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 A doctor by profession and a model in her 'infinite spare time', Fatima is an exceptionally talented and interesting young professional.
Born in Philadelphia, she spent her younger years in Columbia, Maryland, and then went all the way to Pakistan to get a degree in medicine. She is now back and doing an externship in radiation oncology at Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland.
Fatima's exposure to both the US and Pakistani cultures at an up close and personal level makes her views interesting. Additionally, her duality of careers, pursuing the hard science of medicine on the one hand and the fun, glamorous life of modeling on the side, makes her even more intriguing.
Here's an exclusive Rendezvous with this bright young lady.
Tell us a little bit about your background, where you grew up (education, family etc)?
My parents immigrated to the States in the late 1970s. My father was a Captain in the Pakistan Army Dental Corp. before he came to the US, and went on to get a degree in dentistry from University of Pennsylvania. At the same time I was born in Philadelphia. I spent my childhood and adolescent years in Columbia, Maryland.
Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a doctor. I don’t know if it was due to my parents brainwashing me as a child or to an inherent desire to help people, but I’m definitely glad that I chose that path. I ended up graduating as a salutatorian of my high school class and went on to college at UMBC. I was a pre-med major and made the Dean’s List in my first semester. I applied for medical school in Pakistan while I was a freshman and got accepted. I attended Allama Iqbal Medical College in Lahore and recently graduated. Previously I had done a couple of summer observerships/research internships at Hopkins as well as research at Shaukat Khanum Hospital while I was in medical school. Currently I’m doing a research externship at Johns Hopkins in Radiation Oncology.
Do you plan to specialize in some specific field?
I’ll be applying for my residency next year and there are a few fields that I am interested in for specialization. I don’t want to comment on that until I get the job, but I’m definitely leaning towards some sub-specialty in internal medicine.
How did you get into modeling and what designers have you worked with?
While I was a medical student in Lahore, I became really good friends with people working or, at the time, studying in the fashion industry. They happened to need models at the time and through them, I got my first fashion show. After that, I was in the scene! During my spare time, I used to model for fun, mostly runway. Occasionally I would do shoots for magazines but runway was always more fun for me. Some of the designers that I have worked for are HSY, Karma, Nilofer Shahid, Deepak Pervani, Hajra Hayat, and Adnan Khan.
 How has your experience been as a model? Would you recommend this field to other young professionals who want to try it out?
I was never a full-time model and currently I’m not modeling professionally. I will do occasional shoots or shows for friends and that’s all. It was a great way of meeting a lot of fun and interesting people, as well as keeping up with the latest trends.
Also, I did it because it was a good way of taking a break from the hectic and stressful life of medical school. I definitely would recommend this field to young people but as long as they enjoy themselves and at the same time maintain a level of confidence and elegance. If you don’t feel comfortable about doing something, speak out. Always maintain an element of dignity and grace, and always remember to put self-respect first before anything else. People in any profession will always respect you for it.
Being a doctor what advice would you give to the girls who start starving to look like the models on the runway?
Starving yourself is never the right way to lose weight. I can’t stress it enough even though I’m sure young girls have heard this before. I’m a pretty tall and broad woman myself, so it was a bit hard for me in the beginning. I never starved myself because I loved food too much but still tried to maintain a good diet.
Anorexia and Bulimia are two diseases/eating disorders where girls will either starve themselves and exercise for days or binge-eat and then throw it all up right after. Prevalence of these diseases is exponentially growing year after year and it continues to be a major problem here in the States and now even in Pakistan. In the modeling industry, being skinny is a matter of importance, but one should always remember that one can be skinny and healthy at the same time. Regular workouts at the gym and eating right are the key ingredients to a healthy body and not to mention a healthy frame of mind.
Also some key facts that I like to point out are that starving slows down your metabolism and energy levels, so the risk of gaining weight at a fast rate when not dieting is a big problem. Starvation has an effect on every organ in your body, for example renal failure or even heart failure in anorexics. It even starts to show on your face, especially skin and hair. Therefore, it’s better to look healthy and glowing rather than sickly and ill.
You are highly educated and a model at the same time; why do you think more and more educated girls and boys are entering the field of modeling?
When I entered into the modeling world, there were a lot of highly educated girls in the industry. Many more young people are entering the fashion and media world in Pakistan because it’s no longer a field that is looked down upon in society. Now every other person (especially in Lahore) has had some experience in that field.
I admit, there were not many doctors that were modeling at that time, but when I first started there were a few med students that were already in the industry. Doing modeling in Pakistan cleared a lot of misconceptions I personally had about the fashion world, coming from America. I learned that majority of the people in the industry have degrees and experiences from all around the world. There are a lot more opportunities out there and Pakistan is just entering the international circuit, and people are taking notice.
 Do you think there should be an age limit to modeling? Some of our models are in their mid to late thirties which would be considered retirement here in the US, but they still seem to be on the top in Pakistan. Why do you think our models last longer?
I’m not too sure about the age-limit issue regarding modeling. Modeling doesn’t just involve young boys and girls; there are many aspects to the field. I personally think that the older models are stunning and are still the best in the modeling industry in Pakistan. Some of the younger girls have a long way to go to catch up with them. Of course, if one is above 30, she shouldn’t be modeling clothes that teens would wear. Aging gracefully is the key and if you have the face and figure there is no reason to stop at 25. Models in Pakistan last longer because the industry is still growing, so hence there are not a lot of models to choose from. However, many beautiful girls are emerging into the industry, so I’m sure soon there will be many faces coming out soon.
You have worked with all the top models of Pakistan; do you think our models have what it takes to compete with international models?
I think many of the top models do have some of the elements that are needed to compete with international models; however they still have a long way to go. Obviously there aren’t strict and standard guidelines that have been established in order to get into the modeling field, but they are developing. I personally think that Pakistani models are far prettier than a lot of the models out there.
Tell us about your latest modeling assignments, how do you manage to hook up with people in Pakistan while living here in the US?
I’m not professionally modeling anymore but whenever something comes up through a friend, I’ll take it up for fun. I make regular trips to Pakistan where I have lots of family and friends who live there. I just recently did a shoot for my friend. A few months ago I modeled in a Pakistani cultural show in Washington D.C. which included top designers Nilofer Shahid, Deepak Perwani, HSY, etc. It was attended by US diplomats and dignitaries as well as President Pervaiz Musharraf.
You may see me again in some magazines or shows but I’m not really sure. It all depends upon what comes up and what’s going on with my medical career. Of course, that comes first!!
Anything else you would like to say to the readers?
My experiences in Pakistan shaped me into the person I am now. Going to Pakistan for medical school was probably one of the best decisions I had made, thanks to my family. It taught me a lot about my culture and background where I would have never learned about it if I had stayed in the States.
 This experience strengthened my foundation and the cornerstones of my life. It taught me the importance of a being a strong female educated Pakistani-American. I now understand the importance of a good family background. For example, my grandmother Dr. Nisar Fatima, was the first female surgeon of Pakistan. Before, I didn’t really give that a second thought, but now after living in Lahore I realized the importance of that honor.
Through living in Lahore, I was introduced to the world of classical music, culture, and art of the subcontinent. I managed to take music lessons from a world renowned Ustad as well as start an art collection. I would definitely recommend to anyone from the states to try medical school, or any reputable school for that matter in Pakistan. This is the only way one can really appreciate and understand the importance and meaning of being a Pakistani-American.
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