SIU Scholarship: Dr. Yousuf M. Alhallaq

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The Société Internationale d'Urologie offers Training Scholarships for young doctors with basic surgical or urological qualifications. The SIU Scholarships involve training in a recognized Urological center of excellence located in the candidate's geographical region. These SIU-accredited centers provide an excellent environment for learning and, in many instances, hands-on experience, so that candidates may acquire knowledge and skills that they will be able to transfer to their own setting of practice. In this series of short communications, SIU Scholars write about the impact that these training opportunites faciliated by the SIU had on their quality of care and career development. Information about applying for an SIU Scholarship is available at http://www.siu-urology.org/.

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• Yousuf M. Alhallaq, SIU Scholar

My SIU scholarship, from June to December 2006 at the Al-Mansoura Urology and Nephrology center in Egypt was very fruitful, scientifically as well as socially. The grant from SIU represented a great opportunity, and I enthusiastically looked forward to updating my scientific knowledge, improving my surgical skills to meet international standards, and overcoming the lack of contact with centers around the world, which was a result of the long-standing sanctions against Iraq.

Each day began with an early morning ward round and journal club meeting. Out of interest, I assisted in every case of kidney transplantation with Professor Ghoneim and Professor Ahmad Shokeir for about 3 months. I observed and assisted in many reconstructive procedures with Professor Hassan Abol-Enein. I also saw many cases of cystectomy and diversion, as there were 1 or 2 such cases on every operation list.

I assisted in and observed many endoscopic procedures, especially PCNL and ureteroscopy, including laser application, and observed several urologic oncology cases. I attended urodynamic procedures for 2 weeks, as well as ESWL and radiology procedures, including angioembolization. In addition, I worked for a month in the Pediatric Urology Department.

I attended the animal laboratory and performed some reconstructive procedures. Every Thursday, I attended a scientific meeting. Under the supervision of Dr. Hassan Abol-Enein, I wrote a thesis with an Iraqi colleague about the outcome of ileal conduit diversion. I also attended an international course on invasive bladder cancer and urologic conferences, including that of the Egyptian Urological Association.

The members of staff at Al-Mansoura were very hospitable, and they warmly answered questions or requests. I learned a great deal from them about medical ethics. Overall, my SIU scholarship at Al-Mansoura University was a very interesting experience. I was very fortunate to have received the scholarship, and I am very thankful to the SIU.

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Abbreviated CV 

Dr. Yousuf Mohammed Alhallaq obtained the degrees Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Baghdad University in 1989. He worked at the Al-Rasheed General Hospital in 1990, and from 1991 to 1992, he was a resident at Al-Yarmook Teaching Hospital. From 1992 to 1993, he was a general practitioner in rural Iraq. He specialized in urology and renal transplantation from 1993 to 1998 and received the Fellowship of the Iraqi College of Medical Specialization in Urology (FICMS Urol) in 1997. From 1998 to 2001, he was tasked with establishing endourology at the Thiqar Health Directorate in his role as a consultant urologist. Since 2001, he has been working at the Al-Karamah Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, where he has a transplantation team that performs an average of 50 renal transplantations per year. In June 2003, he was appointed head of the Pediatric Urology Department, which manages complicated cases referred from almost all the hospitals in Iraq. In 2008, he completed a 3-month clinical fellowship in urology at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz.