The Lebanese Physicians' Podcast

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, we speak with Rola Naaman Doughan, a public health specialist whose career led her from the CDC to launching her own health coaching practice — Healthier with Rola. Rola opens up about burnout, purpose, and what pushed her to shift from public health analytics to empowering individuals to take charge of their own wellbeing. Through Healthier with...

In this landmark episode, we sit down with Dr. Ramy Bou Khalil and Dr. Joseph El Khoury to explore the vision, urgency, and meaning behind the launch of the Lebanese Journal of Mental Health (LJMH). Drawing on journeys that span academia, clinical care, leadership, and the diaspora, our guests reflect on how Lebanese psychiatry has endured war, economic collapse, political instability, and mass ph...

How does a physician go from building a genetics startup in Beirut to practicing medicine hundreds of miles offshore? In this episode, we explore the world of maritime medicine, a little-known field at the crossroads of clinical care, emergency decision-making, prevention, and global regulation. Our guest breaks down what maritime medicine really is, how it differs from emergency, occupational, an...

What a year it has been. In this special Year in Review 2025 episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, Khalil Diab and MohammadAli Jardaly look back at a remarkable year of conversations that went far beyond medicine. From artificial intelligence and innovation to humanities, storytelling, identity, and reinvention, 2025 revealed a powerful shift in how we talk about healthcare, careers, and pur...

In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, Dr. Nancy Chedid—surgeon, educator, writer, musician, and cultural bridge—shares the extraordinary journey that shaped her life across the United States and Lebanon. From training at Yale, Johns Hopkins, NYU, and Harvard to rebuilding a life in Beirut after loss, Dr. Chedid reflects on identity, purpose, and the power of weaving medicine with the huma...

In this fascinating episode, we sit down with Dr. Jamil Bayram, an ER physician, who has researched the origins of Levantine dialects, to uncover the deep historical layers embedded in the way we speak today. From the ancient shores of the Phoenicians to the bustling streets of Beirut, Damascus, Haifa, and Amman, our modern Levantine dialect carries echoes of civilizations that shaped the identity...

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, we dive deep into one of the most important public-health conversations of our time: the widening global cancer divide. Using insights from the latest Lancet and GBD 2023 data, we explore why cancer has become the second leading cause of death worldwide and what this means for health systems especially in low- and middle-income countries. Our gue...

In this inspiring episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, we sit down with Joumana Mansour, personal growth expert, wellness specialist, and founder of Journey of You, a bilingual (Arabic/English) platform transforming how individuals, medical students, and physicians understand emotional wellness. Joumana shares the deeply personal story behind her 17-year journey in the United States, the pa...

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Khalil Diab and Dr. Mohammad Ali sit down with Dr. Firas Mahdi, Partner at LEK Consulting in Singapore, to explore the intersection of strategy, technology, and innovation in healthcare across Asia and the Middle East. From his beginnings in clinical medicine at AUBMC to leadership roles at GE Healthcare, Medtronic, and now LEK, Dr....

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, Dr. Khalil Diab speaks with Christelle Bachi, food safety expert and founder of Yes You Can Clinic, about the alarming state of food and water contamination in Lebanon. Where is the pollution coming from — water, storage, farming, or lack of restaurant hygiene? How has the economic crisis affected public health oversight, and what can individuals...

In this thought-provoking episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Rose Mary Boustany, Professor of Pediatrics and Biochemistry at the American University of Beirut, and a pioneering figure in neurogenetics and autism research. Together, we explore the complex roots of autism from genetic and epigenetic influences to environmental and neurobiological factors and discuss how...

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, I speak with Dr. William Abou Shahla, a resident in dermatology, about emerging and alternative therapies for hair loss that go beyond traditional treatments like minoxidil and finasteride. Together, they dive into the evidence behind stem cell–based therapies, low-level laser therapy (LLLT), and natural oils and plant-derived compounds—while als...

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Firass Abiad, Lebanon’s Minister of Public Health and author of Standing Firm During the Storm, for a candid discussion on leading through crisis. Dr. Abiad reflects on his journey navigating Lebanon’s most turbulent years from managing the COVID-19 pandemic as CEO of Rafik Hariri University Hospital to steering the Ministry...

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, I speak with Dr. Michelle Cherro, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellow at Mass General in Boston and lead author of the 2025 PLOS One study, “Predictors of suicide attempts among adolescents with suicidal ideations and a plan.” Dr. Cherro discusses the motivations behind her team’s work with co-authors Dr. Hala Itani, Dr. Elie Ghossoub, and Dr....

In this episode, we explore a milestone achievement for the Lebanese American University (LAU) Internal Medicine Residency Program: earning the prestigious ACGME-International (ACGME-I) accreditation. We break down what ACGME-I is, why LAU pursued it, and what it means for residents, patients, and the future of graduate medical education in Lebanon and the region. Our discussion covers the rigorou...

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, Drs. Khalil Diab and MohammadAli Jardaly speak with Nadine Sabra, digital health lead at the American University of Beirut’s Global Health Institute and member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Health AI Conference. We discuss: Nadine’s journey into digital health and AI The most promising applications of AI in healthcare today The ethical...

What do our genes really reveal about who we are? In this episode, Dr. Pierre Zalloua, geneticist and author of Ancestors, takes us deep into the DNA of the Levant. We explore how personal experience, history, and science intersect to shape identity. From Phoenician expansion to the Crusades, from consumer genetic testing to cultural memory, Dr. Zalloua shows how ancestry is far more complex and m...

In a special edition of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast recorded in Beirut at the Lebanese Hospital Geitaoui, the mic gets turned around!   Cynthia Abi Khalil, Director of Nursing at Lebanese Hospital Geitaoui, and Antoine Saab, Healthcare Quality expert at the same institution, take over the hosting duties and flip the table on us. This time, MohammadAli Jardaly and I are in the hot seat answerin...

How can a nation’s health system withstand the compounded pressures of a pandemic, a severe economic crisis, and the impact of various wars? In this episode, we speak with Bouchra Abou Abbas, a healthcare consultant in Lebanon, about the country’s journey through COVID-19 and the road ahead. We explore the systemic weaknesses these crises laid bare, the unexpected strengths that emerged, and the c...

Podcast Title: "AI for Health: Innovating Lebanon’s Future with Dr. Sandy Rihana" Podcast Description: Join us in a compelling conversation with Dr. Sandy Rihana, Head of Biomedical Engineering at USEK in Lebanon, as we explore the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare. From the global frameworks developed by the WHO to Lebanon’s unique readiness and ethical considerati...

In this compelling episode, we sit down with Dr. Carine El Khazen Hadati, clinical psychologist and director of the Eating and Weight Disorder Program at the American Center for Psychiatry and Neurology. A leading expert in the Middle East, Dr. El Khazen shares her insights on the prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of eating disorders across the region. We explore how she applies enhanced cognit...

What does it truly mean to grow as a doctor, not just in skill, but in humanity? In this powerful episode, Dr. Tarek Souaid joins us to discuss his book How Doctors Grow and reflect on the emotional journey of becoming a physician. From the high-stakes environment of the Cleveland Clinic to the quiet moments that shaped his empathy, Dr. Souaid opens up about what medical training often overlooks:...

In this episode, Dr. Hind Rafei dives into the cutting-edge world of CAR-NK cell therapy and its potential to revolutionize cancer treatment. Unlike their T-cell counterparts, CAR-NK cells promise enhanced safety and innate tumor-killing ability. But what if their power could be dialed up even further? Dr. Rafei discusses her team's groundbreaking discovery of CREM, a transcriptional regulator tha...

Dr. Marie Nakhoul reflects on growing up in Lebanon, the emotional complexities of migration, and how her work as an OBGYN in the U.S. deepens her understanding of grief, memory, and identity. A powerful conversation on belonging, nostalgia, and writing as a way to return home.   From the smells of her childhood village to the silence of clinical spaces, this conversation weaves together stories o...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Wael Hanna, thoracic surgeon and founder of NodeAI, a pioneering startup transforming the evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes through artificial intelligence. Dr. Hanna shares the inspiration behind NodeAI, the clinical problem it aims to solve, and how its cutting-edge platform helps stratify lymph node malignancy risk with speed and precision. We explore t...