Global Surgery

Mahmoud Kutmah

Mahmoud Kutmah is an MD candidate at the University of Missouri–Kansas City and a Wade Hampton Frost Scholar currently pursuing his MPH at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As a Syrian-American, born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, he has carried the identity of a Syrian with the comfort of an American upbringing and education. During Syria's fourteen-year civil war, he spent summers abroad volunteering at refugee camps along a border he could not cross. Those years drew him toward global cardiothoracic surgery, inspired by both the physiology he studied and by the mentors he met leading the rebuilding of cardiac surgical care in Syria.

Mahmoud’s research interests encompass translational, surgical outcomes, and medical education topics. He conducts research in cardiac transplant and outcomes using national databases, along with patient-level work such as investigating dysautonomia in patients undergoing cardiac sympathectomies. As founder and president of the Syrian American Medical Society's Young Professionals Committee, he has presented his work on supporting medical student education globally.

As TSMA's Global Committee Chair, he hopes to expand access to cardiothoracic training opportunities and foster mutually beneficial relationships with global partners in under-resourced regions. Outside of medicine, he enjoys reading, cooking, and playing basketball.

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Timothy Youssef

Timothy Youssef is a second-year medical student at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine. He earned his bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences with a minor in Nutrition from Rutgers University. Growing up in Egypt, Timothy was inspired by the humanitarian work and legacy of Sir Magdi Yacoub, which sparked his early interest in cardiothoracic surgery. That inspiration continues to shape his passion for surgical innovation and global health.

Timothy has participated in medical mission trips to the Dominican Republic and Kenya, as well as a clinical and research observership at the Magdi Yacoub Aswan Heart Centre in Egypt, where he worked alongside internationally recognized cardiac surgeons and observed complex cardiothoracic procedures. He is also the founder of the Association of Lung Cancer Screening Initiatives (ALCSI) chapter at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine, where he leads efforts to expand access to lung cancer screening and preventive care.

As Co-Chair of TSMA's Global Surgery Committee, he is committed to fostering collaboration, mentorship, and advocacy to advance global surgery. Outside of medicine, Timothy enjoys fishing, weightlifting, and spending time with family and friends.

Ana Monroy

Ana is originally from Mexico City and immigrated to Colorado with her family from a young age. She is a second-year medical student at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine. She earned her Bachelors of Arts from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she double majored in Integrative Physiology and French. She later earned a Master of Biomedical Studies from Rocky Vista University.

During medical school, she has pursued research in thoracic transplantation and adult cardiac surgery. She is a part of the Global Medicine track at her school and will complete two international rotations. She also completed a summer internship in Mexico, where she worked in the emergency department. In addition, she serves as the Secretary for the Latino Medical Student Association.

Outside of school, you will find her running with her two dogs, volunteering with Big Brother Big Sister, baking sourdough, and traveling. Ana’s cultural background and experiences from traveling have strengthened her devotion to global medicine and serving diverse communities. She is passionate about diversity and inclusivity and aspires to improve access to global medicine.

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Chetachukwu Obiwuma

Chetachukwu Obiwuma was born in Nigeria and immigrated to the United States at the age of 5. She attended the University of Pittsburgh for an undergraduate degree in biochemistry with minors in chemistry, Spanish and studio arts. She is currently a third-year medical student in the MD-PhD program at the Texas A and M Naresh K. Vashist College of Medicine.

She is very interested in drug design research and during medical school has done research in diagnostic development and drug delivery development. Currently, she is pursuing a project related congenital cardiac modeling using 3D printing. She is very interested pursuing a career in congenital cardiac surgery. She is very interested in international practice and is pursuing a rural medicine distinction to use as a guide for how communities can address healthcare resource limited areas across the world. In her free time, she enjoys many hobbies including cooking and baking, making multimedia art and reading Substack articles.

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Andres Villegas

Andres Villegas is a third-year medical student at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) with a strong interest in cardiothoracic surgery and global surgery. Born in Medellín, Colombia, he immigrated to the United States at age 14. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Spanish Translation and Interpretation from the University of South Carolina Upstate.

At MUSC, Andres serves as a council member of the Global Surgery Program, where he participated in a one-week surgical mission with Fundación Cinterandes in Ecuador, providing general surgical care through a mobile surgical unit serving remote communities throughout the Andes Mountains. He is also President of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Interest Group, where he is developing mentorship opportunities and a dedicated research group for students interested in cardiothoracic surgery. His research interests include cardiac surgical outcomes, thoracic aortic surgery, and congenital cardiac surgery. As a member of TSMA’s Global Surgery Committee, Andres is committed to expanding opportunities for medical students to learn how cardiothoracic surgeons contribute to global surgery through education, mentorship, and international collaboration.

Outside of medicine, Andres enjoys playing piano and guitar, drawing, playing soccer, working out, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.