Dr. Shahzad Karim graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1989 completing a MD degree in the Faculty of Medicine. He then completed a one-year rotating internship at Toronto Western Hospital. Dr. Karim practiced as a general practitioner for a year before completing a general surgery residency at UBC from 1991-1996 followed by training in Cardiac Surgery also at UBC from 1996-1998. He has been an attending cardiac surgeon at the Royal Columbian Hospital since 1998, is currently the Head of Cardiac Surgery for the Fraser Health Authority and holds a faculty position as Clinical Professor of Surgery in the UBC Department of Surgery. Major areas of interest include pacemakers, devices and aortic surgery.