The story of MED Research Team

Many people ask me why I created MED Research Team. In short, I created MED Research Team for you, for every medical student and youth physician in Syria, and for me too, of course. I did so because I believe that no success is possible without the help of others. Therefore, I created MED with the aim to:

1. Create a community of doctors committed to rebuilding and improving healthcare in Syria
2. Provide a platform for networking and experience exchange
3. Bridge the research knowledge gap by providing medical research educational materials in the Research Resource Center on our website
4. Share motivation, inspiration, and success stories
5. Share the team’s projects and research

Therefore, if you are looking for a platform to learn, network, grow, and get some inspiration, you have come to the right place.

Short bio.

Who is Alexey Youssef?

I am a healthcare visionary thinker, global citizen, and first of all a doctor. I have spent my last six years studying medicine in Tishreen University. From where I have recently graduated. Recently, I was lucky to be the first Syrian to be awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Hence, I am spending my next two years at the University of Oxford studying healthcare systems in developing countries, international health and business administration.

Healthcare is my passion and an area of knowledge where I could indulge indefinitely. I believe that we have a long way to go when it comes to healthcare systems, technologies, and delivery. In this sphere, there is vast potential for development, growth, and innovations.

This true for Syria, especially after the harsh circumstances that struck the country during the past seven years. The conflict has had grueling effects on the healthcare system in Syria considering that the system has lost a considerable part of its capacity to destruction, and has been burdened by the numerous internal displacement waves. However, as the conflict in the country comes to an end, a new promising era for the Syrian healthcare system begins. I truly believe in the potential of the future healthcare system in Syria. I have faith that we can overcome the consequences of the conflict and build a progressive and modern healthcare system. That is especially true considering that there is an abundance of resource and experiences from other countries, which could be easily tapped.

The hardships of war:

The conflict and its consequences have affected each and every citizen in Syria, especially university students. We started our education with high hopes and big bright dreams for the future, but everything was shattered at some point by the harsh reality of a country suffering 7 years of conflict and terrorism. This meant standing at a crossroad and having to decide whether to sit still and blame the situation or to stand up and overcome the difficulties. I am very proud that many of us chose to stand up, fight, overcome the difficulties and achieve inspiring feats.

Knowing the importance of medical research but not knowing where to start!

Medical research is a fundamental part of every modern healthcare system. It is the basis of evidence-based medicine, the driver of innovations, and the trusted source of information in modern healthcare. Research is the source that informs and shapes healthcare policy in a modern healthcare system. Hence, research is a priority for rebuilding healthcare in Syria, and it should form the fundament of a future healthcare system.

That being said, we should recognize that physicians are the basic units of medical research. Therefore, their understanding of medical research is imperative. Today, with the lack of strong official research education programs, many physicians and medical students eagerly want to learn about research but do not know where to start. This is where MED Research Team steps in, and make the journey easier and more interesting for them.

I remember my early days as a junior medical student. Back then, I was captivated by the idea of being able to study the diseases that affect us, and find new information other than that written in our textbooks. I was also fascinated that we can develop our own evidence that could enrich our knowledge about the diseases in our local environment. However, I did not know where to start. Hence, I embarked on a learning journey, which was not possible without the help of others. During my learning journey, I met other people who embarked on the same road. I met people who decided not to be deterred by the circumstances, but to stand up and reach their goal. We ended up teaming up and creating MED Research Team because we wanted to help the people who decided to embark on the same journey and contribute to the future of our country.

The future is in our hands:

Today with the conflict coming to an end, a new phase of building starts. It is the phase of building a future healthcare system in Syria. I created MED Research Team because I believe that the medical student and youth physicians can play a major role in this phase. Therefore, as a start, I think that we should join hands and start improving whatever we can on a local level using the resources at hand. It is time to stand up because the future of healthcare in Syria is in our hands.