As an appreciation of its members, AUB-SAANA offers awards to people who have contributed to the surgical field and its community.
Recent past awardees
2022
Academic Achievement Award: Haytham Kaafarani, MD
Outstanding Service Award: Haytham Kaafarani, MD
“Dr. Kaafarani was the past president of AUB-SAANA, and a beloved mentor, friend, and brother to so many on this thread. He has played an instrumental role in the careers of countless medical graduates from Lebanon, the US, and the world. Dr Kaafarani is a trauma and critical care surgeon at the Mass General Department of Surgery and associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. Through his exceptional clinical and research contributions, he has dedicated his career to improving surgical quality and safety.
At Mass General, Dr Kaafarani’s many outstanding contributions include establishing the Second Victim Program, the first surgery-specific peer support program in the country, as well as the COBRA (COVID-19 Bundled Response for Access Team), a dedicated multidisciplinary procedure group focused on providing safe, streamlined procedures to patients with critical illness.
Dr. Kaafarani also serves as the director of the Center for Outcomes and Patient Safety in Surgery (COMPASS), the first multidisciplinary initiative at MGH to streamline quality and safety across all hospital procedural departments, including surgery; anesthesia; obstetrics and gynecology; neurosurgery; orthopaedics; urology; interventional radiology; ear, nose and throat; and oral and maxillofacial surgery. He also is the director of research for the Mass General Division of Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Critical Care, and the director of the Mass General Wound Center.
Dr Kaafarani is a leading surgeon-scientist, recognized nationally and internationally with more than 380 published textbook chapters and scientific manuscripts. He also is an active conflict-area surgeon with Doctors Without Borders and has served on multiple humanitarian missions in Central Africa and the Middle East. Dr. Kaafarani has received numerous prestigious awards and was most recently nominated for the prestigious Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor.”~ Dr. Peter S. Naman, AUB-SAANA President.
2019
Academic Achievement Award: Alexander S. Geha, MD
Outstanding Service Award: Alexander S. Geha, MD
“At the meeting we took great pleasure in recognizing Dr. Alex Geha and his numerous contributions to the field of surgery and to the AUB Department of Surgery. We presented him with plaques recognizing him & bestowing on him the Academic Achievement and Outstanding Service Awards. Even after his retirement, Dr. Geha continues to contribute to AUB via the establishment of the annual Alex Geha Lectureship in Cardiothoracic Surgery. As a bonus, we were overjoyed to meet his family: his gracious wife Diane and his daughters Samia and Rula, both well established surgeons.” ~ Dr. Peter S. Naman, AUB-SAANA President
2018
Academic Achievement Award: Naji N. Abumrad, MD
Outstanding Service Award: Naji N. Abumrad, MD
“Thank you to everyone who voted this year – your engagement was extremely appreciated. All the names that were suggested during the voting process were those of very impressive surgeons, and it gives everyone great pride to see how many people in our society are deserving. Based on the voting counts, It gives us exceptional pleasure to announce that Dr. Naji Abumrad is the recipient of both the Academic Achievement as well as the Service Awards for this year. Dr. Abumrad is currently the John L. Sawyer Professor of Surgery at Vanderbilt. He graduated from AUB in 1971 and is solidly recognized as one of the giants of surgery in North America with an impressive record of leadership and academic/research roles at SUNY, Vanderbilt and nationally (e.g. NIH). His research contributions in understanding metabolic and endocrine surgery, especially the impact of obesity and bariatric surgery on diabetes, are innumerable: more than 250 peer-reviewed editorials, articles and textbook chapters, some in the highest impact journals such as Nature, JAMA, and the Annals of Surgery. As importantly, Dr. Abumrad has helped hundreds of AUB graduates find their careers all over the world, especially in the US. I have not met Naji personally yet, but I keep hearing, from many of his AUBite and nonAUBite colleagues, praise about his consistent selflessness and dedication to mentoring and helping others.
Please join us in congratulating Naji for his well-deserved awards, and do every effort to join us in celebrating him in person next October at the Annual Reception in Boston.” ~ Dr. Haytham Kaafarani, AUB-SAANA President
2017
Academic Achievement Award: Kamal Itani, MD
The award is given to Dr. Itani who exemplifies the ultimate surgeon-scientist with over 200 peer-reviewed publications, manuscripts, textbooks and textbook chapters. A pioneer in surgical outcomes and health services research, a prior President of the Association of VA Surgeons, and the current President of the Surgical Infection Society, his numerous publications in the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and all key surgical journals have shaped our understanding of ventral hernia surgery, surgical infections, and surgical performance indicators. ~ Dr. Haytham Kaafarani, AUB-SAANA President
Outstanding Service Award: Marwan Abouljoud, MD
The award is given to Dr. Abouljoud for his unparalleled commitment over the many past years to helping numerous AUB graduates find their way to surgical training in the US, and for his steady commitment to help the AUB Department of Surgery and AUBSAANA grow and mature. His selfless dedication to “extend a hand” to those starting their careers in surgery is exemplary for all of us who hope to strengthen our community and support our future surgeons. ~ Dr. Haytham Kaafarani, AUB-SAANA President
Surgical Trainee Award: Hiba Ezzaddine, MD
Surgery Resident, American University of Beirut. Field of interest: Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. ~ Dr. Haytham Kaafarani, AUB-SAANA President
American University of Beirut Surgical Alumni Association of North America 