Research Profile - College of Medicine and Health Science - United ...

Department of Surgery
and Reconstruction Surgery in Toronto, and
subsequently Fellowship training including
experience in microvascular surgery. Appointed
Assistant Professor he returned to the Faculty in
August 2008 and is actively participating in
clinical services at Tawam Hospital. Dr. Ali Al
Belooshi has also completed his Residency
training in Toronto (Orthopaedic Surgery) and
having been appointed as an Assistant Professor,
he undertook an extended period of
subspecialty Fellowship training in lower limb
arthoplasty including revisional surgery. Dr.
Mohamad Al Ali, the most recently appointed
Teaching Assistant, completed an attachment at
Sheikh Khalifa Medical Centre in Abu Dhabi and
also underwent training at Tawam Hospital. He
undertook a short term period of training in
Toronto for three months in 2007 and has now
commenced a Residency training opportunity
for Otorhinolaryngology at the Sahlgrenasks
University Hospital in Sweden.
A senior medical laboratory specialist, Mr Loay
Lubbad took up appointment in the Department
in May 2008 and is much involved, in particular,
with experimental studies of smooth muscle
function conducted by Dr. Fayez Hammad. Ms.
Mahra Al Mansouri is a General Technician and
assists with other duties relating to teaching as
well as research. Mr. Abdulla Jamal has been
acting for some years as Departmental Secretary
and, facilitates both teaching activities in the
Clerkships, workshops and various CME activities
with dedicated service to a high standard, with
assistance from Mr. Aboobacker in office duties.
Ms Raisa Al Mansouri joined the Department
as Secretary in May 2008 following secretarial
duties in the Department of Mathematics at the
UAE University. Ms Mansouri is actively engaged
with administrative arrangements for teaching
and CME activity, including the pending Trauma,
Critical Care and Injury Prevention Conference
scheduled for February 2009.
Educational Activity: teaching and
training
The Department has computerized its teaching
materials (Blackboard) and is involved in clinical
and as well as basic science research activities.
The Junior Surgical Clerkship was reorganized
with an emphasis on small group teaching and
case discussion with new initiatives introduced
by the then Clerkship Coordinator, Dr. Fawaz
Torab, who was succeeded in this role by Dr.
Fikri Abu Zidan. A question bank that has been
established is now being consolidated. Dr. Torab,
a member of the Faculty CME Committee, has
also been a member of a Committee which has
developed a course in ethics in the General
Basic University Teaching Year (UGRU). He has
also functioned as a Subcommittee member
for implementation of Ethics and
Professionalism in the Curriculum and is now
Chair of the Research Ethics Committee for the
Al Ain Medical District. He has also been
appointed to the Research Committee of the
Harvard Medical Foundation in Dubai.
Prof. Safi took on the role as Director of
Postgraduate Training in the Department with
the establishment in June 2005 of a local
Residency training program in General Surgery
under the auspices of the Arab Board with the
future possibility of Associate MRCS
accreditation by the Senate of Surgery in the
United Kingdom. The Program has been
accredited by the Arab Board in Surgery and
five Residents were appointed to the first year
of the program in October 2005 and four more
joined the program in 2006. In 2007 Prof. Safi
became the Chair of the Postgraduate Medical
Education Committee. Professor Branicki
assumed the role of Acting Program Director
in April 2007 in a revitalized program which has
been restructured along North American lines.
In April 2008, Dr. Ali Jawas accepted the
invitation to take on responsibilities as Program
Director. Five new Residents joined the program
in July 2007 and following some earlier attrition
the complement of the Residents in the Program
is now thirteen (PGY 1-3), with more highly
organized Viva Voce and MCQ assessments
during “In Service” training. A Residency
Advisory Committee was established in August
2007 for the new Integrated Training Program
with membership of surgeons from both Sheikh
Khalifa Medical City and Mafraq Hospital in Abu
Dhabi and Tawam and Al Ain Hospitals. The
Program is thus expanding to other sites with
a strong spirit of enthusiasm for these
collaborative efforts to provide training
opportunities for Residents in General Surgery.
Two new initiatives in the UAE, the first
Residency Training Program in Urology
commenced in July 2008 with Dr. Fayez Hammad
the designated Program Director. A second new
program - Residency Training Program in
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