Headshot of Rafia Zulfikar, MD

Rafia Zulfikar, MD

University Medicine Associates
Schedule an appointment: 210-358-4000
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Specialty

  • Pulmonary Disease

Education

  • Hebei Medical University (2010)

Residency

  • Internal Medicine, Geisinger Medical Center (2015)

Fellowships

  • Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine (2018)

Languages

  • English

Gender

  • Female

University Hospital

4502 Medical Drive
San Antonio,TX 78229

Insurance Accepted

  • 6 Degrees - Transplant
  • 90 Degree Benefits - Third Party Administrator
  • Aetna Better Health - CHIP/CHIP Perinate Newborn
  • Aetna Better Health - Medicaid STAR
  • Aetna Health - Commercial (Choice POS II, Elect Choice EPO, Exchange (Silver/Gold HMO))
  • Aetna Health - Commercial (HMO, Managed Choice POS, Meritain, Open Choice PPO)
  • Aetna Health - Commercial (QPOS, SAISD, Select)
  • Aetna Health - Medicaid Dual Preferred (HMO D-SNP)
  • Aetna Health - Medicare Advantage (Eagle PPO, Freedom PPO, Premier HMO, Prime HMO, Value Plus PPO)
  • Aetna Health - Transplant ONLY
  • Allegiance - Universal Benefits Consortium
  • Allwell (Superior HealthPlan) - Medicare Advantage
  • Ancira Enterprises - Direct Employer
  • Benefit Administrative Systems - Third Party Administrator
  • BlueCross BlueShield (Federal Programs) - Commercial (Federal - All Products)
  • BlueCross BlueShield (Out-of-State) - Commercial (Out of State - Blue Card Program Only)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Commercial (Blue Premier HMO, Blue Choice PPO)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Commercial (CHIP, Blue Advantage HMO, Blue Essentials HMO)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Commercial (ERS, TRS, State of TX Employees)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - HPN/EPO (Narrow Network)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Medicare Advantage (HMO, PPO)
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Traditional/Par Network
  • BlueCross BlueShield of Texas - Transplant Network
  • Carelink Program
  • CHAMPVA - Governmental
  • Cigna - Employer Specific Network (United Benefits Consortium)
  • Cigna - Employer Specific Network (USAA Employees & Dependents Only)
  • Cigna Health Spring - Medicare Advantage (WellMed)
  • Community First Health Plans - CHIP/CHIP Perinate Newborn
  • Community First Health Plans - Commercial (HMO, Exchange)
  • Community First Health Plans - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • Community First Health Plans - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
  • Community First Health Plans - University Family Care Plan
  • Curative - Commercial (All Products)
  • Driscoll Health Plan - Medicaid (All products)
  • EBSO Benefits - Third Party Administrator
  • El Paso Health - CHIP
  • El Paso Health - Medicaid STAR
  • Employers Health Network - Commercial (PPO)
  • Entrust - Third Party Administrator
  • First Health - Commercial (All Products)
  • Gilsbar - Third Party Administrator
  • HealthSmart (Accel) - Commercial (All products)
  • Humana - Transplant Network
  • Imagine 360 - Third Party Administrator
  • Imperial Health - Commercial (Exchange)
  • Imperial Health Plan - Medicare Advantage
  • Independent Medical Systems - Commercial (PPO)
  • Independent Medical Systems - Workers Compensation
  • Interlink - Transplant Network
  • LifeTrac - Transplant Network
  • Medicaid (Traditional) - Medicaid/Medicare
  • Molina Healthcare - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • Molina Healthcare - Commercial (Exchange)
  • Molina Healthcare - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • Molina Healthcare - Medicare Advantage
  • Molina Healthcare - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • MultiPlan - Commercial (All products)
  • OptumHealth - Transplant Network
  • Point Comfort Underwriters - Refugee Medical Assistance (Adults, Children)
  • Private Healthcare Systems - Commercial (All Products)
  • ProCare Advantage - Medicare Advantage (Special Needs Plan)
  • Provider Partners Health Plan - Medicare Advantage (Special Needs Plan)
  • SCAN Health - Medicare Advantage (All Products)
  • Superior HealthPlan - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • Superior HealthPlan - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Health Foster Care, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • Superior HealthPlan - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • Surest (United Healthcare) - Commercial (All Products)
  • Tokio Marine - Transplant Network
  • TriWest - TRICARE West Region
  • TriWest - VA Community Care Network
  • Trustmark Benefits (f/k/a CoreSource) - Third Party Administrator
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Charter EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Choice Plus POS/PPO/Choice Plus-HAS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Compass EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Core and Core Choice Plus EPO/HMO)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Doctors Plan EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Heritage EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Indemnity)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Navigate EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Nexus ACO/EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (PPO)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Select EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Commercial (Select Plus EPO/HMO/POS)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Medicare Advantage (AARP Plans, Complete Care Plans, Erickson Advantage Plans)
  • UnitedHealthcare - Medicare Advantage (UnitedHealthcare Group Plans, WellMed)
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • UnitedHealthcare Community Plan - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
  • Universal Benefits Consortium (Allegiance) - Direct Contract with TPA/Broker for select ISDs
  • University of Incarnate Word - Direct Contact with Employer
  • Velocity National Provider Network - Commercial (Multiple Payers)
  • Velocity National Provider Network - Commercial (PPO)
  • Veterans Administration - Governmental
  • WellCare - Medicare Advantage
  • WellCare by Allwell (Medicare Advantage - All Products)
  • WellCare by Superior HealthPlan - Dual Align (HMO D-SNP)
  • WellMed (Gonzaba Medical Group IPA) - Medicare Advantage (Transplant Only)
  • WellPoint (Gonzaba) - Medicare Advantage (TRANSPLANTS ONLY)
  • WellPoint - CHIP/CHIP Perinate
  • WellPoint - Medicaid (STAR, STAR Kids, STAR PLUS)
  • WellPoint - Medicare Advantage (All Products)
  • WellPoint - Medicare Advantage (Transplant Only)
  • WellPoint - Medicare Advantage (WellMed)
  • WellPoint - Medicare-Medicaid Dual Eligible Plans
Please contact your health insurance company to confirm provider participation. For billing and insurance questions, please call our Billing Department at 210-358-3260.
“Be the change you want to see in the world”
Taking care of my patients gives me an immense sense of peace and fulfillment. I feel “useful” as a being when I can help my patients and their families through an illness and the tough time it brings.
I’m a pulmonary and critical care medicine physician with University Health. I specialize in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung fibrosis, respiratory failure, shock, sepsis among various other conditions pertaining to lungs and ICU.
My strong love for science is what grew my passion for medicine. I naturally gravitated toward the field of medicine because it beautifully merges the pursuit of scientific knowledge with the deep responsibility of serving others.
Philosophy of Care
My philosophy of care stems from my roots: giving is the purest form of service.
I believe that to truly give back to the world, we must become the best version of ourselves — professionally and personally. I care for every patient with compassion, clinical excellence and a deep sense of duty.
Favorite Parts of Medicine
  • Helping patients feel better and breathe easier
  • Supporting, healing and hope in critical moments
  • Mentoring and educating the next generation of physicians
Hobbies
Outside of medicine, I enjoy spending time, reading and cooking — which allows me to unwind and reconnect with the simple joys of everyday life.

Journal Articles

  1. Cohen RA, Rose CS, Go LHT, Zell-Baran LM, Almberg KS, Sarver EA, Lowers HA, Iwaniuk C, Clingerman SM, Richardson DL, Abraham JL, Cool CD, Franko AD, Hubbs AF, Murray J, Orandle MS, Sanyal S, Vorajee NI, Petsonk EL, Zulfikar R, Green FHY. Pathology and Mineralogy Demonstrate Respirable Crystalline Silica Is a Major Cause of Severe Pneumoconiosis in U.S. Coal Miners. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2022 Sep;19(9):1469-1478. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202109-1064OC. PMID: 35353671; PMCID: PMC9447385.
  2. Piamjariyakul U, Smothers A, Young S, Petitte T, Wen S, Morrissey E, Shafique S, Zulfikar R, Sangani R, Smith CE. Palliative care for rare advanced lung diseases in underserved Appalachia: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. J Adv Nurs. 2020 Aug;76(8):2182-2190. doi: 10.1111/jan.14395. Epub 2020 May 2. PMID: 32297352; PMCID: PMC7572472.
  3. Sangani RG, Deepak V, Ghio AJ, Forte MJ, Zulfikar R, Patel Z, King A, Alshaikhnassir E, Abbas G, Vos J. Interstitial lung abnormalities and interstitial lung diseases associated with cigarette smoking in a rural cohort undergoing surgical resection. BMC Pulm Med. 2022 Apr 29;22(1):172. doi: 10.1186/s12890-022-01961-9. PMID: 35488260; PMCID: PMC9055776.
  4. Piamjariyakul U, Shapiro AL, Wang K, Zulfikar R, Petitte T, Shafique S, Smith CE. Impact of Sleep Apnea, Daytime Sleepiness, Comorbidities, and Depression on Patients' Heart Failure Health Status. Clin Nurs Res. 2021 Nov;30(8):1222-1230. doi: 10.1177/10547738211015545. Epub 2021 May 12. PMID: 33978519; PMCID: PMC12998094.
  5. Piamjariyakul U, Smothers A, Young S, Morrissey E, Petitte T, Wen S, Zulfikar R, Sangani R, Shafique S, Smith CE, Bosak K. Verifying intervention fidelity procedures for a palliative home care intervention with pilot study results. Res Nurs Health. 2021 Oct;44(5):854-863. doi: 10.1002/nur.22166. Epub 2021 Jun 30. PMID: 34196013; PMCID: PMC8440457.
  6. Sangani R, Rojas E, Forte M, Zulfikar R, Prince N, Tasoglou A, Goldsmith T, Casuccio G, Boyd J, Olfert IM, Flanagan M, Sharma S. Electronic Cigarettes and Vaping-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI): A Rural Appalachian Experience. Hosp Pract (1995). 2021 Apr;49(2):79-87. doi: 10.1080/21548331.2020.1843282. Epub 2021 Jan 21. PMID: 33136442; PMCID: PMC8371980.
  7. Mittal A, Baig A, Zulfikar R, Sharma S. Chronic Vaping Related Tracheomalacia (TM): A Case of Vaping Induced Altered Innate Immunity that Culminated in Severe TM. Cureus. 2020 Apr 7;12(4):e7571. doi: 10.7759/cureus.7571. PMID: 32391220; PMCID: PMC7205362..
  8. Leonard R, Zulfikar R, Stansbury R. Coal mining and lung disease in the 21st century. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2020 Mar;26(2):135-141. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000653. PMID: 31815751.
Call 210-358-4000 to request an appointment with this doctor.

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