 |
Pictured are, front row, left to right, house officers Vahid Taghavi, M.D., John Puente, M.D., Deborah Dover, M.D., Fred Samimi, M.D., and Ramesh Adayalampet, M.D. Second row, left to right, are faculty members Patricio Reyes, M.D., Creighton University; Karen Stanek, M.D., CU; John Bertoni, M.D., Ph.D., chairman, CU deptartment of neurology; Eliad Culcea, M.D., UNMC; Agapito Lorenzo, M.D., UNMC; Sanjay Singh, M.D., UNMC; and Pierre Fayad, M.D., chairman, UNMC department of neurological sciences. |
Neurologists and neurosurgeons from the community and members of UNMC’s department of neurological sciences and Creighton University Medical Center’s department of neurology gathered at The Champions Club June 5 for the UNMC/CU Joint Neurology Residency Program’s second annual graduation and educational evening.
Pierre Fayad, M.D., director of the Joint Neurology Residency Program, and the Reynolds Centennial Professor and chairman of the UNMC department of neurological sciences, served as master of ceremonies and spoke of the importance of the event.
“This is really the crowning of what we do on a daily basis and often we forget about, which is to fulfill our mission of educating and training future neurologists,” Dr. Fayad said. “It is a celebration, not only for the residents who have completed their training, but also for those who are moving from one year to the next, and for those who are starting a residency in neurology. It’s also a celebration for the faculty and staff who take part in the daily training and guidance of these individuals.
“When I first saw the invitation for tonight’s event, it reminded me of a wedding invitation. And, indeed, you have the University of Nebraska and Creighton University, both celebrating this year’s graduates. It is a joint effort and it’s something that we’re all proud of, and in my knowledge of many other places, I haven’t seen a situation where two universities contribute to the graduation of the same resident.”
Prior to presenting awards to the graduating resident, the resident of the year, and the teacher of the year, Dr. Fayad took time to honor the memory of last year’s teacher of the year, Jinan Al-Omaishi, M.D., who died Nov. 3, 2002, after battling cancer.
“As you all know, one of our faculty, Dr. Al-Omaishi, has passed away,” Dr. Fayad said. “She not only was a member of our faculty for several years, but she was a graduate of our residency program. Her early and unforeseen departure has left a void in our department and her contributions will be missed.”
Dr. Al-Omaishi, who was 41 years old, was an assistant professor in UNMC’s department of neurological sciences. A native of Baghdad, Iraq, Dr. Al-Omaishi earned her medical degree from the University of Baghdad in 1984 and completed her internal medicine and neurology residencies at UNMC before joining the UNMC faculty in August 1998.
 |  |
From left, John Bertoni, M.D., Ph.D, Robert Ellingson, M.D., Agapito Lorenzo, M.D., Walter Friedlander, M.D., and Pierre Fayad, M.D. | From left, Pierre Fayad, M.D., Nabil Al-Omaishi, Larsa Al-Omaishi and Salam Al-Omaishi. |
Dr. Fayad presented a commemorative plaque to Dr. Al-Omaishi’s husband, Nabil, and the couple’s children, daughter, Larsa, and son, Salam. The plaque will be placed on a chair donated by the department in memory of Dr Al-Omaishi. A moment of silence was also observed in Dr. Al-Omaishi’s honor.
The recipients of this year’s awards were: Fred Samimi, M.D., graduating resident; Vahid Taghavi, M.D., resident of the year; and Eliad Culcea, M.D., teacher of the year.
The evening was concluded with speeches on the theme, “Reflections About a Career in Neurology,” by John Bertoni, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of CU’s department of neurology, and John Goldner, M.D, clinical professor of neurological sciences at UNMC and partner in Indian Hills Neurology.
 |  |
From left, John Bertoni, M.D., Ph.D., Sharon Samimi, Fred Samimi, M.D., and Pierre Fayad, M.D. | From left, John Bertoni, M.D., Ph.D.; Pierre Fayad, M.D.; John Goldner, M.D. |