Doctor Taqi Encourages Volunteerism

By Laura Fawaz, TMO

Troy, MI–Dr. Ali Taqi is known as many things, a father, a husband, a doctor, a 9/11 first responder, but being a volunteer firefighter emerged as his true passion.

Born and raised is Michigan, Dr. Taqi attended the University of Michigan Ann Arbor for his undergraduate, and later receiving his medical degree from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2002.  He then completed his residency program in Emergency Medicine at the POH Medical Center in Pontiac, Michigan.  He later went on to earn the status of fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians (ACOEP).  Specializing in emergency medicine with six years of experience, Dr. Taqi is currently a board certified ER physician, working primarily at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac as well as the Providence Hospitals in Southfield and Novi.  He is also the medical team manager for Michigan Task Force One (MITF1) and the EMS coordinator at St Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital.

As if all this weren’t enough, this doctor, who highly encourages volunteerism, practices what he preaches by serving as a volunteer firefighter for the Troy Fire Department, and has been doing so since 1997.  Dr. Taqi has always felt motivated to do whatever he can to be of service to his community, as a Muslim and as an American.  “The fire depart is a huge part of my life now,” says Dr. Taqi who has moved up to a lieutenant now in the Fire Department.

Serving along with eight other fellow firefighters from Troy and Bloomfield Hills, Dr. Taqi was one of the first responders at Ground Zero on September 11th, 2001.  They dropped everything and flew to New York to help not only the New York Fire Department, but all victims caught in that attack as well.  Dr. Taqi feels that his life-changing experience of being a 9/11 first responder played a pivotal role in shaping his career path. “My most vivid memory by far is serving my community during September 11th,” he said.

Dr. Taqi recalls being apart of the rescue relief work at Ground Zero to be an eye-opening experience for him that he will never forget.  “We saw a lot, we did a lot. That event shaped my life to come and motivated me to go to medical school and become a doctor,” Dr. Taqi said.

But this doctor’s volunteerism doesn’t stop there.  For the last three years, he has also been a volunteer for IMANA (Islamic Medical Association of North America), traveling with a team of doctors to Sudan on surgical missions for the repair of congenital abnormalities of Cleft Lips and Cleft Palates.  “He is a modest and humble gentleman who rarely toots his own horn,” says Dr. Asif Malik, who is the doctor who first introduced Dr. Taqi to IMANA’s mission to Sudan, which they take every year in March.

He is married to his supporting wife Amena, and they have 3 young boys.  “Serving the community is the best way. And as Muslims we just want to show everybody that we are involved in the community and make a difference,” said Dr. Taqi.

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