Yusuf R. Afifi, PA-C

Y. Richard Afifi, PA-C was born and raised in Westchester County, NY. He attended Yorktown High School in Yorktown Heights and has had a passion for healthcare and volunteerism since he was a child. He obtained two undergraduate degrees, one in Biology (B.S) and one in Chemistry (B.A.) at Roger Williams University. Following graduation, he worked as a volunteer EMT and as a histology technician for CareMount Medical. He went on to complete his Masters in PA Studies program at MCPHS in Worcester, MA. Throughout his studies, he spent time in both El Salvador & Bolivia providing both public health education and completing a clinical rotation for PA school, where he was able to develop and hone some Spanish-speaking skills. He started here at VBMC during the height of the Covid-19 experience and has been functioning as a 'nocturnist' CT surgery PA for over 3 years.

Why should someone choose you to care for their health?
Before my graduate studies, I was exposed to cardiac surgery when my father underwent a surgical aortic valve replacement due to a congenital defect. I have used that experience to drive my patient care in an understanding & compassionate way. I treat my patients as if they are my own family, and I will always make it my mission to ensure that both the patient & their loved ones can feel that.

What is the most important thing your patients should expect from their professional relationship with you? What do you expect from them?
Open heart surgery can be a scary experience for both patients and their families and I make it my mission to ensure everyone feels informed and knows that they are just as a part of the treatment plan as I am. You can expect constant communication with me about the postoperative pathway/treatment plan and a clear overview of the actions that we will be taking to alleviate any issues that may arise. I expect my patients to go into surgery with an open mind, be open to any treatment planning that occurs postop, and communicate effectively any concerns they may have before and afterward.

How do you spend your valuable personal time when you’re not caring for patients?
I spend my personal time with family & friends, as well as tending to my adorable kitten named Freya. I'm an avid movie lover and I spend a lot of time outdoors with activities like hiking, golf, and during the winter months, skiing. I have a passion for traveling internationally as much as I can, most recently I explored & visited family in my father's home country of Egypt

Why did you choose your specialty and what is its greatest reward?
I chose this specialty not only because of my close personal ties to cardiac surgery, but because I knew it would be a challenging, but tremendously educational experience as a new graduate. I knew going into cardiac surgery would teach me how to manage some of the most critical patients in the hospital, and this specialty has done just that. I'm currently training to assist in the operating room, which has been a dream of mine as well.