Yves Najm Mrad, currently a 6th year Medical student at the Lebanese American University (LAU), is a young multi-talented Lebanese musician, a swimmer and soon to be a Phycisian. 

 At a very young age, Yves Najm knew that he wanted to become a Phycisian . His passion towards medicine started accidentally by witnessing an Open-Heart Surgery. Although most people may be frightening by Cardiac Surgery, it was the driving force that led Mrad to where he is currently. 

Whether as an outstanding musician or a swimming athlete, Mrad frequently encounterd the following question: “Why did you choose Medicine? You could’ve been an international pianist especially with the numerous scholarships that you have received or even a competitive swimmer at worldwide events”. Mrad always replies, “I could have been be an international pianist, a swimmer, and a Medical Doctor, but I have decided to become a doctor. And that makes all the difference”. 

Following his successful path at LAU as an undergraduate Biology student when he was a part of the Honor’s Program, he graduated with high distinction from LAU, and also received the institution’s prestigious President’s Award. Mrad is well in the way to realize what he dreamet of becoming a Phycisian. 

Impressed by his academic achievements, the LAU Academic Success Center appointed Mrad to tutor many courses throughout his undergraduate years. Along his undergraduate road to triumph over his curious mind, Mrad has worked on chemotherapeutic agents in breast cancer with a huge interest in research. 

With time, his interest grew to what he likes most :clinical research. 

Not only talented in debates, public speeches, and diplomacy, but also he became LAU’s permanent guest at “Sar El Waet” program – MTV Lebanon through which he participated to several debate, leadership and diplomatic communication camps at the National Democratic Institute (NDI). Believing that the key towards a proper patient-physician relationship is only through proper communication, Yves Najm traveled to Manhattan, New York to participate in the Global Outreach & Leadership Development (G.O.L.D.) program at the United Nations and LAU Headquarters. “It was an unforgettable experience! The G.O.L.D. program made me view humanity as one entity, without borders or differences, only humans”, Mrad says. 

Going into medical school, Mrad was entrusted to hold many leadership positions at the LAU Fouad Makhzoumi Innovative Center (LAU FMIC), Emergency Medicine Interest group - Lebanese Chapter (EMIG-LC), LAU Program Evaluation Committee (LAU PEC), International Journal of Clinical Research (IJCR), and Yale Global Health Students United for Regional and Global Education (YGH SURGE). 

As a member of the LAU FMIC advisory board, Yves Najm, with the support of the Continuing Medical Education (CME) office, organized a very unique conference for 3 hours, titled “Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare” which included 8 speakers from different medical specialties who presented the latest advancements in their respective disciplines. 

As the LAU representative, the board member and the executive officer at EMIG-LC, Mrad, among a team whom he considers as family, continuously arrange free webinars, conferences, and live workshops on monthly basis about different medical topics. “Our main goal is to provide education, free of charge, to all the 1200+ medical students across 7 medical schools”, he states. 

Elected as the medical students’ representative at LAU PEC, he contributed to the Association for Evaluation and Accreditation of Medical Education Programs (TEPDAD) accreditation requirements submission. “We worked on revising programs’ efficiencies for residency programs and fellowships. The tasks were challenging, but, with the help of my professors within the committee, I learned a lot about medical program evaluations and education”, he says. 

 To foster his passion in research, Yves Najm was assigned as a reviewer and Journal club organizer at IJCR, a task he is more than proud and happy to fulfill. “What I like in reviewing articles or discussing them through the Journal club is that you cover the whole circle as a researcher, writer, and reviewer”. 

Due to his hard work, consistency and discipline, Mrad was chosen to be on the YGH SURGE Organizing committee. The team is made of 8 students, 6 of which are Yale students, 1 is from Brazil, and Mrad from Lebanon. This program gathers more than 64 students from more than 17 different countries around the globe to discuss controversial global health issues in relation to political, social, economic and financial burdens. “In such a program, you can notice how problems and solutions differ between people around the globe based on the several modifiable and unmodifiable factors”, he conclued.