The Lebanese Physicians' Podcast

Are you thinking about training in the UK? Are you interested in learning about the pathway to securing a residency spot in the UK? Do you want to learn about the road to a medical career in the UK? Please listen to the newest episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast with Dr. Violeta Yammine FY1 at Oxford University Hospitals and Dr. Elie Ghabi, post doctoral fellow in Baltimore, MD discussing this topic. We hope you enjoy it.

Please listen to our newest episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast with co-host Dr. MohammadAli Jardali discussing medical education with Dr. Thurayya Arayssi, Professor of Clinical Medicine and Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education and Continuing Professional Development (CPD} at Weill-Cornell Medical School in Qatar. Given her experience in advancing medical education in multiple countries, including Lebanon and Qatar, we discuss with Dr. Arayssi what it takes to start a successful medical education program in both under resourced countries and in countries with adequate resources. We hope you will enjoy this discussion. Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/0XXRCgf-2Jk

Are you interested in pursuing medical training and a potential medical career in Deutschland? Listen to our latest episode of The Lebanese Physicians' Podcast with Dr. Jerome Srour, Dermatology resident in at Ludwig-Maximilian-University in Munich, and Dr. Fahed Al-Ghanim, a pulmonary and critical care fellow at the University of Maryland. In the podcast, Dr. Srour discusses how he decided to pursue his residency in Germany when he was a medical student at the Lebanese American University. He then outlines the pathway he followed to achieve his goal, the visa process and options, and a potential post-residency career. We compare and contrast this with the residency and career options in the United States. YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/0GD3-WZAHC8 Also available on Apple and Spotify Websites to follow: https://beirut.diplo.de/lb-de Visas and requirements (website of germany embassy in Leb) https://www.regierung.oberbayern.bayern.de/aufgaben/37198/244210/leistung/leistung_33391/index.html#:~:text=Die%20Regierung%20von%20Oberbayern%20erteilt,in%20Bayern%20ausge%C3%BCbt%20werden%20soll.

Listen to our newest episode of The Lebanese Physicians' Podcast with Drs. Eveline Hitti, Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, and Dr. Zakia Dimassi, Assistant Professor of Clinical Teaching, Simulation, and Pediatrics at Saint George University Hospital in Beirut. In this episode, we discuss with two leaders in their field the struggles that women face in their pursuit of their chosen career path and in reaching leadership positions. Overall, the path has been arduous in the past; however, more women are going into medical school, and more women are joining the academic and private workforce (although still avoiding certain surgical subspecialties) which with time will reverse some of the inequities. We hope you will enjoy this conversation, and please feel free to share your thoughts on the issues that were raised and maybe your struggles, and some potential solutions. You can watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VTy0hBfcot4 You can also listen to it on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, and Google Play. #womeninmedicine #lebanon #healthcare #medstudent

Listen and watch our newest episode of The Lebanese Physicians' Podcast featuring the HEAL Clinic, an #AUBMC supported medical student and faculty driven clinic that focuses on treating and furthering the lives of migrant workers in Lebanon and the LGBTQ community. Under the Kafala system in the country, migrant workers for the most part are under the sponsorship of their employers and it is at the discretion of the empolyer to provide them with health insurance and with basic rights. They are also living away from their families and kids for long periods of time trying to provide for them. This creates psychological and health stressors on these workers. As for the LGBTQ community in Lebanon, there is a deficiency of laws protecting them in the country. The clinic is supported by Helem, the first not-for-profit LGBT advocacy group in the Arab world that focuses on improving the legal and social status of the LGBT community in Lebanon and lobbies for laws to protect the community. The clinic not only provides healthcare to these patients, but also seeks to provide social and psychological support, focusing on improving their quality of life and protecting their civil rights. #Migrantworkers #Kafalasystem # LGBTQcommunity #Lebanon The episode feature three medical students at AUB, Alice Recho, Marc Moukarzel, and Marwan Ghanem, and is co-hosted by Dr. MohmmadAli Jaradali. Youtube link: https://youtu.be/9b6kcOZNHOg

Please listen and watch the latest episode of The Lebanese Physicians' Podcast with Dr. Rachid Akiki, a radiologist by training, who decided to pursue at alternative career in medicine outside patient care. We discuss the pathway to his career of choice, his propensity for calculated risk-taking, and the development of his latest company bookzdoctor. His career choice allows him the flexibility of having a job based in Boston while working from Miami. His advice in my opinion is do what you are passionate about, don't be afraid to take a calculated risk, and there is a good chance you will succeed if you work hard at it. Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/mbY_WBPB6u4 Also available on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, and Google Play CORRECTION: Dr. Akiki did a fellowship in nuclear medicine and imaging and did not do a radiology residency as I inadvertently mentioned

Please listen to our newest episode of the Lebanese Physicians' Podcast with Dr. Myrna Abi Abdallah-Doumit, Associate Professor of Nursing at the Lebanese American University and President of the Order of Nurses in Lebanon. Since October 2019, nurses in Lebanon have faced unprecedented crises (economic crisis, COVID-19 crisis, and the Beirut Blast). In this episode, we discuss the heroic measures nurses have been taking to help people in need through these difficult times despite the massive loss in the value of their salaries and their quality of life. We discuss the psychological and financial impact of these crises on the nurses, the exodus of 1600 experiences nurses from the country, and the tremendous work the Order of Nurses in Lebanon is doing to try to stem the tide of emigration. We end with a message of hope during these difficult times, hope that the leadership in the country will do the necessary reforms to improve the economic situation and reverse the brain drain, and hope in the Lebanese youth who are working day and night to improve the livelihood of the people of the country despite the crisis. You can watch a video that highlights the heroic efforts nurses took on August 4, 2021 after the Beirut blast to save the lives of patients despite destruction of their hospitals. https://youtu.be/gu5cscj8LTs You can watch a youtube video of the episode with a powerpoint presentation by Dr. Doumit on: https://youtu.be/zO5nqygD5Ts You can also listen to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Pandora, and Google Play.

Listen to our newest episode of the Lebanese Physicians Podcast with Drs. Lea Moujaes and Alaa Ousta. Both Drs. Moujaes and Ousta matched into their residencies of choice in a competitive specialty, emergency medicine. We discuss how they built their CVs from a clinical and research perspective, how they were able to secure research positions, and how they established connections to achieve their goals. Hardwork, perseverance, and connections are key. We hope the content in this video and podcast will shed light on a path forward to secure your residency of choice. Youtube link: https://youtu.be/xQcw7qp3B7s

Please listen to our newest episode of the podcast with Yorgui Teyrouz and MohammadAli Jardali discussing the blood donation process in Lebanon. Historically, donating blood in Lebanon has been an individualized and de-centralized process with the families of patients scrambling to find blood units for their loved ones. Yorgui is a pharmacist who has managed to establish the NGO Donner Sang Compter (to give without asking for anything in return) promoting voluntary blood donations in all areas of Lebanon. His NGO has had great success with more than one thousand blood blood drives across the country, more than 70000 blood units donated, and 23000 donors registered. His organization has managed to take the role similar to a central blood bank in any other country or US state with limited resources and in the absence of any Lebanese government assistance. In the podcast, we also delve into how the blood drives can enhance the sense of community in the population and promote co-existence among the various Lebanese communities. Donner Sang Compter should be an example to follow. You can help by being a blood donor in Lebanon, you can help from outside by contacting the organization, you can donate on their website. The website is: https://dsclebanon.org You can listen to the video version on: Youtube: https://youtu.be/RV5hOgh7pHY You can also listen on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Google play: The Lebanese Physicians' Podcast

Please listen to our latest episode of The Lebanese Physicians' Podcast with Dr. Dany Daham, medical director of Tahaddi's community clinic and Dr. MohammadAli Jardali, chief resident in family medicine at the American University Medical Center. In this episode, we highlight the work that Tahaddi Association does in Hay Al Gharbeh, an impoverished area in the southern suburbs of Beirut that houses people from the Dom community, and refugees from the various conflicts in the Middle East. Tahaddi not only provides critically needed medical care, but also provides education and pathways to join the workforce for people in these communities. Please donate to the association: https://gogetfunding.com/support-tahaddi-lebanon/ Website: https://tahaddilebanon.org The funds are particularly needed now in these times of severe economic uncertainty in Lebanon.

This is our newest episode of the Lebanese Physicians Podcast with Drs. Zakia Dimassi and Alain Sabri. We discuss the role doctors played in the October 17th revolution and how they established the doctors' tent in Martyr's Square. We also touch on the atmosphere of hope during that period and then discuss the emigration of doctors from the country due to the political impasse. Hoping for a better future and a turn around. Youtube link: https://youtu.be/D8v8cYTCXho

Tune in to the most recent episode of the Lebanese Physicians' Podcast. We discuss with Drs. Nisrene Kawa and Samer Nasser of Boston, MA the different ways to secure electives and observerships and how best to maximize your time during these limited periods. Dr. Kawa shares her experience securing electives, establishing connections, and obtaining letters of recommendation. Dr. Nasser shares his tips and tricks to get the most out of your time. We hope you enjoy it.

Please listen to this episode of the podcast in which Wassim Abdallah, future internal medicine chief resident at Indiana University, and a foreign medical graduate himself, discusses physician trainee visa requirements and frequently asked questions with Sarah Peterson, founder of SPS immigration, PLLC and American Immigration Lawyers Association Board Member. This hopefully will answer a lot of the questions that foreign medical graduates have about US visa requirements, and prospects of future employment in the United States. video link: https://youtu.be/pStdP_BbA5g

Please listen to our newest episode of the podcast with Dr. Hibah Osman, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and palliative care physician at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. We discuss her work establishing the first palliative care consultation service in Lebanon at the American University of Beirut Medical Center, and her role in promoting outpatient palliative care services in the country as founder of the Lebanese Center for Palliative Care - Balsam. We finally discuss the future of these services in Lebanon during these difficult times and ways of continuing the support. Youtube link: https://youtu.be/LY0philbJoE

Please listen to our newest episode of the podcast where we discuss the evolution of psychiatric services in Lebanon, and the psychological impact of the multiple crises in the country on the local and expatriate Lebanese population. We also discuss the healing process after mass trauma, and the emotional and social toll of emigration in these times of crisis.

Please listen to our new episode of The Lebanese Physicians' Podcast with Rayah Touma Sawaya. In this episode, we discuss her book, Solace: A Legacy of Care, which is a collection of short stories discussing the importance of listening to patients because each one of them has their unique story to tell. Rayah's book shows that the field of Medicine is an art as much as it is a science. It is a must-read for all students going into their third year of medical school and for residents-in-training. You can find it on: amazon through the kindle app, and also buy it in paperback. https://www.amazon.com/Solace-Rayah-I-Touma-Sawaya-ebook/dp/B08MTV6TCS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=solace+rayah&qid=1615937825&sr=8-1

Listen to our newest podcast episode with Mohammad Ali Jardali, a Family Medicine resident at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. We discuss the surveys that Dr. Jardali has conducted on medical student tuition and loans in Lebanon and their impact on the financial situation of the students and their families. We also touch on his surveys on financial literacy among the medical community in Lebanon. Hopefully, his work will highlight this very important issue and help with opening up a discussion on some potential solutions.

Listen to our 11th episode of the podcast with Dr. Fouad Chebib. Dr. Chebib is a consultant in nephrology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. In this podcast, we discuss his initiative of delivering much needed dialysis machines to Lebanon. He has already raised 65,000 dollars; his goal is 200,000 dollars to deliver 10 continuous renal replacement therapy machines to Lebanon. Please consider donating to this important initiative. The link is: https://gofund.me/f3706cac

Welcome to the 10th episode of the Lebanese Physicians' Podcast. Sara Chang, MPH is a US-based public health professional with over 15 years of experience spanning government and non-profit agencies. She provided support for the US response to Ebola and Zika and has worked extensively in positions related to infectious disease and social justice. She recently relocated from Beirut, where she provided consulting support for non-health actors in the COVID-19 response in Lebanon. Her current projects include data tracking and analysis on COVID-19 in Lebanon and writing for Al Rawiya, a digital publication for the Lebanese diaspora. She obtained a Master of Public Health in Management & Policy from Oregon State University. We discuss the COVID-19 situation in Lebanon, the response to it, the importance of data, and the future steps related to the response in the country. You can watch the video on the following link: https://youtu.be/74TtTqxJwWk

Welcome to Episode 9 of the Lebanese Physicians' Podcast with Dr. Ziad Hubayter MD, MPH, MBA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Lebanese American University School of Medicine. In this podcast, we discuss the practice of IVF in Lebanon, and the training of OBGYN residents in the country given the manifesting crises currently. You can watch a link of the video on You Tube https://youtu.be/AJk1nYQxY6U You can donate to LAU and its medical school at giving.lau.edu.lb, a tax deductible donation

Tune in to our discussion with Drs. Salma Makhoul-Ahwach and Chady Sarraf about the development of the International Lebanese Medical Association-USA chapter. In this episode, we discuss Dr. Sarraf's and Makhoul-Ahwach's connections to Lebanon, the development of ILMA-USA, the goals of the organization, and future directions. We also discuss work-life-ILMA USA balance. We hope you enjoy it. Video link on youtube: https://youtu.be/I9DLvS3IICE

Welcome to the 7th episode of the Lebanese Physicians' Podcast. This is my interview with Dr. Roula Farah. Dr. Farah returned to Lebanon in 1998 and since that time has been a strong advocate for children with cancer. She established the CHANCE Association (Children Against Cancer Association) and is currently president of it. Dr. Farah has helped many children with cancer in Lebanon to afford their treatment leading to better outcomes for these kids. Please listen to our podcast to learn more about Dr. Farah and the CHANCE Association. If you wish to donate in these difficult times in Lebanon, please go to chanceassociation.org for your donation. Any amount you give will make a big difference in these children's lives.

Please listen to my interview with Dr. Rajaa Chatila, Assistant Dean for Graduate Medical Education at the Lebanese American University School of Medicine. In this interview, we discuss discuss the impact of the financial crisis, and the COVID-19 situation on medical student and residency training in Lebanon.

Welcome to our 5th episode of the Lebanese Physicians' Podcast. This is my interview with Dr. Francois Abi Fadel of the Cleveland Clinic. In it, we discuss Dr. Abi Fadel's work with the International Observership Program at the clinic. We also discuss the work of the International Lebanese Medical Association. We hope you enjoy it.

The is Episode 4 of the Lebanese Physicians' Podcast. We discuss his experience being in Lebanon and the current events in the country and options of what we can do to help.

Welcome to our third episode of the Lebanese Physicians' Podcast. In this episode, we interview Dr. Wassim Mchayleh, a US trained hematologist and oncologist who moved to Lebanon and subsequently moved back to the US. We discuss his experiences in the US and Lebanon, and we touch on the economic turmoil in Lebanon and how it is affecting the medical students and trainees there. We hope you enjoy this episode.

This is an interview with my daughter Yara Diab regarding her move to Lebanon. As we say, you get their secrets from their children.

This is the first episode of the Lebanese Physicians Podcast. In this episode, I discuss the goals of this podcast and touch on what the next episodes will bring. I hope you will enjoy and stay tuned with us for more exciting episodes.