Dr. Oussama Ghassan Nasrallah Resident, American University of Beirut Medical Center

Currently I have authored 18 publications available on PubMed (10 of which were published in 2024), one publication in basic sciences, and 13 publications in process, most of which are to be published in 2025. My passion in research, which was given more time to develop during my current year of PGY4 allowed me to take part in all these publications, some of which I have been leading to fill gaps in the literature and shed light on our surgical experience at AUBMC. In fact, I have led the initiative to construct three new databases for patients at AUBMC: the first initiative was under the supervision of Dr Bassel Bachir at AUBMC: our database included 77 patients with infertility that underwent Microsurgical Testicular Sperm Extraction (Micro-TESE), from 2017 till 2023, due to Non-Obstructive Azoospermia. This data is the first of its kind at AUBMC and is soon to be published. The abstracts of which have been submitted to two international conferences: SIU and AAU of 2024. Our second database is under the supervision of Dr Albert El Hajj at AUBMC: it included patients undergoing Thulium/Holmium Laser Enucleation of the prostate to evaluate the outcomes of this procedure such as UTI recurrence rate. These projects provide real-life data on our experience at AUBMC and to detect potential areas of quality improvement in terms of quality of care and follow up on our patients. The newest and third database concerns the novel technique of Trans-perineal prostate biopsy comparing it to Trans-rectal prostate biopsy in terms of infection and cancer detection rate. Additionally, we have evaluated the role of taking random biopsies in the era of targeted biopsies. These results will be presented in the American Urologic Association conference in April 2025 (AUA 2025) in Las Vegas, Nevada. This project was under the supervision of Dr Muhammad Bulbul. As for research achievements, one of my abstracts submitted in 2024 to the SIU entitled: Impact of Kidney Disease on Peri-operative Outcomes of Endoscopic BPH surgery using the ACS NSQIP database, was awarded as one of the Outstanding Abstracts at SIU 2024 in New Delhi. Yet, any publication in which we advance knowledge and science through filling gaps in the literature is an achievement in itself. Optimal patient care lies as my top priority. I can proudly say that I was able to deliver a holistic approach to my patients: I did not limit my care to medical aspects but also extended it to the emotional and psychological bonds that I establish with each patient. I value building a strong physician-patient relationship which is based on open communication, trust, and empathy where patients feel comfortable and supported during their journey to recovery. In fact, I have participated in an event organized by the Lebanese Oncology Interest Group (LOIG) in association with the Gold Clinic of AUBMC for prostate cancer awareness. It was held in Sawwaf Building, and 14 patients were examined and screened for prostate cancer by a group of medical students and myself. Three of these patients were found to have high suspicion of prostate cancer and are now following up with our team in the OPD in association with the Gold Clinic. I have also participated in multiple volunteering projects providing urologic care to patients including an event organized by the Ghassaniyeh free clinic in which I have screened over 300 Syrian refugee children in their schools as a routine yearly checkup. The most recent volunteering event series that I have engaged in is free medical days organized every month in a village far from Beirut, first of which was in Hasbayya, in the south of Lebanon on January 19th 2025 in which I provide medical and urologic checkup on patients that are unable to afford medical care and the long trip to Beirut. (Next event in Rashayya on Feb 23rd 2025) During the rotation of medical students in our service, each group has a teaching session of an hour or so about the basics of Urology which include prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, kidney and ureteral stones, and miscellaneous topics of their choosing. These sessions are in part didactic and interactive and include case-based discussions of patients we encounter in the OPD (Out-patient department). This allows them to have a critical way of thinking and allows them to apply these basic principles in their practices during their career. Additionally, during my first year of residency, the department of surgery awarded me the Best Teaching Resident Award as a PGY1.

In medical school, I became engaged in research with Dr. Rami Nasr, Dr. Albert El-Hajj, and Dr Bassel Bachir at the Urology department at AUBMC and Dr. Deborah Mukherji at the Oncology department in AUBMC on several projects which my CV elaborates on their details, current status, and level of contribution, in addition to several case reports in the department of surgery and internal medicine. Optimal patient care lies as my top priority. I can proudly say that I was able to deliver a holistic approach to my patients: I did not limit my care to medical aspects but also extended it to the emotional and psychological bonds that I establish with each patient. I value building a strong physician-patient relationship which is based on open communication, trust, and empathy where patients feel comfortable and supported during their journey to recovery. Ever since my junior year as a chemistry student until this day, I still pass by hemodialysis patients that I have known over these 10 years. During these visits, we exchange small stories and talks either about their families or any concerns they may have to alleviate the time they pass in the hemodialysis unit, 3 times a week. This has led to me being invited as a Guest speaker at the hemodialysis volunteer program/Khelkhal Organisation organized on 20/3/2023 to show students in their pre-medical years or medical years, the importance of compassion and the value of spending time with their patients.

I joined AUB in August 2014 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 2017 and then received my MD in 2021. During these years, I perceived myself as having acquired the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to take part in research projects under the direct supervision of my professors and residents at AUBMC. During my undergraduate years, in the Department of Chemistry at AUB, I attained my first publication with Dr. Digambara Patra entitled “Doping of ZnO Nanoparticles with Curcumin: pH Dependent Release and DPPH Scavenging Activity of Curcumin in the Nanocomposites” the results of which are now being used in a project I initiated in the summer of 2023, a collaboration between the Department of Chemistry (lab of Dr Digambara Patra) and the Faculty of Medicine with the lab of Dr. Wassim Abou Kheir for the use of ZnO Curcumin Nanoparticles in bladder cancer cells in vitro to evaluate the potential use of this molecule in Bladder cancer which I worked on 7 years ago.