Global Scalpels | Episode 3: Dr Mahmoud Hariri

Practicing surgery is difficult in normal conditions. Even more challenging in resource-constrained situations. But what about when you are actively being targeted by your own government? You have several aliases and multiple SIM cards, but your not a spy, you are just trying to provide medical care to those in your war-torn city. Filling tires with sand to create shock absorbers on the roof of the hospital. Operating in the hospital underground corridors to be protected from missiles. For some this may seem like a movie, for Dr Mahmoud Hariri, this is his daily. Join us as we talk about his experience of surgery during the Syrian conflict, the scholars at-risk program, and his recently published article in JAMA Surgery!

Dr Maumoud Hariri: Trauma Surgeon in War-Torn Syria, Scholar at Risk program at Harvard, and Director of Research for the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations

SYRIA

“GLOBAL SURGERY IN THE MIDST OF THE SYRIAN WAR”

Our guest for this episode is a trauma surgeon from Syria who led the surgical training and clinical relief initiatives during the Syrian civil war that started in 2011. He holds both a Master’s Degree in General Surgery and a Doctorate of Medicine from Aleppo University, where he is also a current surgeon and former faculty member. Since the start of the war, he has dedicated his life to providing trauma care to all in need, including training junior physicians to do the same. In addition, he was the Director of Research for the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations which was a focal point for most NGOs operating inside Syria. In this role, he led a nationwide survey of hospitals to identify their capacity to provide trauma care. This study was published in JAMA Surgery this June. Further, he took part in the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) through the Scholars at Risk program and is currently working on building health information systems in Northwest Syria. We are very thankful to have Dr Hariri (Dr Silky as some call him…) on the show!