Dr. Anoosh Sharif reads the scans that help doctors at Markham Stouffville Hospital decide on treatment. Outside the hospital, he has spent nearly two decades raising money for public schools and helped bring a new playground to Unionville.

Oak Valley Health, which runs the hospital, featured Sharif in a profile published on Feb. 27. He has worked at the organization since 2003.

Two specialties, several roles

Sharif is both a radiologist and a nuclear medicine physician. He is also clinical leader and deputy chief in Diagnostic Services, and vice-president of the hospital's Medical Staff Association. According to Oak Valley Health, he is the only board-certified nuclear medicine physician on its staff, which means colleagues turn to him for help with difficult cases.

I interpret CT scans, MRIs, ultrasounds, X-rays, and nuclear medicine studies, knowing that my reports often guide critical treatment decisions.

— Dr. Anoosh Sharif, radiologist, Oak Valley Health

He described the work as intellectually stimulating, from solving complex diagnostic puzzles to working closely with referring doctors on what should happen next for a patient. He also spoke warmly of the radiologists and technologists he works with, saying the team supports each other like family.

New equipment on the way

The profile notes that Markham Stouffville Hospital will soon get a new nuclear medicine camera, paid for with support from the Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation. The hospital says the system will produce clearer, more precise images and allow faster diagnoses.

It allows us to perform new and expanded types of studies that were not previously available here.

— Dr. Anoosh Sharif

Sharif said the camera also produces high-quality results with lower radiation doses, which he called a significant step for patient-centred care. The hospital did not give an installation date.

Seventeen years on school council

Away from the hospital, Sharif has volunteered for the past 17 years as chair of his children's school council. Over that time, he has helped raise more than $200,000 for educational programs, resources and other opportunities for students in the public system, according to Oak Valley Health.

He also worked with the York Region District School Board and the City of Markham to help coordinate the building of a new playground at Unionville Crosby Park.

Contributing to public education in this way has been incredibly fulfilling.

— Dr. Anoosh Sharif

Sharif said time with his wife, son and daughter is what grounds him, and that he is also close to his sister. After long days of reading images, he sometimes unwinds with what he calls a "brainless" movie night.

Oak Valley Health operates Markham Stouffville Hospital and Uxbridge Hospital.