The first Syrian doctor to obtain a master’s degree in cardiac surgery

A master’s thesis has been submitted by Shifaa Ezz El-Din who has been in turn awarded an honor degree from Damascus University, thus to be the first female doctor in Syria specializing in heart surgery and obtaining a master’s degree in this field.

Cardiac surgery is an interesting specialization, as it combines skill and precision, despite the doctors’ fatigue and exhaustion due to staying for long periods in the operating room. This is what Dr. Shifaa stated while referring to the encouragement and support from her family and professors to complete the thesis, which was entitled: “The results of the joint surgical replacement of the aortic and coronary valves.”

Ezz El-Din pointed out that the resident doctor specializing in heart surgery can, during the years of specialization, perform all common heart surgeries in adults and uncomplicated pediatric operations, noting that the University’s Heart Surgery Center is a very suitable place for learning and mastering surgical skills, as it is the only center that has a division dealing with heart surgery when a large number of surgical cases is received. The Center performs at least three open-heart surgeries per day.

Ezz El-Din pointed out that heart surgery in Syria is developing rapidly and a large number of operations are performed annually, but it was affected by the economic siege and sanctions, which led to a shortage of materials needed for operations, which increased the financial burden on the patients after such materials were fully free of charge.