Internationally recognized public health expert, educator, and researcher Dr. Shafi Bhuiyan (PhD, MBBS, MPH, MBA) has officially joined the faculty team of Planetary Health Academia (PHA) as Faculty Lead for Student Affairs. His appointment is considered a significant addition for advancing international-standard health education and research opportunities for students from Bangladesh and around the world.
Planetary Health Academia (PHA) is an international platform dedicated to education, research, mentorship, and the development of global health leadership. In this new role, Dr. Bhuiyan will work to support students in academic excellence, professional development, leadership growth, mentorship, and career success. He is also expected to help strengthen a student-centered and inclusive educational environment within the organization.
Currently, Dr. Bhuiyan serves as a faculty member at University of Toronto in Canada. He is the co-founder of the MScCH Program designed for internationally trained physicians and also co-founded the Clinical Public Health Certificate Program, which supports the integration of internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs) into the Canadian healthcare system. In addition, he serves as the Dean of the Postgraduate School and Director of the MPH Program at All Saints University School of Medicine.
Dr. Bhuiyan has worked with academic and research institutions in the United States, Canada, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. Previously, he served as Senior Health Research Manager at Unity Health Toronto and led several health research projects funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Health (MOH<C). Under his leadership at the University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University, more than 600 internationally educated health professionals completed postgraduate training programs, with nearly 96 percent successfully advancing into employment or higher education opportunities.
Dr. Bhuiyan’s contributions to global health workforce integration, maternal and child health development, and community-based research are widely recognized. In Bangladesh, he played a key role in the modernization of Azimpur Maternity Hospital and conducted extensive field trials of MCH Handbook research projects across different regions of the country for more than a decade.
He currently serves as a Board Advisor to NuvoCare Inc. in the United States and as a part-time advisor for maternal and child health initiatives at Hope Foundation in Bangladesh. He also previously served as Board Chair of the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research and was a founding board member of the Canadian Association for Global Health. As part of his community leadership efforts, he is also recognized as the founder of the Toronto Global Doctors Lions Club.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to education, leadership, and community service, Dr. Bhuiyan received the Melvin Jones Fellow distinction and the President’s Distinguished Leadership Award from Lions Clubs International. He was also named among Canada’s prestigious RBC Top 75 Canadian Immigrants.
Experts believe that Dr. Shafi Bhuiyan’s appointment at Planetary Health Academia will play an important positive role in strengthening global education, student development, and health leadership. His experience and leadership are expected to create new opportunities and enhance capacities for students both locally and internationally.
