Ali Khawaja, MD

Biography

Dr. Khawaja earned his medical degree from the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan, before completing his Internal Medicine residency at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH. He subsequently pursued fellowship training in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH. During his training, he received the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Cleveland Clinic and the Afessa Award for Excellence in Quality Improvement at the Mayo Clinic. He is an active member of the American Thoracic Society and the American College of Chest Physicians.

In 2021, Dr. Khawaja joined the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL) as an Assistant Professor of Medicine. During his tenure, he distinguished himself as a dedicated clinician-educator and mentor, receiving the Attending of the Year Award from the Internal Medicine Residency Program for three consecutive academic years (2021–2022, 2022–2023, and 2023–2024). In recognition of his commitment to medical education, he was also honored with the Exemplary Teacher Award by the University of Florida College of Medicine in 2023.

Dr. Khawaja joined UTHealth Houston in 2024, where he provides comprehensive care to patients with Interstitial Lung Diseases through UT Physicians and cares for critically ill patients in the intensive care units at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Dr. Khawaja also serves as the Associate Director of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Care Center at UTHealth Houston, where he is actively involved in expanding access to specialized care for patients with pulmonary fibrosis. He is deeply committed to advancing medical education and fostering the development of future physicians. In recognition of these efforts, he was awarded the Outstanding Subspecialty Attending of the Year Award by the Internal Medicine residents and the Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award for the 2025–2026 academic year.