Muhammad Waqar Azeem

MD, DFAACAP, DFAPA

Inaugural Chair Department of Psychiatry

Professor Muhammad Waqar Azeem is the Inaugural Chair of Psychiatry for Sidra Medicine, Qatar. He along with his team is responsible for setting the vision for developing world class mental health services at Sidra and Qatar. Its core components include developing culturally competent, state of the art patient and family centered care, outstanding teaching and education for medical students, residents and fellows and producing cutting edge research in general psychiatry, child & adolescent psychiatry and women’s mental healthcare. He also holds the position of founding Chair of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar (WCM-Q). He has long standing involvement in academia and currently is a Professor of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College / Cornell University.

Prof. Azeem is involved with number of important national initiatives, including Chair of Qatar’s National Autism Plan Working Group, Co-Chair of World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) Autism Forum and member of National Mental Health Strategic Committee. His primary clinical and research interests include Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Disabilities, Genetics, Global Mental Health and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Training. Prof. Azeem is involved with number of research grants from QNRF and SIRF regarding autism, ADHD, genetics, neuroimaging and psychiatric comorbidity with chronic medical conditions. He has presented nationally and internationally and has published in numerous peer reviewed journals. By collaborating with researchers, practitioners and policy makers in South East Asia and the Middle East, he aims to raise the profile of mental health services in these countries.

Prof. Azeem joined Sidra from Albert J. Solnit Children’s Center, one of the premiere child and adolescent psychiatry teaching facilities in the U.S., where he held the position of Chief of Psychiatry and Medical Director. He also served as an Associate Clinical Professor at Yale Child Study Center / Yale University School of Medicine and Associate Residency Training Program Director for Yale Child Study Center / Solnit Center Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship.

Prof. Azeem started his general psychiatry training at Hennepin County Medical Center and Regions Hospital in Minnesota, where he also served as Chief Resident. He completed his child and adolescent psychiatry training at Children's Hospital Boston with Harvard Medical School. During his child psychiatry fellowship, he also participated in Developmental Psychiatry and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Leadership Training at the Developmental Evaluation Center of Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School.

Prof. Azeem is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) as well as Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). He is Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in both General Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He has received several awards and honors for his work. He has co-directed the child and adolescent review courses internationally. He serves on various boards and committees at regional, national and international level.