Dr. Hussam Al Fakir is a dentist and orthodontist who practices in Canada. Dr. Al Fakir completed his dental training at Dalhousie University, then went on to practice general dentistry in Edmonton. He went back to school to complete a clinical residency in Orthodontics and a masters degree in medical sciences. Dr. Al Fakir’s passion to help other people and make a positive difference in people’s lives motivated him to join medical relief organizations. He helped establish a dental clinic in Turkey to serve Syrian refugees and currently, he is proud to serve as the Chairman at UOSSM-Canada.

Dr. Anas Al-Kassem is a trauma and bariatric surgeon practising in Canada. Dr Al-Kassem received his MD in Damascus, Syria, completed his general surgery training at the University of Ottawa, and his clinical fellowship in trauma at Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary. He was offered the position of Trauma Team Leader at the Civic Hospital at the University of Ottawa as a result of his leadership skills in the field. Dr. Al-Kassem extended his surgery skills and expertise by earning an MIS/Bariatric Surgery fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas. Dr. Al Kassem has also been active in many humanitarian organizations. He initiated an electronic data registry system employed in trauma hospitals across Syria and continues to be involved in surgery missions to over 80 hospitals in the war-torn country. He is a co-founder of UOSSM and serves as the Vice-Chairman of UOSSM-Canada. 

Dr. Aliya Aziz Khan is a Professor of Medicine at McMaster University. She is the Director of the Calcium Disorders Clinic and the Fellowship in Metabolic Bone Disease at McMaster University. She graduated from the University of Ottawa Medical School with Honors and completed postgraduate training at the University of Toronto. She has published over 200 scientific papers and numerous books on osteoporosis and parathyroid disease.

Dr. Khan has been recognized by numerous national and international awards including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for excellence in clinical care, research and teaching as well as the International Hypoparathyroidism Award, the International Osteoporosis Foundation award for publishing excellence and recognized by Osteoporosis Canada for outstanding contributions to research and education. She was recognized as being in the top 0.1% of the world experts in hyperparathyroidism by Expertscape.

Dr. Maher Saqqur is a neurologist and stroke specialist at the University of Alberta. Dr. Saqqur received his MD in Damascus, Syria. He moved to the United States, where he completed his residency in Neurology at Penn State University. Since 2002, he has been serving as a stroke specialist at the University of Alberta. He has been working with medical relief organizations since the civil war in Syria started and he helped establish a rehab centre in Turkey. Dr. Saqqur is currently helping with the telecommunication unit to provide consulting services for a neurological intensive care unit in Syria.   

Dr. Reem  Alsabbagh completed her residency in family medicine at the University of Western, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. Currently, Dr. Reem Alsabbagh is practising as a family physician in Milton, Ontario. With the large flow of incoming refugees, Dr. Alsabbagh is playing a key role in aiding the Syrian refugees in the Halton region area by providing health care services and educational sessions. 

Dr. Samer Aldandashi is a consultant psychiatrist and lead physician of the neuromodulation program at the University of Alberta and Royal Alexandria hospital. He finished his residency in psychiatry in 2010 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the neurology department at the University of Alberta from 2000 to 2005. He has a special interest in trauma and the mental health of refugees. To this end, he has been working with arriving Syrian refugees and specializes in the provision of telepsychiatry services in conflict zones where mental health care is not readily available.