Of the 12 incoming Internal Medicine residents at Hurley, which had training interrupted by civil war and had to organize medical lectures with fellow students to complete their education? Which of them play soccer or cricket, are master cooks, paint in oils, write poetry, play the violin or guitar, worked on major health initiatives such as polio and malaria or genomics projects, or volunteered in refugee clinics?

This year, Hurley's Internal Medicine Residency Training Program received 3,143 applications for its 12 openings. Of that number, 140 were interviewed, and the following 12 - with interesting experiences already (as mentioned above) - were "matched" (via the National Resident Matching Program) to Hurley. Program Director Ghassan Bachuwa MD MHSA, MS, said he and department welcome the newest residents, who officially begin on July 1, 2014:

SHOKHAN AGHAWAIS MD

Aghawais is a graduate of Sulaimani College of Medicine, Sulaimani, Iraq. Her hobbies include outdoor activities and traveling. She volunteered to work with post-operative patients, assisted with patient communication and responded to patient care needs while living with her husband in Fargo, N.D.

AZZA AHMED MD

Ahmed is a graduate of the University of Khartoum Faculty of Medicine in Sudan. She received a distinction in botany, chemistry, physics and mathematics in pre-med. She has participated in multiple research projects: Sudan National AIDS program, health education for high school students, and a malaria health survey. Ahmed’s hobbies include oil painting, aerobics, table tennis and walking.

EZZADDIN AL WAHSH MD

Al Wahsh is a graduate of the University of Jordan Faculty of Medicine in Jordan. He received several medical school awards, such as a one-year scholarship awarded to the student at the top of the class in 2009, a scholarship for a clerkship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn., in 2001, and a gold medal in medical school soccer competition in 2011. He volunteered at Syrian Refugee Clinics in Jordan. Hobbies include enjoy telling stories with a touch of humor, writing Arabic poetry and quotes, playing chess, swimming and soccer.

HOSSAM AL-ZU’BI MD

Al-zu’bi is a graduate of University of Sana’a Faculty of Medicine and Health Science in Yemen. Among his honors are the top-ranked medical student research in 2010, top 5% of students in clinical sciences and highest scores in the National Evaluation Examination for Medicine. Hobbies include soccer, table tennis, reading, playing chess, traveling and swimming.

MOHD BAIG MD

Baig is a graduate of Deccan College of Medical Sciences in India. He served as a resident medical officer at Haider Medical Centre, United Kingdom. With numerous research and volunteer experiences, he participated in in the Pulse Polio Immunization Campaign, earned a scholarship from the Board of Intermediate Education, ranked first in class in Board Intermediate Education and ranked second in class in Board of Secondary Education. Baig’s hobbies include reading, swimming, exercise, cricket and table tennis.

RA’AD HADDAD MD

Haddad, a graduate from Jordan University of Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine, Jordan, was on the dean’s list from 2008-2010. He served as a research fellow at the Mayo Clinic as part of the electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) network. His hobbies include drawing, cooking and photography.

MOHANNAD JABBARI MD

Jabbari is a graduate of Syrian Private University, Syria. During the two years before he graduated, Jabbari found it hard to rotate at the hospitals due to the civil war in Syria, so he and a group of colleagues committed to conducting small lectures for at least 30 minutes daily after rounds, discussing a wide variety of topics, which enriched their fund of knowledge every day. His hobbies include playing the violin, participating in science shows, computer science and technology, physics and mechanics, soccer and swimming.

ADIL KARIM MD

Karim is a graduate of Frontier Medical and Dental College in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Karim was a member of the college’s Research Society, and his awards include Pathology Best Presentation Award and Highest Scorer College Cricket Award. He also has a number of volunteer experiences. Karim’s hobbies include cooking, movies, tourism, swimming, driving and, of course, cricket.

ZAID QARAGHAN MD

Qaraghan is a graduate of University of Baghdad College of Medicine in Iraq. He has volunteered at the University of Toledo Hospital, Toledo, Ohio, and in Dearborn, Mich. His hobbies include playing the guitar, reading, swimming and playing soccer.

QAIS RADAIDEH MD

Radaideh graduate from the University of Jordan Faculty of Medicine, Jordan, and is a member of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations. He served as a resident at King Hussein Cancer Center in Amman, Jordan. One of his many accomplishments is participating in the National Institute of Health Clinical Research Training Course. His hobbies include swimming, football, traveling, riding motor bikes and watching soccer championship games.

SAKSHI SINGAL MD

Singal is a graduate of Lady Hardinge Medical College in India. She has participated in research and has an article published in the International Journal of Biomedical Research. Singal’s hobbies include listening to music, playing the guitar and traveling to different cities.

SURESH SUBEDI MD

Subedi graduated from the Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University in Nepal. He has a variety of volunteer experience, and his research activities have resulted I several published articles. Subedi’s hobbies include traveling, playing soccer and basketball, listening to music, singing and watching movies.

Robin Redmon of Hurley's Internal Medicine Residency Training Program contributed to this blog.