A few decades ago, Dr. Sasan Araghi ’90 and his sister Sayeh Araghi ’98 traveled more than 6,500 miles to chase their dreams at Methodist University, and now you can find them a mere 2 miles away from campus off Ramsey Street – providing knowledgeable and compassionate health services to the Fayetteville community.
A few decades ago, Dr. Sasan Araghi ’90 and his sister Sayeh Araghi ’98 traveled more than 6,500 miles to chase their dreams at Methodist University, and now you can find them a mere 2 miles away from campus off Ramsey Street – providing knowledgeable and compassionate health services to the Fayetteville community.
The two grew up in Tehran, Iran before their family decided to immigrate to the United States following the Iranian Revolution. Their brother, Siamak, serving at Fort Bragg (now Fort Liberty), brought Sasan and Sayeh to Fayetteville in 1985.
With his sights set on working in the medical field in some capacity, Sasan pursued a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration through then Methodist College’s evening program starting in 1987.
“I wanted to go to Methodist because it had a good reputation, and the evening program allowed me to work during the day so I could pay my tuition,” Sasan said. “At the time, I sold shoes in department stores to make it all work.”
After receiving his diploma on stage from President M. Elton Hendricks in 1990, Sasan had his eyes set on a career as a doctor. By 2000, he had earned a Doctor of Medicine from Ross University in Dominica and completed his residency at Duke Southern Regional Area Health Education Center.
Meanwhile, Sayeh was interested in following in Sasan’s footsteps by attending MU. She considered a career in education, but her upbringing was a major factor in deciding on becoming a physician assistant. She was born with double curvature scoliosis, prompting her to wear a Milwaukee brace until she turned 18.
“A lot of people looked at me differently because of my brace,” Sayeh said. “But, thanks to the doctors, my parents, and the brace, I can now live a great life.”
Through the dedicated work of Hendricks, Founding Medical Director Christopher Aul, and others, MU opened its doors to the brand-new Physician Assistant program in 1996, welcoming Sayeh as one of four students in the first cohort.
“It was a dream come true,” Sayeh said. “The faculty and staff were encouraging, pushing me to work harder. It was difficult, but I knew I wanted to change the medical field in my community.”
Sayeh earned her bachelor’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies in 1998 before receiving her master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies in 2001 at University of Nebraska Medical Center. After graduating, Sayeh spent several years as a physician assistant at Hope Mills Medical Center.
Fast forward to 2008 and Sasan was able to open his own health services center, Northwood Medical Center, which sits at the corner of Ramsey Street and Country Club Drive in Fayetteville. A year later, when Sayeh joined the practice, the Araghi siblings were finally able to accomplish a milestone that they had always talked about while growing up: running their own medical practice together.
Now, for the past 15 years, the Araghis have prided themselves on treating more than 5,000 patients across the greater Fayetteville area as if they were their own family – many of them current students, staff, faculty, alumni, and even those with ties to Methodist University’s Physician Assistant program.
“The Araghi family is very thorough, very careful, and very patient,” said Wanda Foster, a current patient and widow of the late Ron Foster, who served as MU’s first director of the Physician Assistant Studies program. “It’s very special here, and it’s good to have a medical center I have a lot of confidence in.”
The Araghis not only give back to the community through their care, but through their expertise and knowledge. Over the years, Northwood Medical Center has hosted many Methodist University Physician Assistant Studies students as interns, guiding them through their patient-centered care.
“We love to teach, especially to Methodist University’s Physician Assistant Studies students. We don’t take students from other schools because it’s important that we give back to the school that gave us so much,” said Sasan.
In fact, Sasan said that Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley’s recently announced school of medicine (which is scheduled to open for its first cohort of students in 2026) could not come at a more perfect time.
“It’s great news,” he said. “If there is anything we can do to help, we are in. But it’s a great addition to Methodist University and the entire community.”
The Araghis look forward to serving the community through Northwood Medical Center for years to come, but it’s easy to spot their passion for Methodist University.
Sayeh’s brother-in-law, Shahpour Dowlatshahi, was a longtime Economics professor at MU in the evening program while her niece, Katayoon Dowlatshahi ’17, graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and minor in Biology from MU in 2017.
In fact, Sayeh’s two daughters, Lily and Sofie, are both strongly considering becoming physician assistants and would like to attend Methodist University. For the Araghis, Methodist University is a family affair.
“Methodist University made our dreams come true and we would never have been able to pursue our goals without it,” Sayeh said. “As MU blossoms, we will continue to stand behind this outstanding University.”