Nour Hamade, MD, was born into medicine. The daughter of a nephrologist and a gastroenterologist, Hamade says she grew up immersed in “medical talk.”
“I just wanted to take part in the conversation, I guess!” said Hamade.
Hamade, who is Lebanese, completed her premed and medical training at the American University of Beirut. After a year of research in internal medicine, she came to Kansas University in 2016 to pursue her residency, followed by her fellowship training here at IU.
“I chose this program for a number of reasons,” said Hamade.
She cited the program’s strong clinical reputation, the possibility of training under the renowned Dr. Douglas Rex, and the large number of faculty and fellows–many of whom are women.
“I did not encounter that in other programs, and that stood out to me and made me feel like I could work here,” she said.
Now a third-year fellow, Hamade says she enjoys the specialty’s balance between clinical and procedural work.
“You can use your brain, but also do hands-on work,” she said.
Christen Dilly, MD, who is Hamade’s faculty adviser, says that Hamade is exceptional at both.
“[Hamade] impressed me from Day One,” said Dilly. “She is a gifted clinical researcher and has been extremely productive with very little need for mentorship.”
Dilly noted that during her fellowship Hamade has developed expertise in treating a condition called Barrett’s esophagus; has become a “fantastic” endoscopist; and gives excellent conference presentations, particularly during the fellowship’s journal club.
"She very skillfully points out the strengths and weaknesses of various studies,” Dilly said.
Another colleague and mentor, Hala Fatima, MD, describes Hamade as a “brilliant and hardworking physician.”
“[Hamade] has outstanding clinical skills and phenomenal research accomplishments,” Fatima said, and furthermore, is always a pleasure to work with.
Hamade says that she has been inspired by the faculty in the Division of Gastroenterology, and is grateful that they have modeled so many possibilities for her.
“I’ve learned that fellowship is just the beginning, and that I will be gaining more skills and knowledge even years after my fellowship,” she said. “I’ve had the chance to see how different faculty have progressed in their careers and made different career choices. It allows me to see the different career possibilities out there.”
Later this year, those possibilities will take her to a new position at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she will join her fiancé, former gastroenterology fellow Dr. Brandon Yim. The two met on the first day of Hamade's fellowship during the orientation lecture.
“We kept it hush-hush for a while because we weren’t sure how things would turn out, and we didn’t want to create any awkward moments at work,” she said.
But the relationship endured, and the couple continued their long-distance romance after Yim completed his fellowship and took a job in Hawaii two years ago. They got engaged last summer, and will be married in July.
"If for nothing else, meeting him is reason enough for me to choose coming to this fellowship again,” Hamade said.
Selected projects by Dr. Hamade:
- Systematic review with meta-analysis: neoplasia detection rate and post-endoscopy Barrett's neoplasia in Barrett's esophagus
- Virtual Gastroenterology Fellowship Recruitment during COVID-19 and its Implications for the Future
- Coauthor on four original papers
- First author of a book chapter on Clinical and Basic Neurogastroenterology and Motility
