Irfan’s journey into addressing health misinformation began long before he entered medicine—it started behind the pharmacy counter, where he witnessed how cultural beliefs, online myths, and systemic mistrust created barriers between patients and life-saving treatments. This dual lens of pharmacy and medicine, combined with his training across continents from UBC to Ireland, has taught him that facts alone don’t change minds; relationships do. Today, whether he’s supporting Afghan refugee mothers navigating childhood immunizations in Victoria or counseling teenagers about HPV prevention, Irfan sees how misinformation thrives in the gaps where health care fails to connect authentically with communities.

This fellowship represents his commitment to transforming these intimate clinical moments into systemic change. Irfan’s vision centers on working with HQBC’s team and innovative engagement models like Bridging Research, Accurate Information & Dialogue (BRAID). His hope is to develop narrative-driven conversations that weave together community voices, lived experiences, and scientific evidence. Rather than combating misinformation with more information, he believes in fostering dialogue that honors both hearts and minds. Having served on provincial committees and witnessed health care from multiple vantage points—from community clinics to virtual Indigenous health services—Irfan is driven to help build a system where trust isn’t assumed but earned, and where every British Columbian can make informed health decisions rooted in both knowledge and belonging.