The Lebanese Physicians' Podcast

Bridging Healthcare Worlds Mazen Samadi’s Journey from Lebanon to the U.S. Healthcare System

From the classrooms of Lebanese American University to hospital leadership in the United States, Mazen Samadishares an honest, insightful journey across healthcare systems.

In this episode, we explore what it takes to transition from Lebanon to the U.S., how the role of pharmacists has evolved into clinical and leadership domains, and where American healthcare is headed—from AI and value-based care to burnout and access.

A must-listen for students, pharmacists, physicians, and healthcare professionals navigating global careers—and for anyone thinking about the future of healthcare in Lebanon and beyond.

🎧 Tune in, reflect, and join the conversation.

 

#BridgingHealthcareWorlds #LebanesePhysiciansPodcast #HealthcareLeadership #PharmacyLeadership
#GlobalHealth #LebaneseDiaspora #HealthcareCareers #USHealthcare #HealthcareInnovation
#Pharmacists #MedicalEducation #FromLebanonToUSA #FutureOfHealthcare
#Subscribe #Podcast #HealthcarePodcast #MedEd

From CDC to Coaching: Building a Healthier Life with Rola Doughan

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, we speak with Rola Naaman Doughan, a public health specialist whose career led her from the CDC to launching her own health coaching practice — Healthier with Rola.

Rola opens up about burnout, purpose, and what pushed her to shift from public health analytics to empowering individuals to take charge of their own wellbeing.
Through Healthier with Rola, she helps clients cultivate healthier habits, reclaim balance, and live with intention — one sustainable step at a time. 🌿

Learn more at https://www.healthierwithrola.com/
Follow her on Instagram: @rolanaaman

🎧 Tune in — and don’t forget to #Subscribe!

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#LebanesePhysiciansPodcast #HealthierWithRola #FromCDCtoCoaching #PublicHealth #HealthCoaching #WellnessJourney #BurnoutPrevention #WorkLifeBalance #LifestyleMedicineMindset #CareerPivot #WomenInPublicHealth #LebanonDiaspora #Subscribe

The episode is also available on our YouTube Channel

 

Giving Psychiatry a Voice: The Birth of the Lebanese Journal of Mental Health

In this landmark episode, we sit down with Dr. Ramy Bou Khalil and Dr. Joseph El Khoury to explore the vision, urgency, and meaning behind the launch of the Lebanese Journal of Mental Health (LJMH).

Drawing on journeys that span academia, clinical care, leadership, and the diaspora, our guests reflect on how Lebanese psychiatry has endured war, economic collapse, political instability, and mass physician emigration yet continues to produce rigorous, compassionate, and globally relevant work. From the formative academic environments of American University of Beirut and Université Saint-Joseph, to leadership within the Lebanese Psychiatric Society, this conversation traces how institutional memory, resilience, and responsibility converged to make LJMH not just aspirational—but necessary.

We discuss:

• Why now is the right moment for a national mental health journal

• How LJMH supports clinicians and researchers working in resource-limited settings

• The importance of honoring pioneers while mentoring the next generation

• Turning brain drain into brain circulation through meaningful diaspora engagement

• Redefining “impact” beyond metrics—toward relevance, voice, and continuity

This episode is a reflection on legacy and a blueprint for the future of mental health scholarship in Lebanon and the region.

👉 Subscribe to the podcast for more conversations at the intersection of medicine, leadership, and global health—and follow us so you never miss an episode.

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Hashtags
#LebaneseJournalOfMentalHealth #LJMH #Psychiatry #MentalHealth #LebanesePsychiatry #AcademicMedicine #MedicalPublishing #GlobalMentalHealth #PhysicianLeadership #MedicalDiaspora #BrainCirculation #ResilienceInHealthcare #Subscribe #Podcast #MedicineAndSociety

From Beirut to the Open Seas: Inside Maritime Medicine with Dr. Kevin Saliba

How does a physician go from building a genetics startup in Beirut to practicing medicine hundreds of miles offshore?

In this episode, we explore the world of maritime medicine, a little-known field at the crossroads of clinical care, emergency decision-making, prevention, and global regulation. Our guest breaks down what maritime medicine really is, how it differs from emergency, occupational, and family medicine, and what a “workday” looks like when patients are on ships, in ports, or connected by satellite from the open ocean.

We discuss the most common medical cases at sea, the ones that keep physicians up at night, and the unique clinical and logistical challenges of caring for patients when evacuation isn’t an option. We also dive into fitness-for-duty decisions, prevention, and why joining the American Board of Maritime Medicine marks an important step for the specialty.

Finally, we look ahead at where maritime medicine is headed with telemedicine, AI, and a rapidly evolving global shipping industry, and whether this unconventional path could be a fit for burned-out physicians seeking something different.

#MaritimeMedicine #PhysicianCareers #NonTraditionalMedicine #Telemedicine #GlobalHealth #MedicineAtSea #CareerPivot #LebanesePhysiciansPodcast

2025 Year in Review – Reflections, Stories, and What’s Next | The Lebanese Physicians Podcast

What a year it has been. In this special Year in Review 2025 episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, Khalil Diab and MohammadAli Jardaly look back at a remarkable year of conversations that went far beyond medicine.

From artificial intelligence and innovation to humanities, storytelling, identity, and reinvention, 2025 revealed a powerful shift in how we talk about healthcare, careers, and purpose. We revisited unforgettable episodes featuring physicians, scientists, writers, entrepreneurs, and leaders from Lebanon and the diaspora voices that challenged assumptions, changed perspectives, and reminded us that medicine is as human as it is scientific.

This episode reflects on:

The growing role of AI in healthcare and beyond

The return of humanities, books, and personal journeys to medical dialogue

Powerful stories of career reinvention, entrepreneurship, and finding purpose

Highlighting Lebanese and regional talent making a global impact

Why you are never stuck—in medicine or in life

Lessons learned from guests who reshaped how we think about success, risk, and fulfillment

We also discuss how the podcast itself is evolving embracing video, reaching new audiences, and expanding its mission as an open platform for meaningful conversations. You don’t have to be a physician to be part of this dialogue—if you have a story worth sharing, this space is for you.

🔔 If you’ve enjoyed these conversations, please subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform.

Subscribing helps us grow, improve our production, and continue bringing you thoughtful, high-quality content from voices that matter.

✨ As we look ahead to 2026, we remain committed to curiosity, honesty, and storytelling—especially during challenging times. We hope for a peaceful, healthy year ahead for everyone, and especially for Lebanon.

👉 Subscribe, share, and stay with us—your support truly makes a difference.

🔖 Hashtags #LebanesePhysiciansPodcast #YearInReview2025 #MedicineAndHumanities #PhysiciansBeyondMedicine #AIinHealthcare #MedicalPodcast #HealthcareInnovation #PhysicianStories #CareerReinvention #EntrepreneurshipInMedicine #LebaneseDiaspora #ArabVoices #PersonalJourneys #GlobalHealth #SubscribeNow

Weaving a Life Across Continents: Medicine, Humanities, and Home with Dr. Nancy Chedid

In this deeply personal and inspiring episode, Dr. Nancy Chedid—surgeon, educator, writer, musician, and cultural bridge—shares the extraordinary journey that shaped her life across the United States and Lebanon.

From training at Yale, Johns Hopkins, NYU, and Harvard to rebuilding a life in Beirut after loss, Dr. Chedid reflects on identity, purpose, and the power of weaving medicine with the humanities. She discusses her memoir Snow on the Barbecue, her transformative years at LAU, the creation of humanities-in-medicine programs, and the profound impact of mentorship and community.

We explore themes of home, displacement, grief, belonging, and reinvention. This episode is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit and to the many ways one can build a meaningful life across continents. 

#LebanesePhysiciansPodcast #NancyChedid #HumanitiesInMedicine #MedicineAndHumanities #MedicalEducation #PhysicianStories #WomenInMedicine #LebaneseDiaspora #ArabAmericanVoices #Lebanon #Beirut #DiasporaStories #Memoir #LifeTransitions #Resilience #Healing #HomeAndBelonging #IdentityAndCulture #StorytellingInMedicine #MentorshipMatters #AcademicMedicine #ArtsInMedicine #CreativeWritingInMedicine #GlobalMedicine #CrossCulturalJourneys #Reinvention #GriefAndHealing #BeirutPortExplosion #SnowOnTheBarbecue #LebaneseWriters #ArabDiaspora

Episode also on YouTube

 

 

The Hidden Roots of Our Tongue: Levantine Arabic and Phoenician Echoes with Dr. Jamil Bayram

In this fascinating episode, we sit down with Dr. Jamil Bayram, an ER physician, who has researched the origins of Levantine dialects, to uncover the deep historical layers embedded in the way we speak today. From the ancient shores of the Phoenicians to the bustling streets of Beirut, Damascus, Haifa, and Amman, our modern Levantine dialect carries echoes of civilizations that shaped the identity, culture, and sound of the region.

Together, we explore:

- What the Phoenician language really was and what we actually know about it

- How Levantine dialect evolved and why it differs so markedly from other Arabic dialects

- Words, expressions, and grammatical structures that may have Phoenician roots

- How linguists reconstruct ancient languages and detect “linguistic DNA”

- The core arguments and surprising findings from Dr. Bayram’s upcoming book

This episode is a deep dive into history, linguistics, identity, and culture, an exploration of how a language can carry the memory of thousands of years.

🎧 Tune in to discover the hidden stories our tongue still whispers.

#LevantineArabic #Phoenician #LebaneseIdentity #SemiticLanguages #Linguistics #Lebanon #MiddleEastHistory #Canaanite #LanguageEvolution #LebaneseCulture #PhoenicianRoots #LebanesePodcast #TheLebanesePhysiciansPodcast #JamilBayram #ArabicDialects #CulturalHeritage

To see the slides, the episode is also on YouTube

 

note in the context of the inscription from Saida it is around 2600 years ago or 600 BC 

The Global Cancer Divide: What the Data Reveal About Lebanon and Low-Resource Countries

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, we dive deep into one of the most important public-health conversations of our time: the widening global cancer divide.

Using insights from the latest Lancet and GBD 2023 data, we explore why cancer has become the second leading cause of death worldwide and what this means for health systems especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Our guest breaks down global patterns, regional disparities, and the unique challenges facing Lebanon, with tobacco use being the greatest modifiable risk factor. We discuss which cancers are rising fastest locally, Lebanon’s data, and why nearly two-thirds of cancer deaths occur in lower-resource settings.

Finally, we look ahead: What will cancer care look like in 2050 in a country with constrained resources? And what can Lebanese physicians, researchers, and diaspora communities do to help shape a sustainable cancer-control strategy?

This is an essential conversation for clinicians, policymakers, public-health professionals, and anyone concerned about the future of cancer care in Lebanon and the broader region#CancerCare #GlobalCancerDivide #LebanonHealth #GBD2023 #LancetStudy #PublicHealth #CancerControl #LebanesePhysiciansPodcast #CancerEpidemiology #HealthcareInequity #LMICHealth #CancerBurden #SmokingAndCancer #MiddleEastHealth #HealthPolicy #MedicalPodcast #CancerAwareness #GlobalHealth #LebanonCrisis #DiasporaPhysicians

Also on YouTube

 

From Pain to Purpose: Joumana Mansour on Wellness, Coaching, and Her New Book

In this inspiring episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, we sit down with Joumana Mansour, personal growth expert, wellness specialist, and founder of Journey of You, a bilingual (Arabic/English) platform transforming how individuals, medical students, and physicians understand emotional wellness. Joumana shares the deeply personal story behind her 17-year journey in the United States, the pain that pushed her toward healing, and the experiences that led her to build an entire ecosystem dedicated to personal development:

✔️ Her new book "Be Your Own Coach", written in both Arabic and English

✔️ The Journey of You platform and Moodle-based online programs

✔️ The Joy Certified Coach (JCC) training

✔️ Her free bilingual mobile app, JOY Journal, offering guided breathing and reflective tools

✔️ Her mission to bring emotional literacy, boundaries, coaching, and self-care into homes, hospitals, and medical schools

Together, we discuss: Why physicians and trainees are uniquely vulnerable to burnout The problem of emotional suppression in medical training Boundaries, codependency, empathy vs. sympathy, and the “victim–rescuer–persecutor” trap How mindful breathing, intentional habit formation, and self-coaching can reset the nervous system The secret behind “caring for the physician”—and in turn caring for the patient Why every healthcare system needs wellness coaches as part of the care team How Journey of You is expanding across Lebanon, the region, and the world Whether you are a physician, student, parent, or simply someone seeking emotional balance, this conversation offers practical tools for reclaiming your power, breaking long-standing patterns, and building a sustainable, fulfilling life.

Listeners can explore programs, the book, and the mobile app on: journey-of-you.com

Use code LPP10 to receive 10% off the online course.

#JourneyOfYou #JoumanaMansour #LebanesePhysiciansPodcast #WellnessInMedicine #BeYourOwnCoach #EmotionalIntelligence #BurnoutPrevention #MedicalStudentSupport #PhysicianWellness #PersonalGrowth #SelfCareJourney #MindfulLiving #HolisticHealing #ArabWomenLeaders #MentalHealthMatters #CoachingInMedicine #JoyCertifiedCoach #MENAHealth #WellbeingRevolution #BoundariesMatter

Available on YouTube:https://youtu.be/CJpBDDweMcg

And on all podcast apps

East Meets Middle East: Global Healthcare Strategy & Innovation with Dr. Firas Mahdi

In this episode of The Lebanese Physicians Podcast, co-hosts Dr. Khalil Diab and Dr. Mohammad Ali sit down with Dr. Firas Mahdi, Partner at LEK Consulting in Singapore, to explore the intersection of strategy, technology, and innovation in healthcare across Asia and the Middle East. From his beginnings in clinical medicine at AUBMC to leadership roles at GE Healthcare, Medtronic, and now LEK, Dr. Mahdi shares a remarkable global journey spanning Lebanon, the Gulf, and Southeast Asia.

We discuss: How Singapore’s hybrid public–private healthcare model achieves world-class outcomes Lessons for Middle Eastern health systems in value-based care and operational excellence The evolving role of MedTech and AI in shaping the future of healthcare Building purpose-driven careers and navigating non-clinical paths in medicine A rich conversation about healthcare transformation, professional reinvention, and the future of global health strategy — where East truly meets Middle East.

 

🎧 Available on all podcast platforms.

 

📍 The Lebanese Physicians Podcast — Conversations that bridge innovation, identity, and medicine.

#HealthcareInnovation #MedTech #AIinHealthcare #GlobalHealth #SingaporeHealthcare #LebanesePhysiciansPodcast #ProfessionalDevelopment #HealthcareStrategy #ConsultingInMedicine #ValueBasedCare #EastMeetsMiddleEast #LEKConsulting