The event will open with a moderated Q&A session with Rahman, hosted by Dr. Kelly Reed, Professor of Biology and Director of Pre-Health Science at Austin College. Rahman, whose memoir Our Connected Lives: Caring for Cancer Patients in Rural Texas chronicles his life and practice as a physician in rural West Texas, will share insights on his experiences in medicine, ethics, and patient care. The Q&A promises an engaging dialogue exploring Rahman’s journey from his upbringing in Bangladesh to his career in Texas, where he has practiced cancer medicine for over three decades.
Moderated Q&A Session
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Wright Campus Center, Mabee Hall
Reception and Book Signing
5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Wright Campus Center, Mabee Hall
Rahman was recently featured in Talk Nerdy, a podcast hosted by Dr. Cara Santa Maria and interviewed by Texas Monthly, discussing the release of his new book, Our Connected Lives: Caring for Cancer Patients in Rural Texas. This October, he published an opinion piece in Newsweek in conjunction with breast cancer awareness month.
His writings on medical, ethical, social, and scientific issues have appeared in many national and international publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Guardian Weekly, International Herald Tribune, Haaretz, Indian Express, Christian Science Monitor, Newsweek, Harvard Review, Short Story International, Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, Oncologist, and Lancet. His cultural and medical memoir, The Temple Road: A Doctor's Journey, published in India in 2016, tells about his upbringing and training years, his move to a new country, and his life and practice in West Texas. He and his wife, Jahanara (Ara), have lived there for most of their lives and have raised four children. They love walking in nature and going on wildflower adventures.
Dr. Fazlur Rahman was born and brought up in what is now Bangladesh. After his medical education in Dhaka, New York, and Houston, he practiced cancer medicine for thirty-five years in San Angelo, Texas. He is an adjunct professor of biology (medical humanities and ethics) at Angelo State University, a senior trustee of Austin College in Sherman, Texas, and an advisory council member of the Charles E. Cheever Jr. Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.
