A Surgeon’s Legacy: Remembering Dr Isam Osman

Dr Isam Osman, who led the Vascular and Endovascular Department at King Saud Medical City in Riyadh, KSA, passed away suddenly on 29 September 2023 at the age of 59, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of surgical excellence, exceptional mentorship, and a life dedicated to serving others. 

Dr Osman graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Khartoum (UofK) and completed his surgical training in the UK. He served as a consultant vascular surgeon at Ipswich Hospital, where he chaired the divisions of General Surgery, Vascular Surgery, and Gastroenterology. As a senior representative of the Royal College of Surgeons in the east of England, he was deeply committed to overseeing surgical training in the eastern region of England, advocating for healthcare quality improvement and patient safety. In 2016, Dr Osman moved to Saudi Arabia to lead the Vascular and Endovascular Department at King Saud Medical City (KSMC), which was established in 1956 and is one of the largest tertiary care centres in Saudi Arabia. He was also the first Royal College of Surgeons England Country Advisor for Saudi Arabia. Along with his colleagues, he co-founded the Sudanese Association of Vascular Surgeons (SudaVas), an organisation dedicated to advancing vascular health in Sudan through education, training, support, and advocacy. 

Mentorship

Sudanese American Medical Association (SAMA), an educational and humanitarian nonprofit organisation of medical professionals of Sudanese descent based in the US, works closely worked with Dr Osman. He was introduced to SAMA by two of its interns, Wisal Eltayeb and Noora Abubaker. They were keen to start Surgery ECHO, a virtual telementoring programme aimed at linking junior surgeons in Sudan with global surgery experts through interactive Zoom sessions. The interns developed the idea, drawing on SAMA’s experience with the Project ECHO model from its office in Khartoum. Both of them were in an early stage of their surgical careers and required a mentor for guidance, and Dr Osman was a great fit for this role. ‘His support and encouragement during the programme were beyond what I could hope for. I was always impressed by the way he disseminated knowledge and how it was easy to communicate with him,’ said Eltayeb.

After the war broke out in Sudan, SudaVas, In partnership with the Sudanese American Medical Association (SAMA), delivered virtual trauma surgery training, known as Trauma ECHO to frontline surgeons in war-torn Sudan. Trauma ECHO utilised the University of New Mexico’s Project ECHO Model, which fosters an ‘All Learn, All Teach’ approach, enabling learners to share their experiences with global experts. Dr Osman personally oversaw this programme, leveraging his connections to enlist world-renowned trauma surgeons who generously donated their time and expertise to train Sudanese doctors.  

In honour of his mentoring legacy, SAMA established the Dr Isam Osman Award. This award recognises a distinguished Sudanese surgeon who exemplifies surgical excellence, mentorship, leadership, and service to others. The award will be presented at SAMA’s Award ceremony on 21 December 2024 in Cairo, Egypt. 

Humanitarian work 

Dr Osman’s humanitarian efforts were equally commendable. Leading surgical missions to Sudan through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, he and 15 volunteer medical professionals performed numerous life-saving surgeries in Port Sudan, which is currently operating as the temproray capital of Sudan. To honour his humanitarian spirit, SAMA named its missions after Dr Isam Osman. 

In February 2023, the first Dr Isam Osman mission to Port Sudan was led by Dr Amir Elhassan, a consultant cardiothoracic anaesthesiologist from California, USA. This mission provided critical medication and medical supplies and trained local medical staff in essential life-saving skills. 

Dr Osman’s legacy of compassion, mentorship, and humanitarian service will continue to inspire and benefit countless individuals in the years to come. 

Dr Mohamed Ahmed is a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Khartoum. He completed his internship year after graduation in the Academic Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. He is Currently working as an intern with Sudanese American Medical Association (SAMA).

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