Education
1998-2000 : Post-doctoral fellow. Supervisor: Dr. David Park, Neuroscience Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Ottawa University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
1993 -1998: PhD (Neuroscience, Anatomy and Cell Biology) Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
1988-1989 Rotating Internship training, Ministry of Health, Jordan
1981-1987: M.B.Ch.B (Medicine & General Surgery), Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq
Appointments:
2012- Present: Director of Quality Assurance and Accreditation, Associate Professor of Anatomy and Medical Education, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2009-2012: Director of academic affairs and Associate Professor of Anatomy. College of Medicine, Al-Imam Mohammad Bin Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2010-present: Member of the scientific committee, Dr. Hamzah Al-Khouli CHAIR for Developing Medical Education in Saudi Arabia, (a 6 year term starting July, 2010)
2006-2009 Director of Examination Centre, Consultant and Faculty member, Faculty of Medicine/ King Fahad Medical City Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2002-2006: Assistant Professor of Anatomy, Division of Clinical and Functional Anatomy Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine/Faculty of Medicine/ Ottawa University Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
1991-1993 General Practitioner and Teaching Assistant, University Health Centre & Department of Anatomy Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
1989-1991 General Practitioner and public health educator, Ministry of Health, Jordan
Honours and Awards
2005 Nominated for University of Ottawa President’s Award for service to the University through media and community relations.
2005 Nominated for the “Capital Educators' Awards of Excellence
2004 Bristol-Meyers Squibb Award for Excellence in Medical Education Teaching.
2004 Selected as one of award winners for the Capital Educators' Awards of Excellence
2003 Voted the honorary president of The Aesculapian Society
2003 nominated by a medical student at the University of Ottawa for the Bristol-Meyers Squibb Award for Excellence in Medical Education Teaching.
2003 Nominated for the “Young Professor Award”/Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa.
2003 Nominated for the “Award of Excellence”/Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa.
2003 Nominated for the “Excellence in Mentoring Award” /Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa.
1994-1998 Queen’s University Graduate Award
1996 School of Graduate Studies & research Travel Award/Queen’s University
1995 Special Dean’s Award/ Queen’s University
1995 School of Graduate Studies & research Travel Award/ Queen’s University
1995 The 2nd Society of Neuroscience of Africa International Conference Travel Award
1994 School of Graduate Studies & research Travel Award/ Queen’s University
1987 Top Ten Graduate (8th over 201 graduates) Al-Mustansiriyah University, School of Medicine, Baghdad, Iraq
Popular Media Interviews and Profiles
1. Anatomy of a successful medical teacher, by Zev Singer, Ottawa Citizen, City Section, Pages 1D and &D, Wednesday, June 23, 2004.
2. Two profs win Capital Educators’ Award, Gazette: The voice of Canada’s University, ISSUE 17: June 15 | 2004
3. Mini-Med teaches healthy respect, by Holly Lake, Ottawa Sun. Pages 18-19, December 12, 2004.
4. How well do you know Dr. O? by H. Barrett Austin, The pelican (Aesculapian Society Newspaper). Page 4, May 2005.
5. 28-minute Mini-Med lecture, 40 hours of preparation, Medical talks a hit with public, a challenge for physicians: There's a public thirst for basic scientific knowledge, and audiences are willing to focus and work hard to follow along ,by Tom Spears, Ottawa Citizen, Read Dark Matter, Tom Spears's blog of science quirks and snarks, October 23, 2005
6. Good morning Saudi Arabia: A daily show on Saudi main channel (channel 1): I was the guest to talk about the future of higher education in the kingdom. December 26, 2009
Professional memberships and societies
Society for Neuroscience
The International Association of Medical Science Educators
The American Association of Clinical Anatomists
The American Association of Anatomists
The Association of Medical Education in Europe
Research Interests
Medical Education
Clinical and Functional Anatomy
Neuroscience: Ischemia, Excitotoxicity, Neuronal Apoptosis, and Spreading Depression.