Dr. Alam is an assistant professor of Dermatology and Otolaryngology and Chief of the Section of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Yale University. Dr. Alam completed residency training in Dermatology at Columbia University. He subsequently received fellowship training in laser and cosmetic surgery at Skin Care Physicians/Harvard Medical School in Boston, and in Mohs micrographic surgery at DermSurgery Associates/Baylor in Houston.

An author of over 75 publications, Dr. Alam is a Section Editor of the Archives of Dermatology, Assistant Editor of Dermatologic Surgery, Associate Editor of the Skin Therapy Letter, and on the editorial boards of Cosmetic Dermatology and the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. He is series co-editor of the Procedures in Cosmetic Surgery books.

Dr. Alam has served on the board of trustees of the Sulzberger Institute for dermatologic education. He is the current president of the Blade and Light Society for dermatologic surgeons. Dr. Alam is on various committees and advisory groups of the American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the American Society for Laser Surgery and Medicine, the American Academy of Dermatology, and the Society for Investigative Dermatology. He serves on the committee of the American Board of Dermatology that writes surgery and laser-related questions for the certifying examination for dermatologists.

Dr. Alam's areas of research interest include clinical outcomes and safety associated with different therapies; he has received research funding from the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery and the Skin Cancer Foundation.