Dr. Mohammed Al-Sofiani is an Assistant Professor of Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism at King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. He serves as the Vice President of the Saudi Society of Endocrinology & Metabolism and the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of the first specialized diabetes echosystem and artificial intelligence platform in the Middle East (KARAZ). He is also the Director of the Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Fellowship Training Program at KSU.
He completed his Endocrinology fellowship training at Johns Hopkins University (Physician/Scientist track) along with a masters degree in biotechnology & Health Research from Albany, NY. He completed his residency training in Internal Medicine from University at Buffalo. Dr. Al-Sofiani's research focuses on the digital transformation of diabetes care in the Middle East to improve the quality, efficiency, and safety of diabetes care and overcome barriers to access to care in various parts of the Middle East.
Dr. Al-Sofiani has authored many scientific papers and book chapters and has given over 200 oral presentations in regional and international conferences. He is the recipient of the the 2019 Endocrine Society Clinical Fellow Award in Diabetes, 2018 American Diabetes Association’s Vivian Fonseca Research Award, the Siegel Award for Excellence in Teaching from University at Buffalo, and other awards.
What is your favorite Endocrine Society memory?
Over the years, the Endo meetings have provided me with the opportunity to network with peers and giants in endocrinology from all over the world; many of whom have since become colleagues, friends, and mentors. My favorite Endocrine Society memory is when our abstract was selected for oral presentation and awarded the Endocrine Society Clinical Fellow Award in Diabetes in 2019.
How has Endocrine Society supported your professional development/career journey?
Through the Endocrine Society, I got the chance to give my first oral presentations at a national/international level. I still remember the day when I gave one of those talks as a resident and was approached shortly after the talk by the program director of one of the prestigious endocrinology fellowship programs in the US who complimented my presentation and was kind enough to offer me an invitation for a fellowship interview should I be interested.
The Early Career Forum is another Endocrine Society program that helped me become a better endocrine fellow during my training years and a productive junior faculty later on through boosting my knowledge, skills, and confidence and expanding my network early on in my development and career journey.
What experience led you to the study of the endocrine system?
I have always been amazed by how the various hormones coordinate our body's functions from metabolism to growth, development, sleep, emotions, mood, sexual activities, and many other vital functions. This along with the fact that I come from a community where diabetes is extremely prevalent have shaped my interest in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism. My home country, Saudi Arabia, is among the top 10 countries in diabetes prevalence, worldwide; and I have seen first-hand how the lack of appropriate management of diabetes can negatively impact the health, quality of life, and productivity of people with diabetes.
What would you most like to tell yourself at 18?
Don't worry! You will accomplish whatever you want as long as you are passionate about what you do and willing to work hard in a team of supportive mentors and colleagues.
What is the best thing about what you are working on right now?
Seeing the positive impact of our clinical work and QI projects on the health, satisfaction, and quality of life of patients with diabetes is the most rewarding and satisfying part of my work.
If Endocrine Society could add one benefit, what would it be?
I would love to see more involvement of international endocrinologists who reside outside the US in the various activities of the Endocrine Society. This could be through providing these endocrinologists with the opportunity to participate in organizing and conducting some of the sessions in the ENDO meetings or running webinars and quality improvement projects that are aimed at those parts of the world. The Middle East region, where I practice, is an example of a region that suffers from highly prevalent and devastating endocrine-related diseases and would undoubtedly benefit from any form of collaboration between the Endocrine Society and the scientific committee there.
