‘Think outside the box’
Zayba Hoda, MPAS ’99, combines passion for family medicine with alternative patient care approaches
Oct. 11, 2024 — By continuing to align her career path with her interests and values, Zayba Hoda, MPAS ’99, has been able to practice family medicine in a way that resonates with her patient-centered and professional goals.
A proud Gator and Seminole alumna, Hoda earned her master’s degree in physician assistant studies from the University of Florida after receiving undergraduate degrees in biology and psychology from Florida State University.
She credits the strong degree program at the UF School of Physician Assistant Studies for broadening her perspective on what a future career in medicine might look like. An afternoon learning about alternative medicine opened her mind to different types of medical practices that benefit patients. In the process, Hoda was exposed to a variety of specialties.
“I was not really sure what exactly I wanted to do in terms of specialty,” she said. “What I loved about the PA profession was that I could try different specialties out — you are not locked into one.”

Once Hoda discovered her passion for family medicine, she spent two years providing care to patients at a family practice in Tallahassee, Florida, under the supervision of Fred H. Ross, M.D. His mentorship propelled Hoda to achieve professional excellence.
When her husband, Tariq Mallick, M.D., was accepted into the Mayo Clinic family medicine residency program, the couple moved to Des Moines, Iowa. Hoda began working for a free clinic funded by the Mercy Medical Center for medically underserved patients. She spent 10 years at the House of Mercy Free Medical Clinic before transitioning to a five-year role in their clinics in family practice and urgent care.
“When I stopped working at the free clinic for the hospital, I still wanted to stay involved in the community,” Hoda said. “We opened our own free clinic through the help of Free Clinics of Iowa and operated with volunteers every Saturday.”
After 15 years in Iowa, Hoda and Mallick decided to uproot and move to Texas. While Mallick worked in the emergency room at a Dallas hospital, Hoda stayed home to raise their children. With extra time for creativity, she decided to pursue a certification in health coaching, inspired by her interest in motivational interviewing and dedicating individualized time to patients.
Hoda’s five-year break from medicine allowed her to rejuvenate and realign her focus as a primary care provider. With support from her husband, the couple founded their family medicine practice, Family Care & Wellness, in 2020. In addition to providing care under the regular insurance model, the practice provides direct primary care services for a low monthly subscription for people who do not have health insurance. This has allowed many patients to receive continuous care, which would have otherwise been difficult and led to unnecessary financial burdens due to increased emergency room visits.
In 2023, Hoda and Mallick founded Wellness Lifestyle Partners, a practice focused on holistic wellness services. Their goal is to empower people to take control of their health through an education curriculum and health coaches who specialize in functional nutrition and encourage the principles of lifestyle medicine.
“I want to give my patients the tools, the education, and the support they need to realize how their lifestyle makes a huge difference on their health,” Hoda said. “They can change their lifestyle with our support, turn those changes into habits, and use the education we give them to stay healthy and even reverse their disease.”
A balanced career as a PA has allowed Hoda the flexibility to work part-time. With three children ranging from ages 12 to 21, she enjoys spending quality time with her family — whether they’re biking, hiking, or even homeschooling together. Hoda’s favorite self-care activity is reading. Books empower her to absorb knowledge on various topics, including child development, functional and integrative medicine, leadership, and self-development.
For National PA Week this October, Hoda encouraged current and aspiring PAs to get creative to achieve professional fulfillment.
“Most of us go into medicine because we have some passion to alleviate suffering and to help people,” she said. “If the statistics show that we are not doing that, then we need to do something differently. We need to look for ways to think outside the box.”