NNA - The American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) continues to advance its mission of excellence in healthcare and academic leadership with the appointment of two internationally acknowledged physician-scientists, Dr. Osama Mohamad as chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology and Dr. Haytham Kaafarani as chair of the Department of Surgery at the Faculty of Medicine (FM) and AUBMC.
The appointment of these two chairpersons followed exceptionally competitive international searches. With extensive experience at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Mohamad and Dr. Kaafarani bring global expertise that will advance clinical practice, education, and research in Lebanon and the region, each within their respective fields.
An American University of Beirut (AUB) alumnus, Dr. Osama Mohamad has been appointed chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at FM and AUBMC. Through his tenure at the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Mohamad brings substantial global experience in radiation oncology and the application of AI in oncology and advanced radiation therapy. He completed the prestigious Medical Scientist Training Program at Emory University in Atlanta, earning both a Doctor of Medicine (MD) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in stem cells and regenerative neuroscience.
At MD Anderson, he established and expanded the High-Dose-Rate (HDR) Prostate Brachytherapy program and served as associate medical director of the Genitourinary Center and clinical champion for the Prostate Cancer Center of Excellence. His research excellence spans artificial intelligence, digital pathology, and precision oncology, with a particular focus on prostate cancer.
Dr. Mohamad’s appointment represents a strategic opportunity to position the Department of Radiation Oncology as a regional model of academic excellence, technological innovation, and multidisciplinary cancer care, grounded in global best practices.
Dr. Haytham Kaafarani, also an AUB alumnus, has been appointed chair of the Department of Surgery and assistant dean for surgical sciences and research at FM and AUBMC.
A highly accomplished physician-scientist with a decade-long record of leadership at Harvard Medical School and Mass General Brigham, Dr. Kaafarani returns to AUB as a global authority in surgical critical care, patient safety, quality improvement, and health systems science.
As a professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and through his impactful leadership roles, exemplary clinical practice, and broad scholarly engagement, Dr. Kaafarani has demonstrated an exceptional and sustained record of service to academic medicine, healthcare systems, and the surgical profession. His leadership roles include serving as trauma medical director at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), system-level quality director for trauma and emergency surgery at Mass General Brigham, and chief patient safety officer of the Joint Commission. During his roles as the founder and director of the MGH Center for Outcomes and Patient Safety in Surgery (COMPASS) and director of the MGH Wound Center, he advanced system-level improvements and strengthened institutional standards of care.
He has authored more than 500 peer-reviewed journal publications and emerged as a leader in the application of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics to surgical care and health system performance. His work has earned him multiple national and international recognitions including the Robert L. Wears Patient Safety Leadership National Award, and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Honorary Fellowship Ad Hominem. At AUBMC, he will lead the Department of Surgery into the next phase of growth and excellence.
These two appointments reflect AUBMC’s steadfast commitment to delivering world-class, patient-centered care by attracting global expertise back home, advancing medical excellence and innovation, and positioning Lebanon as a regional hub for medical leadership.
