Shafi Ahmed

Ahmed lives in London. He is married to Farzana Hussain, a general practitioner, with whom he has two children.{{cite web |last1=Karim |first1=Mohammed Abdul |title=British Bangladeshi Who's Who 2009 |url=https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=d4d9694cd5b7635a4606b2729e07e827e3ef6582 |website=CiteSeer PennState College of Information Sciences and Technology |publisher=British Bangla Media Group |access-date=25 April 2023 |page=17 |date=October 2009}}

He was born on 26 January 1969 in Sylhet District, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), and came to the United Kingdom as a child.{{Cite magazine |url=https://time.com/5118645/shafi-ahmed-snapchat-glasses-medical-training/ |title=Why Doctors Are Using Snapchat Glasses in Operating Rooms |magazine=Time |access-date=25 January 2018}}

Ahmed attended Chadwell Heath High School (now Chadwell Heath Academy) before attending the Redbridge technical college.

From 1988 to 1993, he studied medicine at King's College Hospital School of Medicine. As the elected President of the Medical and Dental Society, he helped introduce medical ethics into the curriculum.

During his surgical training in London, he undertook a period of research at The Royal London Hospital and the Queen Mary University of London. In 2010, he obtained a PhD with a thesis entitled "The role of microarray profiling in predicting outcome in patients with colorectal cancer".{{Cite journal|title=Microarray profiling of colorectal cancer in Bangladeshi patients|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1463-1318.2005.00818.x|access-date=2005-10-18|journal=Colorectal Disease|year=2005|doi=10.1111/j.1463-1318.2005.00818.x|language=en|last1=Ahmed|first1=S.|last2=Banerjea|first2=A.|last3=Hands|first3=R. E.|last4=Bustin|first4=S.|last5=Dorudi|first5=S.|volume=7|issue=6|pages=571–575|pmid=16232237|s2cid=6781583}}

Ahmed has been awarded four honorary PhDs (Honoris Causa) from Udabol University Bolivia, SIISDET Colombia, the University of Peru of Science and Informatics and EXIBED, Spain.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

In 2017, he was appointed as an honorary professor at The University of Bradford and awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Medicine in 2019.{{cite web |title=Dr Shafi Ahmed, Honorary Professor - HPRFOLS at the University of Bradford |url=https://www.bradford.ac.uk/staff/sahmed188 |website=www.bradford.ac.uk |access-date=19 June 2021}}

In 2020 he was awarded the Spinoza Honorary professorship at the University of Amsterdam.{{cite web |title=tweet by Prof Shafi Ahmed PhD FRCS |url=https://twitter.com/ShafiAhmed5/status/1231929428625719301 |website=Twitter |access-date=19 June 2021 |language=en}}{{primary source inline|date=July 2021}}

Ahmed is a specialist advisor to the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Health to help deliver innovation and digital health.{{Cite web |url=https://pharmaphorum.com/r-d/covid-19-may-briefing-the-uki-healthcare-ecosystem-fightback/ |title=COVID-19 May Briefing: The UK&I Healthcare Ecosystem Fightback |website= Pharmaphorum.com |date=14 May 2020 |access-date=27 May 2020}}

Ahmed works in the Academic Centre of Surgery and has established minimally invasive colorectal surgery at the Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Barts Health NHS Trust|url=http://bartshealth.nhs.uk/|access-date=2020-07-17|website=NHS|language=en}}

His main clinical interest is colorectal cancer, and he performs surgery for primary and recurrent disease as well as multi-visceral resections.

He has pioneered single incision laparoscopic colorectal surgery (virtual scarless surgery) and also works with liver surgeons to perform simultaneous laparoscopic liver and bowel resections for cancer. His other clinical interest is advanced stage 3/4 endometriosis, performing laparoscopic surgery with gynaecologists. This has led to the development and recognition of a national centre for endometriosis. In addition, he has specialist experience in complex abdominal wall hernias and reconstruction.

From 2010 to 2015, Ahmed was the lead clinician and multi-disciplinary team lead for colorectal cancer at Barts Health NHS Trust. He was also a CQC specialist advisor in general surgery.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

Ahmed was the Associate Dean for Barts and the London undergraduate medical students at The Royal London Hospital from 2010 to 2019 and was the lead for surgery. He was programme director for core surgical trainees for North East London 2012–2013 and Tutor in Surgery for the Royal London Hospital 2011–2013. He teaches innovation and digital transformation for surgeons at Harvard Medical School and Imperial College London.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-37576755 |title=The real-world uses for virtual reality |work=BBC News |date=24 October 2016 |access-date=24 October 2016}}

He is the civilian advisor for the British Armed forces for general surgery.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

From 2013 to 2019, Ahmed was elected to the council of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=College Council - Royal College of Surgeons|url=https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/about-the-rcs/college-governance/council/|website=ac|language=en}} He had numerous roles and led the International Surgical Training Programme. He was part of the Cancer 2020, 5 Year Forward View Taskforce 2015.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Cancer Strategy in England|url=https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/cancer-strategy-in-england|access-date=2018-10-02|website=Cancer Research UK|date=10 March 2017|language=en}} He is a member of the court of examiners and is an international convenor of the MRCS for Bangladesh.{{cite web |title=Dr. Shafi Ahmed |url=https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/files/rcs/about-rcs/about-our-mission/rcs-england-diversity-report-11-august.pdf |publisher=www.rcseng.ac.uk}}

{{BLP unreferenced section|date=July 2021}}

In 2007, Ahmed was appointed as a Consultant General, Laparoscopic and Colorectal surgeon to The Royal London Hospital and St Bartholomew's Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust.

He was chosen to curate the NHS Twitter account from 27 February 2017 to 3 March 2017 and tweeted the world's first live operation via this account.

He was the clinical lead for surgery at the NHS Nightingale Hospital at Excel London during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Ahmed performed a live cancer operation at The Royal London Hospital on Channel 5 for the series Operation Live in 2018.

Ahmed is the module lead for an innovative new course at Barts and the London Medical School which aims to teach the third year medical students about future medicine and how to generate ideas to improve clinical care.{{Cite journal|title=The rise of medical entrepreneurs|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/357/sbmj.j1694|access-date=2017-04-25|journal=BMJ|year=2017|doi=10.1136/sbmj.j1694|pmid=31055445|language=en|last1=Limb|first1=Matt|volume=357|pages=j1694|s2cid=145820049}} The students are taught by digital health innovators and those involved in Medtech from the UK and US.

Ahmed has been working on new technologies to enhance surgical education globally. His online videos have been watched hundreds of thousands of times, earning him the accolade of the most-watched surgeon in human history.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Shafi Ahmed—The Virtual Surgeon—Discusses Live Streaming and VR in Surgery and Med Education|url=https://www.medgadget.com/2017/04/shafi-ahmed-virtual-surgeon-discusses-live-streaming-vr-surgery-medical-education.html|access-date=2017-04-06|website=Med Gadget|date=6 April 2017|language=en}}

He aims to teach surgery and surgical processes to thousands of students at a time using VR technology.{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Nicola |title=Cutting-edge theatre: world's first virtual reality operation goes live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/14/cutting-edge-theatre-worlds-first-virtual-reality-operation-goes-live |work=The Guardian |date=14 April 2016}}

Ahmed's company Virtual Medics developed the use of wearable technology in education and clinical practice. This has allowed the development of a web-placed platform to stream live and interactive teaching.

In May 2014, using Google Glass, he performed and streamed a live operation to 14 thousand students across 132 countries and 1100 cities.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Video: Surgeon uses Google Glass during cancer operation|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/10851599/Surgeon-uses-Google-Glass-during-cancer-operation.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160113003711/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/10851599/Surgeon-uses-Google-Glass-during-cancer-operation.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2016-01-13|access-date=2014-05-23|website=Telegraph|language=en}}

Ahmed is the co-founder of Medical Realities, a group offering surgical training products, specialising in virtual reality, augmented reality and serious games.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Medical Realities|url=https://www.medicalrealities.com/|website=Medical Realities|language=en}} Through Medical Realities, he aims to provide tutorials in a modular format to teaching hospitals around the world. This will be made accessible to students and surgical trainees.

On 14 April 2016, in collaboration with Barts Health, Medical Realities and Mativision, he performed the world's first virtual reality operation recorded and streamed live in 360 degrees.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Mativision|url=http://mativision.com/|website=Mativision - 360 VR|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Cutting-edge theatre: world's first virtual reality operation goes live|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/14/cutting-edge-theatre-worlds-first-virtual-reality-operation-goes-live|access-date=2016-04-16|website=The Guardian|date=14 April 2016|language=en}} This was viewed by 55,000 people in 140 countries and 4000 cities and reached 4.6 million people on Twitter.

This event was covered worldwide on over 400 newspaper/online articles and BBC Click, Sky News, ARD German, TRT News, South American NTN, ABC News, Aljazeera, and Press TV.{{Cite news|last=|first=|title=Cancer surgery broadcast live in virtual reality|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/technology-36046948/cancer-surgery-broadcast-live-in-virtual-reality|access-date=2016-04-14|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Der erste 360-Livestream einer OP ist ein Ausblick auf die Zukunft des Lernens|url=https://mixed.de/erster-360-livestream-einer-op-ist-ausblick-auf-die-zukunft-des-lernens/|access-date=2016-04-15|website=Mixed|date=15 April 2016|language=de}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Uk Virtual's surgical students use new technology to learn, John Brain reports|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m77UB2rl99s|access-date=2016-04-16|website=Youtube|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Students in Gaza watch world's first virtual reality operation|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20160420-students-in-gaza-watch-worlds-first-virtual-reality-operation/|access-date=2016-04-20|website=Middle East Monitor|date=20 April 2016|language=en}} His work has been featured on Wired, The Guardian, The Telegraph, ABC News, CNET, The Verge, Huffington Post, and Tech China.{{Cite magazine|last=|first=|title=What's next for VR surgery?|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/wired-health-virtual-reality-surgery-shafi-ahmed|access-date=2016-04-14|magazine=Wired|language=en}}{{Cite magazine|last=|first=|title=Robot doctors will 'absolutely' replace surgeons|url=http://wired.co.uk/article/shafi-ahmed-medical-realities-vr-surgery|access-date=2016-04-29|magazine=Wired|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Cutting-edge theatre: world's first virtual reality operation goes live|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/apr/14/cutting-edge-theatre-worlds-first-virtual-reality-operation-goes-live|access-date=2016-04-14|website=The Guardian|date=14 April 2016|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=UK cancer surgery to be live-streamed via virtual reality technology|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/25/uk-cancer-surgery-live-streamed-virtual-reality|access-date=2016-03-25|website=The Guardian|date=25 March 2016|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=UK Surgeon Experiments With Oculus Rift to Make 'Virtual Surgeon'|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Health/uk-surgeon-experiments-oculus-rift-make-virtual-surgeon/story?id=29626031|access-date=2015-03-14|website=Abcnews|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Watch a cancer operation at any angle via Google Cardboard|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/google-cardboard-virtual-reality-cancer-operation-worlds-first-in-april/|access-date=2016-03-16|website=CNET|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Watch a real cancer surgery streamed live in virtual reality at 8AM ET|url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/14/11428580/watch-surgery-live-virtual-reality-cardboard-gear-vr|access-date=2016-04-14|website=Theverge|date=14 April 2016|language=en}}

On 9 December 2016, he performed the world's first live operation using Snapchat Spectacles where he trained 200 medical students and surgical trainees, which was covered by Time magazine, and BBC.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Here is the world's first surgery broadcasted on Snapchat Spectacles|url=https://haptic.al/worlds-first-surgery-broadcasted-on-snapchat-spectacles-5e89badf3ddf#.huh1lixv0|access-date=2016-12-09|website=Haptic|language=en}}{{Cite magazine|last=|first=|title=Snapchat: How a Doctor Used Spectacles to Record a Surgery|url=https://time.com/4597434/snapchat-spectacles-snap-surgery/|access-date=2016-12-12|magazine=Time|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=|first=|title=Snapchat spectacles worn by UK surgeon while operating|work=BBC News|date=14 December 2016|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-38314539|access-date=2016-12-14|language=en}} The operation has been viewed over 100,000 times.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Snapchat Spectacles Surgery 9/12/2016 London Independent Hospital|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2onEVTlvhww|access-date=2016-12-11|website=Youtube|language=en}}

He is a non-executive director of Medic creations, GPDQ and Imera.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Medic Bleep|url=https://www.medicbleep.com/|website=Medic Bleep|language=en}}

He is the chair of the GIANT (Global Innovation and New Technologies) Health Event in London and also the chair of the Webit Health conference in Sofia, Bulgaria, which showcases startups, innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Giant Health Event 2020|url=https://www.giant.health/|access-date=2020-07-14|website=Giant|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Speakers of Webit|url=http://www.webit.bg/2018/speakers.php|website=Webit|language=en}}

Ahmed is a three time TEDx speaker and four times Wired Health and international keynote speaker, and a member of the faculty at Exponential Medicine, Singularity University.

• TEDx: TEDx Barts Health: TEDx Goodenough College: TEDx CASS Business school{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=TEDxUCL|url=https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/17151|website=Ted|language=en}}
• UK: Wired Health x4, Royal Society of Medicine Innovation Summit x2, CogX, AI Summit{{Cite magazine|last=|first=|title=WIRED Health 2018 Speaker Faculty, London|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/wired-health-2018-meet-the-speakers|access-date=2017-11-21|magazine=Wired|language=en}}
• USA: Exponential Medicine x5 Digital Health Summer Summit, Digital Orthopaedics, AWE{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=AR/VR & Visioning The Future Of Medical Education with Rafael Grossmann & Shafi Ahmed - Exponential Medicine|url=https://exponential.singularityu.org/medicine/arvr-visioning-the-future-of-medical-education-rafael-grossmann-shafi-ahmed/|access-date=2017-10-02|website=Singularityu|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Shafi Ahmed on Visualizing the Future of Medical Education, from VR to the OR|url=https://exponential.singularityu.org/medicine/shafi-ahmed-on-visualizing-the-future-of-medical-education-from-vr-to-the-or/|access-date=2017-11-29|website=Singularityu|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=An Avatar in your O.R., Redefining Human Interaction in Surgery with Shafi Ahmed at Exponential Medicine 2017|url=https://exponential.singularityu.org/medicine/an-avatar-in-your-o-r-redefining-human-interaction-in-surgery-with-shafi-ahmed/|access-date=2018-01-31|website=Singularityu|language=en}}
• Dubai: World Government Summit, Dubai Health Forum, GITEX x 3{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Dubai Health Forum 2019|url=http://dubaihealthforum.org/|website=Dubai Health Forum|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Knowledge Summit 2017 - Dr. Shafi Ahmed قمة المعرفة 2017 - الدكتور شافي أحمد|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om1DHPMSto4|access-date=2017-11-09|website=Youtube|language=en}}
• Abu Dhabi: TIPS, HUB71
• India: Tryst Conference, India Institute of Technology, Delhi
• Belgium: MedTech Forum{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=XR technology - CopenX - Danmark|url=https://www.copenx.com/|website=Copenx|language=en}}
• Denmark: CopenX
• UAE: LEAP 2023
• Romania: ICEE Fest{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=UPGRADE 100 - Install The Best Version of You|url=https://www.upgrade100.com/|website=Upgrade100|language=en}}

On 15 March 2017, Ahmed delivered the Cantor Technology Lecture at the University of Bradford and also delivered the public lecture to open the Digital Health Enterprise Zone.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=DHEZ Academic Launch and Lecture with Mr Shafi Ahmed|url=https://www.bradfordunisu.co.uk/articles/dhez-academic-launch-and-lecture-with-mr-shafi-ahmed|website=Bradford UNISU|language=en}}

He is Vice-President of Proshanti, a local charity community project to set up a health programme in Bangladesh, He is an advisor to Beani Bazaar Cancer Hospital, Bangladesh.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Pro Shanti|url=http://www.proshanti.org/|website=Pro Shanti|language=en}} He also teaches and trains surgeons in Dhaka, Bangladesh where he is the Dean for education at Rahetid, a postgraduate surgical training centre.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=RAHETID|url=http://www.rahetid.com/|website=Rahetid|language=en}}

• Banerjea, Ayan, Shafi Ahmed, Rebecca E. Hands, Fei Huang, Xia Han, Peter M. Shaw, Roger Feakins, Stephen A. Bustin, and Sina Dorudi. "Colorectal cancers with microsatellite instability display mRNA expression signatures characteristic of increased immunogenicity." Molecular cancer 3, no. 1 (2004): 1-11. {{doi|10.1186/1476-4598-3-21}}
• Kazemian, Hassan B., and Shafi Ahmed. "Comparisons of machine learning techniques for detecting malicious webpages." Expert Systems with Applications 42, no. 3 (2015): 1166-1177. {{doi|10.1186/1476-4598-3-21}}
• Shafi, Ahmed MA, Safwan A. Shaikh, Manasi M. Shirke, Sashini Iddawela, and Amer Harky. "Cardiac manifestations in COVID‐19 patients—A systematic review." Journal of cardiac surgery 35, no. 8 (2020): 1988-2008.

• Jelf Medal 1990: Awarded by the Principal of the college for the best academic and social achievement in the medical faculty of King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
• W.G. Oakley Prize in Diabetes 1992: Awarded for an original dissertation entitled "Diabetic Neuroarthropathy: the Pathogenesis of the Charcot joint"{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
• British Journal of Surgery Prize 2004: Awarded at the Association of Coloproctology, Edinburgh 2004 for best oral presentation "Prediction of Lymph Node Status in Colorectal Cancer by Microarray Profiling"{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
• Silver Scalpel Prize 2015: Awarded by the Association of Surgeons of Training for Best Surgical Trainer in the UK{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Silver Scalpel Award 2015|url=https://www.swann-morton.com/news_article.php?news_article_id=115|access-date=2015-03-04|website=Swann-Morton|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=SILVER SCALPEL AWARD WINNERS|url=https://www.asit.org/about_us/roll_of_honour/silver_scalpel_award_winners|website=Asit|language=en}}
• 2016: Winner of the Islamic Society of Britain/British Telecom Innovation Business and Skills Award{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
• Barts Health Heroes Awards: 2013 - 2017 Highly commended for Relentlessly improving and innovating for patient safety{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
• 2017: Shortlisted for Digital Pioneer Awards of London for Innovation{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Barts Health NHS Trust|url=https://www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/|website=NHS|language=en}}
• Selected in the British Bangladeshi Power and Inspiration 100 and awarded the honour of the British Bangladeshi Person of the Year 2017{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=BBPOWER INSPIRATION|url=http://www.bbpower-inspiration.com/|website=BBpower-Inspiration|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Person of the Year|url=http://www.bbpower-inspiration.com/archives/portfolio-item/personoftheyear|website=BBpower-Inspiration|language=en}}{{primary source inline|date=July 2021}}
• Chairman's Prize for Outstanding Contribution to HealthTech at the Asian Tech Awards 2017{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Chairman's Award 2017|url=https://asiansintech.com/chairmans-award-2017|access-date=2017-06-08|website=Asians In Tech|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Pioneering VR Surgeon Shafi Ahmed is named Top Asian in UK Tech 2017|url=https://www.newasianpost.com/pioneering-vr-surgeon-shafi-ahmed-named-top-asian-uk-tech/|access-date=2017-06-06|website=New Asian Post|language=en}}
• Webit global digital health innovation award 2017{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
• Digital Leader Award 2017: He received this award from Alternative Doctors{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=NATIONAL AWARDS, CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION – DEVELOPING YOUR PORTFOLIO PROGRAMME|url=http://alternativedocs.co.uk/national-conference-and-exhibition/|website=Alternative Docs|language=en}}{{primary source inline|date=July 2021}}
• NHS70 Parliamentary Award 2018: Winner of the Future NHS award{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Our surgeon chosen to represent London in NHS birthday awards|url=https://www.bartshealth.nhs.uk/news/our-surgeon-chosen-to-represent-london-in-nhs-birthday-awards-3416|access-date=2018-06-21|website=NHS|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Shortlist for the NHS70 Parliamentary Awards 2018|url=http://www.nhs70awards.co.uk/shortlist-nhs70-parliamentary-awards-2018|website=NHS Parliamentary Awards|language=en}}{{primary source inline|date=July 2021}}
• HIMSS 2020 Global Leader in Digital Health{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}

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Category:1969 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Sylhet District

Category:British surgeons

Category:21st-century British educators

Category:21st-century British businesspeople

Category:British people of Bangladeshi descent

Category:Alumni of Queen Mary University of London

Category:Colorectal surgery

Category:21st-century British medical doctors

Category:21st-century surgeons