Creating Spaces of Care: A Q&A With Nima Fattahi, MD

I was born in Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan province, in Iran — a place UNESCO calls the Creative City of Music.

My uncle, an internist, was one of the most influential people in my decision to pursue medicine. His kindness, generosity, and unwavering support for those around him left a lasting impression on me. Watching the way he cared for his patients and treated everyone with respect and compassion inspired me from a young age. He made me think, *I want to be that kind of doctor someday."

Kurdistan is one of Iran’s less developed provinces, and that shaped my view of medicine. After medical school, I became the head of a rural health center serving 9,000 people across 14 villages. We had no specialists — so in one day I might deliver a baby, treat an infection, and handle an emergency case. I still remember visiting a pregnant woman whose husband refused her prenatal checkups. I drove out to their remote border village and explained in simple words why screenings were vital. He finally agreed — and later, they named their son the name I suggested. That moment stayed with me. Medicine, I learned, begins with listening.

When I first arrived in New Haven, I didn’t know anyone. Over time, I became involved in helping international students and researchers connect, navigate life in a new city, and build supportive professional and social networks. We helped newcomers find apartments, share resources, and organized cultural events such as Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. At these events, people often told me, “I’ve been in New Haven for three years, but this is the first time I’ve felt part of a community.” Hearing that meant a great deal to me.

I’ve always been drawn to liver research. Now, I’m studying how alcohol changes the behavior of platelets and their precursor cells, megakaryocytes. We’ve discovered that alcohol actually weakens immune pathways in these cells, which may explain why people with alcoholic liver disease are more vulnerable to infections. We confirmed the same pattern in human cell models, and we will present our findings at an international meeting soon. It’s exciting to see basic science begin to connect with patient outcomes.

I’m applying for internal medicine residency now because I want to bridge the lab bench and the bedside. Throughout my journey, I have learned the importance of inclusion, compassion, and resilience — values I carry into everything I do. Whether I’m running experiments or supporting others in my community, the goal is the same: to create spaces of care where people feel seen, supported, and hopeful.