Dr Ra'ad Shakir trained in Neurology at the Institute of Neurology, Glasgow and qualified in 1971. Dr Shakir then went to work in the Middle East, as the Academic Dean of the then new Medical School in Kuwait and also spent one year as a Lecturer at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.

Dr Shakir moved back to the United Kingdom to work as a Consultant Neurologist in Middlesbrough and in 1995 moved to his current position as Chief of Service Neurology at Charing Cross Hospital, London. Over the years he has developed an interest in CNS infections and Tropical Neurology, with publishing papers on Epilepsy and CNS infection and the work on Brucellosis is still perhaps the most widely cited paper on the neurological complications of the disease.

Dr Shakir's first book was on Tropical Neurology was published in 1996, putting this topic on the agenda of Neurologist across the world. Dr Shakir followed this up with a second book on Tropical Neurology which was published in 2003.

Dr Shakir's national involvement includes duties for the Royal Colleges of Physicians, including being the regional RCP advisor for Neurology, Northwest Thames London and examiner for the MRCP London since 1992. Dr Shakir also has international affiliation with the ILAE as member of their education committee and a longstanding involvement with the World Federation of Neurology.