Meet Dr. Bashir: He opened St. Cloud’s first Somali-run clinic
Dr. Bashir Moallin opened Hayat Clinic in 2024 to serve the Somali community in central Minnesota. It was a challenge to start his own practice, but Dr. Moallin said he finds the work rewarding.
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – His patients and community members know him simply as Dr. Bashir.
He is the first person of Somali descent to open a private medical practice in St. Cloud.
Dr. Bashir Moallin, owns and operates Hayat Clinic, 3405 Third St., in St. Cloud. A primary care provider, Dr. Moallin immigrated to the United States from Somalia as a refugee in 2014, and speaks Somali, Arabic, and English.
Research shows that patients who speak the same language as their health care provider have better health outcomes, trust their providers more, and are more satisfied with their care.
Of the 27,110 licensed physicians in Minnesota in 2023, 1.9% identified as African and 1.6% said they speak Somali, according to Minnesota Department of Health statistics.
Interest in medicine blossoms
Dr. Moallin, 39, knew from a young age he wanted to practice medicine. He grew up in Mogadishu, Somalia, and shadowed providers at local clinics and hospitals to learn more about their work.
He earned a scholarship to attend medical school and got his medical degree from Jordan University of Science and Technology.
To practice medicine after he arrived in the U.S., Dr. Moallin had to complete a residency program. He did his residency at the University of Minnesota CentraCare program in St. Cloud, and graduated in 2023.
Dr. Moallin worked at CentraCare’s Southway Clinic for a year before he started Hayat Clinic.
Filling a need
Dr. Moallin started the clinic to help members of the Somali community navigate America’s complex health care system.
“Imagine somebody who does not have any background, who can't speak the language, who doesn't know their insurance, who doesn't know their medications, who doesn't know their appointment date and time,” he said. “I think when we are dealing with patients, taking the whole picture and educating and knowing that this patient's need is different … is super helpful. And that was one of the reasons we felt it's lacking, and that was one of the reasons we started here.”
Dr. Moallin said speaking a patient’s language helps him ensure they understand how to take their medications.
The clinic is located in the Star City Mall alongside businesses run by local members of the Somali community. Afya Pharmacy, which has staff who also speak multiple languages, is right next door.
Hayat Clinic is open seven days a week. Weekend hours allow people to get medical care without taking time off work during the week, Dr. Moallin said.
The clinic offers physical exams, care for acute issues like ear infections, on-site lab tests, and treatment for chronic issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Hayat Clinic can refer patients to specialists at CentraCare, St. Cloud ENT, St. Cloud Orthopedics, RAYUS Radiology, as well as providers in the Twin Cities.
Abdi Noor, 52, said he appreciates Hayat Clinic’s location and hours, and the fact that Dr. Moallin can talk to him without an interpreter.
Noor suffered from chronic bronchitis for almost three years. He sought help from different providers over the years but said his symptoms continued.
“When I saw him (Dr. Moallin) first, he understood my situation, and he did some testing,” Noor told Project Optimist through an interpreter. “He investigated me fully about my symptoms and my illness, and then eventually transferred me to a lung specialist.”
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The specialist Noor saw ran additional tests and prescribed him with medication. Noor credits Dr. Moallin and the specialist for improving his health.
“I’m feeling healthy, and I also gained some weight,” he said. “Thanks to God, I’m feeling well.”
Starting from scratch
Hayat Clinic has four providers, including Dr. Moallin.
At larger institutions, it feels like everything is magically taken care of, he said. However, running a private practice requires more from a provider.
There have been growing pains along the way. After the clinic opened in 2024, it took about three months for insurance companies to pay Hayat Clinic, Dr. Moallin said.
Despite the challenges, Dr. Moallin said it’s rewarding work.
“Every morning when I wake up – even though it's a lot of work – I don't feel tired,” he said. “I usually come here more excited, ready for that day. Hopefully that will continue for the long-term.”
Focus on community health
Multilingual providers allow Hayat Clinic to spend more time during a visit focusing on health concerns. Mental health and childhood vaccines are two areas Dr. Moallin cares about.
Members of the Somali community can be hesitant to seek treatment for mental health issues because of the cultural stigma, Dr. Moallin said. He has had patients undergo thorough testing for physical symptoms – CT scans, lab work, and more – that showed they were healthy. The symptoms remained, and it took time for the patients to process that their problem was related to mental health.
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“Time is important in primary care,” Dr. Moallin said. “Usually we get at least 20 minutes for a visit, and it's hard to get the diagnosis in 20 minutes, especially if you are using an interpreter – if there are three conversations going three different places, sometimes information can be lost. Sometimes it's hard to cover everything. I think for us here, it gives us an advantage with that communication.”
Patients with children share concerns about the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The vaccine does not cause autism, but the misinformation is out there, Dr. Moallin said.
“I give them the evidence-based information. I tell them that my kiddos, all of them are immunized with MMR, except the youngest one who did not have his exam yet. And I tell them that even though we have the misinformation of MMR, I know folks that live outside the country, families who have twins with autism who live outside the country that did not receive their MMR,” he said. “So I tried to give them examples and try to educate them.”
Hayat Clinic participates in the Minnesota Vaccines for Children Program, which provides childhood immunizations to children for free to patients who qualify.
Educating the next generation
Dr. Moallin wants to help young people who are interested in the medical field.
When Project Optimist and St. Cloud Somali Community Radio interviewed Dr. Moallin in April, he said four medical students were rotating at the clinic. Furthermore, four medical school graduates shadowed him, three of whom went on to medical residency programs.
“I think that the impact we made in the last eight months was huge,” Dr. Moallin said.
This story was supported by a grant from Press Forward Minnesota. Nora Hertel edited and fact-checked the story. Translation by Ahmed Abdi of St. Cloud Somali Community Radio.