The Syrian American Medical Society

  • Served as the SAMS Medical Student President from 2017-2020

  • Oversaw creation and growth of SAMS chapters to 40+ medical schools across the world during my tenure.

  • Participated in board meetings and contributed to decision-making regarding how to manage a $50+ million annual budget.

  • Helped start a scholarship program that funded travel and expenses for medical students from across the globe to attend conferences and present their research.

  • Volunteered as an Arabic language interpreter on several medical missions in Europe and the Middle East.

From 2017, 60 Minutes reports on the Syrian government’s deliberate targeting of hospitals and healthcare workers and the critical contributions of the Syrian American Medical Society toward mitigating this crisis.

THE WVU EMS TRaining Program

  • Partnered with local public service training organization to organize first EMT training courses offered on WVU’s campus in 2013 to address a shortage of first responders amid the West Virginia opioid crisis.

  • Collaborated with instructors to update curriculum as needed for compliance with NREMT guidelines.

  • Co-developed module on emergent field management of opioid overdose in response to the opioid crisis in West Virginia. -

  • Through 2022, offered an EMT training course every semester since Autumn 2014 academic term, with over 500 EMTs trained since establishment of the WVU EMS Training Program.

  • In early 2023, the initiative was funded and expanded by the governor of West Virginia to address the ongoing shortage of first responders by providing the NREMT course free of charge on a biannual basis in partnership with West Virginia University

New Club Helps Students Become EMTs

The Daily Athenaeum, January 14 2014

“West Virginia University students hoping to become a licensed Emergency Medical Technician now have an opportunity to do so on campus through the newly formed WVU EMS Club. The club held its second meeting Tuesday night in the Mountainlair offering an EMT Basic training course.

This is the first such course offered on campus and will provide WVU students with the opportunity to readily access training that could provide some of the most valuable experiences of their college careers.

Omar Ghabra, founder and current president of WVU EMS, said he was inspired to start this much- needed organization after his own experiences as an EMT.

“My sophomore year, I decided I wanted to enroll in an EMT course while I was debating whether or not I wanted to become a healthcare provider. Unfortunately, there were no classes offered in the area, so I had to drive out of town multiple times a week to attend a class in Fairmont,” Ghabra said. “This was very hard to do as a student, and it isn’t a viable option for most students.”

Because no courses have been offered in the Morgantown area until now, very few students have been able to complete EMT training while at WVU.”

Full article: https://www.thedaonline.com/news/new-club-helps-students-become-emts/article_c1dc2f64-7d93-11e3-8a68-001a4bcf6878.html

WVU Offers EMT training free of cost

West Virginia University Press Release, January 5, 2023

“There is a shortage of emergency medical service providers in West Virginia and across the nation. To help combat this issue, West Virginia University Extension will offer a free emergency medical technician course.

This EMT training course is taught by Doug McDonald, emergency care program coordinator at WVU Safety and Health Extension. This program is a partnership between Monongalia County Technical Education Center and WVU Extension.

Because of the ongoing shortage of emergency care providers, Governor Jim Justice allocated funds from the CARES Act to cover training costs for interested people in the state.”

Full article: https://extension.wvu.edu/news/2023/01/05/wvu-extension-offers-emt-training-free-of-cost