Profile: Dr. Ghaus Malik

By Beena Inam Shamsi

Many people don’t feel much passion for the work they perform, nor do they feel the same affinity for it that they might feel for recreation and the joys of life.

Sometimes in the daily grind of life, we lose sight of the things that we love. But there are a few people among us whose appreciateion for the work they do grows with time.

“I feel the same passion for my work today, may be even better,” said Dr. Ghaus M. Malik, a Vice Chair of Neurosurgery at Henry Ford Health System and Chief of Neurosurgery at William Beaumont Hospital.

For 32 years, Dr. Malik’s dedication to his work has been so strong that one cannot go without admiring it. His major interest has been the love and care of his patients and allegiance to the Henry Ford Health System.

His ardor for his work is discernible through his soft and joyful voice. “People are only dedicated to their profession when they have a passion for it,” said Dr. Malik, “I have lot of patients and lot of fun.”

Dr. Malik was born on March 1, 1946 in a small village in Pakistan. He completed his Degree in Medicine (M.B.B.S) in 1968 from King Edward Medical College at the University of Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan.

After Dr. Malik’s first internship at Mayo Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, he accepted an internship in 1969 from St. John’s Queens Hospital in Elmhurst, New York. In 1970, he began his General Surgery Residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, followed by a Neurosurgery residency. Dr. Malik joined the Henry Ford Medical Group staff of neurosurgery in 1975 and became board certified in neurosurgery in 1978.

For the subsequent growth of a collaborative neurosurgery program in 2001, Dr. Malik devotes his time between Henry Ford Health System and William Beaumont Hospital.

In the field of neurosurgery, Dr. Malik specializes in cerebrovascular neurosurgery, especially arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and aneurysms, as well as trigeminal neuralgia and complex brain and spinal cord tumors. His research interests include vasospasm, clinical outcomes of AVMs, and genetic mechanisms for familial AVMs.

Dr. Malik has made a mammoth contribution to the neurosurgical literature, publishing more than 90 articles and chapters. He is acclaimed both nationally and internationally and has been invited as a lecturer in many local and national institutions and countries including Argentina, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, and Turkey.

In 2004, he became the recipient of the “John R. Davis Chair” in Neurological Surgery at Henry Ford Health System. Dr. Malik has a strong interest and has contributed greatly to resident education at Henry Ford Hospital. Since 1975, he has been actively involved in the training of more than 50 residents graduating from the Henry Ford Neurosurgery Residency Program.

In addition, he has served as the President of the Pakistan Association of America, from which he has received their Distinguished Community Service Award. He also has had over 25 years of involvement with the Islamic Association of Greater Detroit (IAGD), having served as its president for 10 years and currently serving as the Chairman of their Board of Trustees.

Many professional associations and societies have elected Dr. Malik, where he retains an active role. He has served on numerous committees at Henry Ford Health System, most notably the committees to develop governance structure for the Henry Ford Medical Group, Claims Review, and Medical Group Finance Committee. Dr. Malik has served 3-year terms on the Henry Ford Medical Group Board of Governors and Board of Trustees and its major committees.

Dr. Malik currently resides in Bloomfield Hills with his wife and their three children and six grandchildren.

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