Today we’d like to introduce you to Iram Qureshi.
Hi Iram, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
My name is Iram Qureshi. I was born in Alabama, and my family moved to Fort Worth when I was 4 years old. With my dad being a physician and my mom a teacher, the importance of education was taught to me early on. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Crowley High School and attended college at the University of Texas at Dallas on a full scholarship. My plan was to become a physician – but after graduation, I decided that route was not for me.
I come from a Pakistani and Bengali background. When I visited, I saw poor health systems in both countries and knew I wanted to impact healthcare on a larger scale, so I applied to the University of North Texas Health Science Center to get a master’s degree in public health, concentrating in biostatistics and epidemiology. It was the best decision I could have ever made. I started my career with Leidos, a fortune 500 company, as a Biostatistician for the US Military. In 4 years, I co-authored 15 publications, which gave me visibility and recognition in a field I want to continue to make a difference in. That experience opened many doors for me, and I have accepted a new position with Leidos as a Senior Biostatistician for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – my dream job.
Outside of work, I have always loved art. My grandmother is an oil painter, and when I visited her during summer breaks, she would let me play with her paint and brushes during art lessons she hosted at her home. I used to draw in school notebooks and loved making hand-made birthday cards for my family. I took any opportunity I could to be artistic. In 2000 on a random shopping trip to Hobby Lobby – my mom met Sandra Baumgardner, who I called “Ms. B.” She was a professional artist who taught art classes in the store. I was only 8 years old at the time, and she didn’t take students under 10 but made an exception for me. My mom enrolled me in her class, and from that point on until my 20s, I attended her class every Friday. This became the best distraction from school, and I was able to develop my skills in various art mediums. I won 3rd place at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Stock Show Art competition, and my paintings were exhibited in galleries. Having these accomplishments and an outlet for creativity built my self-confidence and self-esteem, something every girl needs at that young age.
As an adult, I started posting my paintings on Facebook and Instagram and would get asked to sell my work. I never took the messages seriously though because painting was just a hobby. After the pandemic hit and social life slowed down, my fiancé, Farhan, encouraged me to accept commissions. My painting business picked up quickly, and it was a great feeling knowing people wanted my paintings in their homes.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The most difficult part of my life was when I was a student. Starting from high school, I was different from most of my fellow peers – a practicing Muslim, ethnically Pakistani, a top-ranked student. While I am very proud of those things now, as a teenager, all I wanted was to fit in during a time period where there wasn’t much diversity. In hindsight, I realize that high school was only one part of my story, and I wish I could tell my younger self (or anyone going through something similar) – you’ll find your place and your people, and there is so much more to come after high school. The struggles will always be there, but you learn how to manage them better as you get older.
In college, I struggled with my career path. I did internships in the medical field and continued on the pre-med route knowing my heart wasn’t really set on it. Even after starting my master’s, I didn’t know which direction my career was going to take. Thankfully in my second semester, a professor and my advisor reinforced my decision to study biostatistics and gave me advice on which aspects and skills to focus on. Their guidance made me feel like I was on the right track and the support from my parents made all the difference. Their belief in me and my ability to create a successful career path made me more driven to do well.
With art – when I started selling my paintings, I would worry whether my clients would be 100% satisfied with what I made them. After completing a painting, I would overanalyze it and wish I could go back and change a million things in it. Most of my free time became focused on commissions. I decided to take a short break from selling to paint as a hobby again, gifting most of my paintings to friends and family. I still plan on coming back to commissions and starting a formal business out of it. But before that, I want to set a quota on the number of commissions I accept and find a way to balance it with my personal life and working full-time.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a biostatistician. I analyze data that answers questions such as how effective a certain drug or vaccine may be, predict future trends in illnesses and diseases, and more. I use data and statistical software coding to answer questions about public health which influences decisions that organizations make to improve healthcare. I have been involved in medical research that resulted in patents and policies that save lives. I think after the pandemic, people have a better understanding of the importance of public health, and I’m proud to have a direct role in that. Statistics and math are intimidating subjects for a lot of people, but I have always gravitated towards it. I would encourage anyone unsure of their career path to try out biostatistics. It is one of the fastest growing job fields and rewarding in so many ways.
I am also an artist. I started off painting landscapes, flowers, animals, and realistic art – but recently, my passion has been abstract art with Arabic calligraphy. It is a unique market, and I haven’t seen many artists in Fort Worth doing it. Ms. B taught me color theory and how to blend perfectly, and I’ve continued to incorporate that in my art. Watercolor painting was my favorite medium growing up, but acrylic painting has now taken its place. I love getting the chance to work on huge canvases – I get more space to be creative, and there’s something really exciting about seeing the end result of my larger pieces. I also love a challenge – being creative and thinking outside the box is needed for being a biostatistician and an artist, and I think that’s why I am able to do both.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love that you can find anything you’re looking for in Fort Worth. It has good schools, good restaurants, history, culture, and great people. I firmly believe that it is one of the best cities to live in. The only challenge of living here is coping with our extreme summers that bring on months of unbearable heat. Apart from that, Fort Worth will always be home to me, and I love the city overall. Living here has given me the opportunities of a lifetime, a network of amazing people that directly impacted who I am, and everything I’ve needed to get to where I am now.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iram_qureshi
Image Credits
Kyamran Mohammad
