My Story
Explore the pivotal moments and groundbreaking achievements of Dr. ARA’s illustrious career. From early beginnings to global influence, this interactive timeline captures the essence of his dedication to advancing health and performance.
I was born in a small Malaysian town called Klang. Both my parents were teachers, I guess being an educator has always been in my blood. Though I lost my dad do a car accident at age 5, he had already been a massive influence in my life. My dad was a mathematician and he used puzzles to develop a deep sense of curiosity and problem solving within me at a very young age. My mother what's the bedrock of our family. Though she is soft spoken, her actions demonstrated perseverance, ambition and courage. She had always seen my academic potential and encouraged me to become a doctor. Looking back, I had been blessed with parents who prepared me for a journey that was beyond any of our wildest dreams.
One of those plans came when I was 18 years old, in the form of a merit-based scholarship from the British government to study medicine at Liverpool University in England. Personally, I did not want to move however both my tennis coach and my mom pointed out the huge opportunity, In the end, I did it to fulfill my mother’s dream.
Before I knew it, I was living in a country with grey skies and bland food. I did not know a soul. I felt like everyone was taller and smarter than me. My first year was tough. I missed my mom and my life in Malaysia.
My life transformed on one cold December evening when purely by chance I stumbled upon a book at a local bookstore. The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. I read the book cover to cover over three days setting on the bookstore’s floor. I could not afford to buy. When I finished the book, I made two decisions. First, to stop complaining about my circumstances or environment, which were out of my control. Second, work at things that were within my control. I decided there was no reason for anybody to outwork me in medical school.
On July 21st, 1995, I obtained my medical degree from Liverpool University. More importantly, I had received a degree in life from England. I often tell people I was born in Malaysia but grew up in England. I learned to accept the good with the bad, work harder than anyone expected of me and never give up. I became street smart. I learned to ask for help and reciprocate kindness. I learned that the quality of my life was entirely in my hands. I was the creator of my destiny. To live life on my terms.
Personally, I feel that I've always had these attributes, partly from my upbringing, partly from being a competitive athlete. England brought these attributes to life..
After a year’s internship, I entered a three-year training program in surgery. There, I was exposed to Emergency Medicine, and I loved it from the get-go. It was a natural fit. Problem solving every shift! So, after completing my training in surgery I entered a four year training program in emergency medicine.
Two years later, during one of my shifts, a patient's questions change my course for my life. A young tennis player with a sprained ankle asked me” How soon can I play tennis again?” . Despite all my training, I realized I had no idea how to advise him. That led me to studying Sports Medicine. At that time, I had taken up golf, and it became an obsession. I immersed myself in the sport – I explored swing mechanics, common golfing injuries and incorporated everything I studied in Sports Medicine to that field.
On March 31st, 2014, the golf world was lit ablaze with the news that Tiger Woods underwent back surgery and the Golf Channel needed someone to explain his situation.
On April 3rd, 2014, I walked through the turnstiles of The Golf Channel for the very first time. I had no idea what to expect, nor in my wildest dreams expected that appearance to pave the path to becoming a regular contributor. The cameras and I had an instant connection. I was able to be myself in their presence, and they in turn reminded me that being on TV is a huge blessing, but an even bigger responsibility.
When I was three years old, I remember telling my mom that unlike other kids who wanted to be lawyers and doctors and engineers, when I grew up I wanted to be an American. I remember my dad being completely enamored watching the moon landing and hearing JFK's speech. Somewhere along those moments I became convinced that I wanted to be ‘the American Neil Armstrong” and one day walk on the moon.
On April 29th, 2016, I became an American citizen. Every time I say that it brings a smile to my face. The process of becoming an American tests your resolve. There were are long periods of uncertainty, of waiting without knowing if you are going to proceed to the next stop. The ceremony is one I wish every Native American could partake in it. Total strangers from all walks of life in a room, singing the Star Spangled Banner, many with tears streaming down our faces that wore huge smiles- smiles of relief, gratitude and mostly pride.
By 2017 I had been trained in multiple genres of medicine, eastern and western health philosophies, ancient tribal practices, nutrition, human movement and strength and conditioning. I had established my space in the world of golf. As I mentioned I did all of this to help my athletes get a legal advantage. However, I have studied these topics separately. As I mentioned at the very beginning one of my greatest attributes is solving puzzles. And my instincts told me these were separate genres could be unified. One day on a red eye flight back from LA I was woken up by a crying child. I could not go back to sleep but remained in a twilight state. Amazingly in that moment a framework dawned upon me. I drew out the Functional Sports Medicine matrix on a napkin. It combined all the different disciplines I studied into one neat package, putting the athletes performance at the pinnacle.
In January 2023, I officially became appointed as Head of Tournament Medical services for LIV golf. Whilst there is divisiveness in the golf industry, I accepted this position with pride and a large dose of humility for it offered an opportunity of a lifetime. As a sports physician it is not every day that the new league is formed. My position allows to be involved in establishing LIV’s anti-doping policy, write the standard operating procedures, interview and hire manual therapists for the league, provide recovery modalities, oversee menus and ensure that all LIV golfers have an appropriate space to work on their strength and conditioning. I'm able to fully immerse myself in an environment with a growth and performance mindset. I work closely with the athletes, their managers and teams. I have faced many interesting challenges and problems that needed solving which leaves me better.
I share my story to reveal this critical point - given my history, I was never the most likely person to achieve success. In fact, when I decided to apply for residency in the US, I received 352 consecutive rejections for an interview. 352 rejections over the course of six years but I just kept trying. I knew I wanted to live in the United States. I trusted my intuition. Eventually in 2006, thanks to Dr.Andrew Salma, I got the opportunity to redo my residency in Emergency Medicine. I have never looked back.
Today, I'm blessed to wear many hats- an ER physician, Head of Tournament Medical services for LIV golf, medical contributor to Golf Digest, lecturer at UCF medical school, TV analyst, speaker, author, educator, consultant to many innovative and exciting companies, and most importantly a personal physician for many of the greatest athletes and executives on the planet, I have met presidents, my childhood heroes and travelled the world. I am humbled by the extraordinary opportunities I've been afforded and indebted to those who helped along the way. I understand with these extraordinary blessings comes huge responsibilities. I pay them forward whenever and wherever I can.
