Mohammed M. “Dr. Mo” Elamir MD, FACP, 39

Occupation: Lead Physician at Aviv Clinics Florida, The Villages

What I do:  I evaluate, assess and oversee the treatment of the patients at the Aviv Clinics.

My inspiration: I knew I wanted to be a medical doctor from the age of 5. My late father was a neurologist and one of my earliest memories was being in his office and meeting Muhammad Ali when dad treated him early on his Parkinson’s diagnosis. My pre-med training started in 2003, I graduated my residency in 2011 and started private practice in 2015.

Why people are my passion: I’m passionate about taking care of people. To have the ability to diagnose and treat someone is a privilege and one of the biggest ways to impact a human life. No matter your age, socioeconomic status, race or gender identity, we all have the same fears and wishes when it comes to health.

Notable achievement: I have two answers. When I first got out of my residency, I practiced in an underserved urban area. In that setting I was more than a doctor. I was an educator, a resource, a counselor and an integral part of the community. My second answer is that we’ve grown Aviv Clinics over the last 3½ years to what it is today. Not only has it blossomed into a successful practice, but we have redefined how to practice medicine as well as how we approach and treat the aging process.

Words of wisdom: Failures and bumps in the road give us a proper perspective. Success without hard work and perseverance can be fleeting. Don’t give up and don’t be complacent.

Outside the clinic: I have two young children, ages 4 and 2. My spare time belongs to them, and we like to take them to Disney and the beaches. My wife and I both love to cook and have been known to get competitive over whose dishes are best when we host friends and family.

Life after 40: The dream is to grow Aviv Clinics into more and more locations around the world. Changing the way medical healthcare is practiced, prevention should be the focus, not just treating diseases after they happen. On a personal note, my almost 4-year-old son has autism spectrum disorder. Unfortunately, and embarrassingly, the medical community still doesn’t have enough answers on why rates are going up, the exact mechanism of the disease and how to treat it. That has become my latest focus and dream, to be able to help my son and others with ASD.