About
More than a product designer, I'm a creative and storyteller at heart
I have always loved crafting - creating and sharing art even during my medical school years. I run a website and story-telling platform called salamsanctuary.com. My story is one of always keeping that creative spirit alive in me.
How I switched from Medicine to design
I worked as an NHS junior doctor for three years, which taught me to manage my patients with empathy and efficiency. It also exposed me to several design problems for doctors and the wider team when using software to look at blood tests and scans.
I was never the kind to follow a linear path but saw my career as a long journey of experimenting. Whilst studying at medical school I couldn’t contain my creative spirit and reached out to a designer, Peter Gould, I had met at a branding workshop that truly inspired me.
My reaching out led me to interning in Sydney his design studio which would begin my design journey that felt aligned to my passions and skills.
I would spend the next few years researching into the right design field for me, teaching myself Figma and giving myself small projects before moving to London to enter the world of design.
Features
Heart of Design by Peter Gould
Excerpt from Peter Gould's book highlighting my story:
"One of my design students, Shaimaa Osman, was on her way to completing a medical degree but felt constantly drawn to art and creative practice. Between her work placements in hospitals as a junior doctor, she visited our design studio to learn UX and gain work experience, After a few years navigating tough compromises, she joined a medical tech startup and has since thrived professionally."
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Talking women’s health
This year’s International Women’s Day saw me take to the streets of London alongside London for Sudan and many grassroots organisations to advocate for all.
Dazed Magazine interviewed me to get my thoughts during the day.
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Experience Haus
Experience Haus exposed me to the design world even further by problem solving for London-based companies from just a few weeks in!
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Read my art interview
I started an Art Shop in 2021 after years of being asked to sell my Arabic Calligraphy on maps by my instagram followers. I was approached by Bayt Al Bann for an interview about my art practice.
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Looking ahead
As I immerse deeper into the world of product design, I realise how much this field is aligned with my passions and skillset. I love all stages of the design process, from research to hi-fi design, and love how well the skills of a medic translates to user experience design!
I dream of contributing to projects that not only look good but also do good — for people and for society. I'm also keen on exploring how I can leverage AI as a designer, exploring how it can personalise user experiences without losing the human touch.
I started an Art Shop in 2021 after years of being asked to sell my Arabic Calligraphy on maps by my instagram followers. I was approached by Bayt Al Bann for an interview about my art practice.