Zuhair Niazi, an undergraduate student at USF, reflects on his personal journey to graduate school. As he prepares to graduate this spring and begin the Doctor of Audiology Program at USF in fall 2025, his story is one of resilience and a drive to create meaningful change.
Drawn to healthcare from an early age, Zuhair began public health research in eighth grade. His own struggles with hearing impairment guided his interest in audiology. Initially misdiagnosed with ADHD as a child, Zuhair shared, “That experience made me realize how important standardized exams for low-frequency hearing loss detection are, especially in schools.” Now, he is developing screening programs to prevent similar misdiagnoses—a project he hopes to expand during his doctoral studies.
Throughout his undergraduate years, Zuhair has immersed himself in disability and auditory neuroscience research, working closely with his professors. His editorial research, published in December 2024, marked an eight-year milestone. He has also presented at conferences, including University Health Day on February 28th and the Center of Academy of Information Systems on March 14th. Recently, he earned his Consumer Health Informatics Certification (CHIC) to further strengthen his expertise.
Zuhair’s decision to pursue his doctorate at USF was influenced by his experience shadowing at USF’s audiology clinic, where he gained a broad perspective on patient care. Looking ahead to graduate school, Zuhair aspires to specialize in pediatric audiology. He aims to advance his low-frequency hearing testing initiative with greater mentorship and support. He also hopes to collaborate with the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind to improve early intervention services for children with hearing impairments. In addition to his academic work, Zuhair plans to continue his work with USF’s human trafficking research lab.
Congratulations to Zuhair on this remarkable achievement! With his dedication to research, advocacy, and improving diagnostic measures, his future in audiology is bright. We look forward to seeing the lasting impact he will make in the field.
If you are interested in reading Zuhair’s latest publications, citations and links to his research are provided below:
Niazi, Z., & Sher, T. (2024). One Small Step by the National Institutes of Health Can be a Giant Leap for Persons With Disability. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Innovations, Quality & Outcomes, 8(6), 549–550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2024.11.001
Khokhar, A., Spaulding, A., Niazi, Z., Ailawadhi, S., Manochakian, R., Chanan-khan, A., Niazi, S., & Sher, T. (2021). A Panel Evaluation of the Changes in the General Public’s Social-Media-Following of United States’ Public Health Departments during COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 12, 2150132721995450–2150132721995450. https://doi.org/10.1177/2150132721995450