Stories That Change Lives
Behind every breakthrough is a researcher who dared to ask "Why?" and "What if?"
Dr. Salim Al Busaidi
Specialist Physician, SQUH
Currently: Acute Care & General Medicine Fellow, Australia
The Spark
It began during an on-call shift, completing a death notification under pressure with limited information. Faced with assigning a single cause of death based on fragmented data, Dr. Salim questioned: How reliable is our national mortality data? This moment became the catalyst for a systematic evaluation of death certification practices.
The Journey
He launched a retrospective study at SQUH, identifying substantial discrepancies in cause-of-death documentation. His work was published in the Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine (Q1) and supported by national research funding. But he didn't stop at publication—he translated findings into national capacity-building initiatives.
The Impact
His research led to a flagship national workshop with WHO, MOH, and OMSB, aligning Oman's practices with international standards. It also spurred the creation of a national online training platform for physicians.
"These efforts strengthened mortality data quality, supported evidence-informed public health policy, and illustrate how clinician-led research can translate into sustained national health system improvement."
Dr. Fatma Al Shamsi
Internal Medicine Resident
The Spark
It started with a simple debate among residents: Should we use feeding tubes for patients with advanced dementia? While international guidelines said "no," local practice was hesitant. Dr. Fatma didn't just argue the point—she decided to prove it.
The Journey
Facing skepticism and a lack of regional data, she launched a study to evaluate outcomes right here in our population. Her research wasn't just academic; it was a quest for the most compassionate care for our elderly.
The Impact
Her findings were clear: feeding tubes offered no meaningful benefit, confirming that international guidelines hold true in Oman. On November 14, 2024, this work won 1st Place at the Royal Hospital Internal Medicine Research Day. It also took her to the global stage at ACP 2025 in New Orleans.
"Today, her findings are driving a hospital-wide quality improvement initiative, ensuring that our care for the elderly is not just evidence-based, but deeply humane."
Our Global Reach
From Oman to the world, our alumni and founders are making an impact across continents.