to MBBS undergraduate students, nursing students, and master’s and PhD trainees. In addition to my teaching responsibilities, I have served as Chair for MBBS Year II, where my role extended beyond lesson and module planning, teaching, and assessment to include faculty mentoring, academic counselling, and student support. I am also regularly invited to conduct selection interviews for MBBS and MPhil programs.

Through my academic roles, I have become acutely aware that first-year medical students are among the most vulnerable learner groups. Most enter medical school from teacher-centered high school systems where learning is largely directed by instructors. To support a smooth transition to university life, where students are expected to function as autonomous adult learners, I take deliberate measures to orient them to institutional expectations, pedagogical approaches, assessment structures, graduation requirements, and honors criteria. I actively engage students in discussions about their perceptions of teaching and learning and encourage them to reflect on how they can develop as active, lifelong learners. I also introduce them to diverse learning environments, including laboratories, small-group learning sessions, and e-learning platforms commonly used in medical education. These efforts build confidence among students and help them take ownership of their learning while relying on me as a guide and mentor. This approach has also promoted students’ interest in medical education research, and I have had the privilege of working with several students on scholarship of teaching and learning grants, as well as ethical review board–approved medical education and basic sciences research projects.

My teaching philosophy is best described as that of a “team of hikers.” I see myself as a guide who supports learners in navigating one concept or challenge at a time, working collectively toward clearly defined goals. Along the way, I emphasize reflection and course correction whenever needed to ensure that learners’ needs remain central while meeting the competency expectations set by the university and accreditation bodies. I design learner-oriented activities and make extensive use of visual animations to support understanding of complex concepts. I also integrate recent advances in the subject matter to keep learning current and relevant. My overarching aim is to help students grow into critical, creative, and active thinkers by engaging them with challenging material, supporting scholarly inquiry, and providing space for them to formulate and refine their own ideas. Through this process, students build and test their competence, ultimately becoming confident and independent learners.

I am a strong advocate for the thoughtful use of technology and innovation in teaching and learning. One major initiative in this area was the introduction of the flipped classroom model within both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education curricula. This approach was well received by students and recognized by academic leadership and curriculum committees across medical colleges, resulting in my receiving the AKU Outstanding Teacher Award in 2017. Following this, I initiated and organized train-the-trainer workshops to support faculty and staff in adopting this model. I am also an active member of the Technology Enhanced Learning Committee at AKU, where I contribute to training faculty, staff, and students in virtual classroom delivery, converting didactic lectures into educational videos, and using online platforms to foster interactive learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly challenged my educational practices and leadership skills, requiring a complete redesign of Year I and II teaching, learning, and assessment activities for online delivery. I led the realignment of teaching sessions, including planning for session timing, number of sessions per day, attendance recording, and adaptation to different time zones. I played a key role in training students, staff, and faculty to deliver online instruction that maintained active learning and student engagement. I was also involved in drafting, piloting, and refining protocols for online assessments, which were later adopted by other departments at AKU. Throughout this process, I actively involved students to gather feedback, address concerns, and ensure that learning outcomes were preserved. These efforts enabled a smooth transition to online education without compromising the quality of student learning.

With the emergence of artificial intelligence as a transformative tool in education, I proactively sought formal training and subsequently designed capacity development courses focused on the ethical use of AI in teaching, learning, and research. To date, more than 1,000 participants have completed these courses and are effectively applying AI within their educational and professional contexts. In recognition of the international relevance of this work, I was invited to deliver a short conference workshop at AMEE in 2024 and was selected as a program committee member for the Teaching and Facilitating Learning Committee at AMEE 2026. I have also conducted invited training sessions at institutions in India, Sri Lanka, and other regions. As part of this initiative, I developed two Python-based AI applications for undergraduate medical students, which were piloted with favorable feedback and demonstrated learner-centered innovation. These projects opened new opportunities for collaboration between students and faculty and for addressing diverse learner needs. Findings from these initiatives have been presented at international conferences, and related manuscripts are currently under review.

As Director of the MPhil core course in Research Methodology, I conducted a comprehensive evaluation and needs assessment to guide course enhancement. I introduced substantial changes aimed at providing students with practical, real-world research experience. These included practical assessments for biosafety concepts, team-based learning activities focused on solving research questions, and hands-on troubleshooting sessions that allow students to apply theory in authentic contexts and develop critical problem-solving skills. My contributions to graduate education also include teaching in PhD and MPhil courses such as Cell and Molecular Biology, Scientific Writing, Cardiovascular and Respiratory Physiology, and the Brain-Body Axis. Additionally, I have co-designed and co-facilitated courses on Online Teaching in Higher Education and Leadership Skills for Junior Faculty, further supporting faculty capacity building. My contributions to teaching excellence have been recognized through collaborative teaching awards in 2021, 2022, and 2024, the Excellence in Teaching Award in 2022, and the Individual Innovation in Teaching Award in 2026.

I strongly believe in the principle of lifelong learning and continuously seek peer feedback on my teaching practices. I actively participate in professional development opportunities to refine my teaching, learning, and assessment strategies. These include teaching and learning enhancement workshops offered by the Network of Teaching and Learning at AKU, the Flipped Global Initiative course in the United States, Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in the United Kingdom, and a FAIMER fellowship in the United States.

My commitment to educational leadership is further reflected in my induction as an inaugural member and Chair of the Haile T. Debas Teachers Academy. I have also served as a faculty project advisor at the International FAIMER Institute and as Deputy Chair of the Professional Development Committee of the International DOHaD Society. These roles have strengthened my capacity as an educator and leader and have enabled me to continually refine my teaching, learning, and assessment practices. Through sustained capacity-building initiatives and the dissemination of innovative educational approaches, I have contributed to enhancing faculty practices while supporting students in achieving desired graduate attributes.