Md Abu Zahed Karim,
MD, MPH
Dr. Karim and his wife, Dr. Zakiya Karim, founded LifeLink Medical Group on January 15, 2015. He leads with the dream and mission to create a place patients can trust that they’ll be taken seriously and met with compassion and a smile. Dr. Karim has carefully built a staff who upholds values of kindness and honesty. He is proud to work alongside genuinely caring coworkers to serve a wonderful patient population.
Dr. Karim earned a Master’s in Public Health in 2005 from Tulane University, and completed his residency in Internal Medicine from the University of Arizona in 2010. After his completion of residency, he and his family relocated to North Carolina, and this fortuitous arrival is how he came to build and grow LifeLink Medical Group in Erwin.
Together, Dr. Karim and his wife have raised a daughter, a son, and a poodle.
Sarah Stall, PA-C
Sarah Stall, PA-C originally from Linden, NC joined LifeLink Medical Group in 2017. She graduated from UNC-W and Wake Forest University’s Medical Technology program in 2002. She began work at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in the laboratory, but feeling unfulfilled in her profession as a lab technologist, she decided to pursue her master’s degree. She obtained her Master’s of Medical Science degree from Methodist University’s Physician Assistant Program in 2006.
Mrs. Stall started her career in OB/GYN and women’s health. She then transitioned into urgent care and primary care. While growing her family, she accepted the Clinical Coordinator position at Methodist University’s Physician Assistant Program, but eventually went back to her first love, Family Medicine. “Prevention is the key to good health and we put emphasis on quality of care and not quantity. I feel humbled and priviledged to come back to serve the people in the sample community I was raised.”
Oanh (Lucy) Phung, PA-C
Lucy Phung, PA-C joined Lifelink Medical Group in 2020. She received her Master of Medical Science Degree (MMS) in Physician Assistant Studies from Methodist University in 2019. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology in 2008 and Clinical Laboratory Science in 2010 from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She worked as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist at Duke Health Clinical Microbiology Laboratory in Durham, NC for 3.5 years and WakeMed Hospitals Pathology Laboratory in Cary, NC for 3 years. She strives to help patients be the best advocate for their own health through patient education and preventive medicine.
Ms. Phung enjoys traveling, cooking and painting during her free time.
Orlinda Martinez, PA-C
Orlinda Martinez, PA-C joined Likelink Medical Group in 2021. She has been practicing medicine in North Carolina since 2010. She is a certified Physician Assistant and received her Master of Science Degree from Seton Hill University in 2010. She attended Nazareth College for her undergraduate degree, majoring in Biology with pre-medicne concentration, a chemistry and math minor, and she participated in 4 years of college level field hockey. In her career she has worked in orthopedics, pediatrics, rehabilitation medication and urgent care. She was the first full time provider at a non profit organization that was a primary care office in Raleigh that catered to people without medical insurance. She is very excited for this new opportunity to have the ability to establish relationships with patients and affect their lives in a meaningful way.
Ms. Martinez enjoys traveling, reading, cooking and spending time with her friends and family in her free time.
“When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life or the life of another”- Hellen Keller
Our Amazing Medical Team
Our medical assistants, administrative assistants and phlebotomist work closely with our providers to offer a patient-focused, high quality care.
Care Management
In accordance with Medicare regulations, this team works diligently to provide comprehensive care in support of our providers. Chronic Care Management (CCM) provides coordinated care approach for patients with multiple chronic conditions. Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) is an annual physical designed to promote overall wellness and health in an aging population. Transition of Care (TCM) helps coordinate care after a patient is discharged from long-term inpatient facility back to their home.
Allergy Services
In an effort to meet that high demand for allergy mitigation in North Carolina, our practice has developed an allergy department to help build your body’s tolerance to 40 of the most common environment allergies. Once allergies are determined using a skin test, we offer allergy immunotherapy on site.
