When Dr Naveed Ullah Khan joined Lancashire Teaching Hospitals in October 2023 as a Senior Clinical Fellow in Neurology, it marked his first role in the NHS - the beginning of a remarkable period of professional and personal growth.
His journey from China to Preston took in exams, visa delays, research, teaching, and the daily realities of raising a child with severe autism, tied together by his resilience, modesty and determination.
Naveed’s medical career began when he completed his MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) in Tai'an, Shandong province, China in 2012. Shortly afterwards, he passed all three USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) exams and became ECFMG (Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates) certified by early 2014. However, family responsibilities - particularly caring for his father - meant returning to Pakistan.
Back home, he joined the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, completing the demanding FCPS (Fellowship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons) Neurology programme. The training included two years of Internal Medicine and three years of Neurology, culminating in the successful completion of his exams in May 2023.
In late 2022, he was offered several fellowships in the US, including a highly prestigious epilepsy fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. The plan was to start in July 2023, but prolonged visa delays changed the trajectory.
While waiting, Naveed began applying to UK posts, and his first interview was with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals. “I was offered the post straight away,” he recalls. “I cancelled my other interviews and accepted! I’d researched the area beforehand - I prefer smaller cities - and it felt like the right fit.”
He moved to the UK in October 2023 to begin his NHS career, and when his US visa was finally approved in December 2025, his life had already taken root in Lancashire: “I had a stable job and strong support at work,” he says.
Starting a senior clinical role in a new healthcare system would be challenging for anyone. But within weeks of arriving, Naveed was already preparing for MRCP (UK) (Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom) - a qualification pathway many doctors spread over several years.
Between April and December 2024, he passed all three parts at the first attempt, including the notoriously demanding PACES (Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills) exam. Then in May 2025, he passed the Neurology Specialty Certificate Examination.
Senior colleagues noted they had rarely seen the exams completed so quickly.
“All of it happened while I was still learning how the NHS works,” he says. “When I look back, it feels surreal.”
This progress came alongside a full clinical workload: running clinics, undertaking ward rounds, joining multi-disciplinary teams, covering on-calls and providing outreach support, including almost a year of weekly cover in Chorley.
Naveed credits much of his growth to the department around him: “It’s a relatively small neurology department, but this is still a major centre. You build much better relationships with consultants and seniors, and that really matters.”
Despite the pace of exams and clinical duties, Naveed has consistently looked for ways to contribute more widely. At the University of Manchester, he teaches fourth‑year medical students and supports junior doctors with bedside neurology teaching. He is also involved in PACES preparation, focusing on neurological examinations - often considered one of the exam’s most challenging elements.
“I really enjoy teaching,” he says. “Neurology can be intimidating, and I like helping people feel more confident and structured in their approach.”
On the research side, he served as a sub‑principal investigator for the Lighthouse‑2 motor neurone disease trial - a major international study testing the HIV drug Triumeq for Motor Neurone Disease (MND/ALS), investigating if Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) contribute to the disease.
He is currently a sub‑PI in the EXPERT‑ALS study - which aims to rapidly test drugs to assess their potential to slow MND progression - with Professor Suresh Chhetri. Naveed also has a UK publication, is close to submitting a systematic review, and has also completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Practice Management and Leadership with the University of Lancashire (ULan).
“There’s a lot of positive energy here,” he says. “When you see colleagues pushing themselves, it motivates you to do more.”
Away from the hospital, life is equally demanding. Naveed and his wife, also a doctor, have three children. Their eldest son Zain has severe autism and is non-verbal. With no external support yet in place, his wife stays home to provide full-time care. Naveed says that without her support, much of this journey simply would not have been possible.
“Zain is very attached to me,” Naveed explains. “When I get home, he wants to spend time together - especially going out for drives, which he loves. So that’s what we do every afternoon.”
Balancing clinical work, exams and parenting a child with complex needs has been the hardest part of the journey. “Professionally, I’ve always felt supported here. The hardest part has been managing everything as a family, particularly caring for my son. That’s been the biggest challenge - but things are improving.”
He is clear about what carried him through: “I am an ordinary person. I had no privilege, no shortcuts, and no predictable path. The limits we face are often the ones we place on ourselves. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to start.”
Naveed’s ambitions remain grounded in service: “I want to be as good as the people I work with. The department is small, supportive and approachable, and that motivates you to do more. I want to give back as much as I can, by supporting others, contributing to research, and being part of the progress we are making.”
