Highly-trained MS specialist joins UNMC team

Rana Khalil Zabad, M.D.

UNMC furthered its commitment to improve the care of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) recently with the hiring of the first fellowship-trained MS neurologist to practice in the state of Nebraska.

Rana Khalil Zabad, M.D., assistant professor and director of the multiple sclerosis program in the department of neurological sciences, joined the UNMC faculty last fall.

Dr Zabad’s leadership will build upon UNMC’s already successful MS clinic. Established in 1997, the clinic has contributed to national research and advances in MS; however, in the past, many patients have been referred to other national centers of excellence.

“Though our neurologists are appropriately trained and qualified to treat patients with MS, the challenging aspects of diagnosis and complex choices of treatments make Dr. Zabad critical to providing an advanced standard of care,” said Pierre Fayad, M.D., Reynolds Centennial Professor and chairman of neurological sciences.

More about Dr. Zabad Education: Dr. Zabad received her M.D. from St. Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon. She went on to complete her internship at Sinai-Grace Hospital and her residency in neurology at Wayne State University in Detroit. She did her 3-year fellowship in MS/Neurology at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Professional/academic appointments: Dr. Zabad served as a consultant for the department of clinical neurosciences at Foothills Medical Center, University of Calgary from 2005 to 2007 and the department of neurology at the Palliser Health Region, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada from 2007 to 2008. Memberships: Dr. Zabad is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the Alberta Medical Association. She is a certified Adult Neurologist by the America Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Honors and awards: Dr. Zabad was named a 2002 to 2003 Who’s Who (Strathmore) in Medicine.

The recruitment of a faculty member of Dr. Zabad’s caliber and training follows the department’s dedication to build a nationally-recognized neurological sciences center of excellence, Dr. Fayad said.

Such a program is Dr. Zabad’s dream.

“One day I hope that when people talk about the MS center at UNMC, that they see it as a comprehensive model for MS care,” she said.

Hailing from Beirut, Lebanon, or the Paris of the Middle East as she refers to it, Dr. Zabad sees the need for MS patients to receive better quality of life care.

“It is my vision to provide people with MS a better life at all stages of the disease,” she said. “It is true that there is no proven therapy for certain types of MS, nevertheless, we can still improve patients’ quality of life.”

Dr. Zabad previously worked in an MS clinic Calgary, Alberta, Canada conducting clinical trials with MS patients. She is eager to contribute to UNMC’s discoveries about MS.

“There are a lot of potential opportunities for research here,” she said. “I have a special interest in Vitamin D and how it contributes to the pathogenesis of MS.

“I’m also interested in studying other demyelinating diseases and would like to develop a relationship with pediatric neurologists to establish a program for pediatric demyelinating diseases.”

With specially-trained nurse practitioners, physician assistants, case managers, physical and occupational therapists and social workers behind Dr. Zabad, patients with MS will have the advantage of a multidisciplinary team of professionals.

“I am very glad to be working with them. They are very dedicated people,” Dr. Zabad said. “And I am thankful to Dr. Fayad for giving me the opportunity to establish a world-class program here at UNMC.”