Faculty Leadership Conducts Strategic Visits to Partner Hospitals in Nazareth and Nahariya

The leadership of the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine in the Galilee recently conducted working visits to two affiliated medical centers as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships in medical education, clinical training, and research.

Italian Hospital, Nazareth

During the visit, Faculty representatives met with the hospital's leadership and senior physicians. Dr. Maher Deeb, Director General of the Italian Hospital, welcomed the delegation and emphasized the importance of deepening collaboration in both education and research.

Prof. Orly Avni, Dean of the Faculty, and members of the Faculty leadership outlined the challenges associated with the launch of the six-year MD program, particularly the increasing size of student cohorts and the projected growth in enrollment in the coming years, which will have a direct impact on clinical departments. They also presented the Faculty's broader growth strategy, including the expansion of infrastructure and new facilities, the strengthening of research collaborations, and the continued development of the Faculty's Research Centers.

Galilee Medical Center, Nahariya

The visit to Galilee Medical Center opened with an overview by Dr. Masad Barhoum, Director General of the Medical Center, who highlighted the hospital's activities and its longstanding collaboration with the Faculty. Dr. Zvi Sheleg, Deputy Director, presented the hospital's innovation initiatives.

Faculty leadership then met with department heads to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the expected increase in student numbers rotating through the clinical departments. Discussions focused on the preparations required to support this growth and on opportunities to further strengthen research collaborations between clinical teams and Faculty investigators.

Both visits reflected a shared understanding that training the next generation of physicians in the Galilee is a joint mission of the Faculty and its affiliated hospitals. As preparations continue for larger student cohorts through investments in teaching capacity, learning environments, and infrastructure, both sides recognized the significant opportunities ahead for expanding collaborations that will advance medical education, healthcare, and research throughout the region.