PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Aroostook Medical Center has announced the return of Rashid Cheema, MD, who will provide full-time endocrinology services.
“Dr. Cheema was a well-liked and respected hospitalist at TAMC from 2012 to 2016,” said Dr. Jay Reynolds, senior physician executive at the hospital. “When he told us he wanted to pursue a fellowship in endocrinology, we were very supportive of that and had high hopes that he would want to return to the region once he was done.”
Cheema returned to TAMC in September to begin providing full-time services in his new specialty.
Endocrinologists are doctors who specialize in glands and the hormones they make. They deal with metabolism, or all of the biochemical processes that make the body work. Endocrinology services have been greatly needed in Aroostook County; previously, the closest endocrinologist was based in Bangor.
Cheema’s areas of interest include pituitary disorders, including pituitary tumors, thyroid disease, parathyroid disorders, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, adrenal disease, hypogonadism and obesity.
“If we can provide a quality service locally, we want to do that so our patients don’t need to travel great distances for care. I am thrilled that we can offer full-time endocrinology care to The County,” said Reynolds.
Cheema earned his bachelor of medicine and surgery degree from King Edward Medical College in Pakistan. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Maryland General Hospital in Baltimore, where he was named Intern of the Year and chief resident. He completed his endocrinology fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
He is a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American Diabetic Association, the Endocrine Society, the American Thyroid Association and the American College of Physicians.
Cheema is seeing patients at TAMC’s Fort Fairfield Health Center.
Submitted by the Communications Office of The Aroostook Medical Center.
