Our Team
Rain Shafuddin
I was born and raised in Malaysia. I completed Bachelor of Medicine study and my internship years in the UK before moving to Hamilton in 2008 where I carried out most of my post-graduate medical training. After completing my final year of specialist training in Melbourne, I returned to work as a Respiratory Physician at Waikato Hospital in March 2019. Currently I hold a portfolio in bronchiectasis and also report cardiopulmonary exercise tests at the respiratory department.
I have a great interest in research. As an undergraduate, I completed a research study in pulmonary sarcoidosis through the University Hospital Southampton biomedical research unit. I also completed a PhD study on cardiac abnormality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at the University of Otago. I have won multiple research awards and have presented at many major international conferences. I am also a regular peer-reviewer for international respiratory journals.
I practise evidence-based and patient-centred medicine as I believe that they are both complementary in improving patient care.
I am well-travelled and enjoy running, tramping, and fine dining.
Area of expertise:
- Investigations of breathlessness and chronic cough
- Chronic airways disease – COPD/emphysema, asthma, bronchiectasis
- Pulmonary sarcoidosis
- Pleural diseases
- Lung cancer
- Interventional bronchoscopy
Current employment:
- Respiratory Physician at Waikato Hospital
Qualifications:
- BM (Southampton 2007)
- PhD (Otago 2016)
- FRACP (2019)
Training
- Foundation year training at Basingstoke North Hampshire Hospital and Portsmouth Queen Alexandra Hospital, UK (2007-2008)
- Physician training at Waikato Hospital (2008-2012)
- Research Fellowship and PhD (2012-2016)
- Specialist training in Respiratory Medicine at Waikato Hospital (2013-2017) and Monash Medical Centre (2018-2019)
Research
- Identifying prognostic markers in acute pulmonary sarcoidosis. American Thoracic Society International Conference (2007)
- EBUS-TBNA for mediastinal lymph node diagnosis in Waikato Hospital. Asia Pacific Lung Cancer Conference (2014)
- A double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study of roxithromycin and doxycycline combination, roxithromycin alone, or matching placebo for 12 weeks in adults with frequent exacerbations of COPD. Journal of Negative Results in Biomedicine (2015)
- Cardiac dysfunction during exacerbations of COPD. Lancet Respiratory Medicine (2016)
- Monoclonal antibody therapy in cystic fibrosis and asthma. Australasian Cystic Fibrosis Conference (2019)
- MULTI-PHACET - MULTIdimensional clinical phenotyping of hospitalised acute COPD ExacerbaTions. European Respiratory Journal Open Research (2021)
- The impact of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on the cardio-respiratory health of New Zealanders (2021)
Memberships
- Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians
- Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand
- European Respiratory Society