H.A. Fadhli MD, Personal Statement

I, Hussam Abbas Fadhli, was born in Baghdad, graduated from the University of Baghdad Medical School, and served in the army as the law required. I then entered surgical residency in teaching hospitals after which I served as a surgeon in small towns.

In 1957 I came to the U.S. to specialize in thoracic and cardio-vascular surgery. After completing my residency (7 years) I passed the exam for general surgery. Four days later I passed the exam of the Thoracic and Cardio Vascular Surgery and was subsequently awarded both board certificates.

After teaching thoracic and vascular surgery at Texas Medical School, I established my own cardiac center in East Texas. This was in addition to centers also located in Dallas and Houston. As a pioneer in the field I successfully performed the first open heart surgery in southeast Texas in 1969.

In 1994 I was the first physician in the history of medicine to discover that blood group type A patients are more susceptible to multiple primary carcinoma. Recognizing the importance of this discovery, the Associated Press took this information from the J.A.M.A. (Journal of American Medical Association) and sent it to all its associates in the United States and the rest of the world.

I also published about twenty-five medical articles in reputable medical journals related to this specialty.
The government of Iraq invited me to become the Professor of Cardio-Vascular and Thoracic Surgery at my alma mater, The University of Baghdad Medical School. From 1973 - 1974 I did my best to improve their program, and to introduce new medical equipment, techniques and procedures.

During the embargo on my homeland, I went on a medical mission with financial help and medical supplies to help treat the sick children and all Iraqis victims of the embargo.

With pride in my heritage, my wife and I raised, bred, and showed Arabian champion horses. My love of my mother land influenced my wife in publishing three books about current and historical Iraq. In 1992 I was selected by Rice University in Houston, TX and the American Arab Educational Foundation as one of the ten most prominent Arab Americans because of my achievements in the fields of medicine and art.

In 2003 because of my achievements in the fields of heart surgery and the arts I was selected as one of the five American Arabs (out of 8 million candidates) to have my life story and achievements permanently placed on a special wall at the Arab America National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan.

After retiring from the heart surgical practice in 1993, I devoted my time to the arts (sculpture and painting) showing my love to my mother land and pride in my heritage.

I appeared in many television and radio stations around the country discussing my work and views defending the Arab causes. I was written about in many magazines and newspapers and also wrote many articles against the war on Iraq.

My artwork is found in celebrity homes and palaces of kings, as well as museums and public places around the U.S. and abroad.

Since childhood I have been interested in art. When I graduated from the medical school I was appointed by the Iraqi Fine Art Institute as an instructor of human anatomy for the art students.