Israa Fadhil Yaseen, BScPharm, BCPS, is completing the fourth and final year of her clinical pharmacy residency at the teaching hospitals of Medical City in Baghdad, Iraq. Yaseen graduated in 2006 from the University of Mosul College of Pharmacy in Iraq. After graduation, she worked in the pediatric hematology-oncology unit at the Ibn Al-Atheer Teaching Hospital for Children in Mosul for 2 years. She then became the director of the Drug Information Center at the hospital, where she was ranked first among other directors in the city. After working in an outpatient pharmacy for an additional 2 years at a rural health care center, Yaseen enrolled in her residency program in 2012.

During her residency training, Yaseen has trained in the cardiac care unit, conducted research on clopidogrel nonresponsiveness in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, and enrolled in the Educational Training in Total Parenteral Nutrition program at the American University of Beirut. In July 2016, she became a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist—the first female pharmacist in Iraq to hold the certification. Because of her achievements during her residency, Yaseen is now a candidate to become a Clinical Pharmacy Fellow in the Iraqi Board for Medical Specializations. In addition to her residency training, Yaseen is enrolled as an investigator in the EURObservational Research Programme of the European Society of Cardiology. Furthermore, she is the only resident member on a specialized physician committee working to design the Baghdad Dyslipidemia Protocol—the first dyslipidemia management protocol to be established in Iraq. Her professional affiliations include ACCP, where she is a member of the Cardiology PRN; the European Society of Cardiology; the American College of Cardiology; the International Society of Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy; and the Medical Education Committee of the cardiology department in Baghdad Teaching Hospital.

Yaseen’s decision to pursue clinical pharmacy was influenced largely by the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. After achieving exceptional scores in high school, Yaseen had narrowed her career options to becoming an orthodontist, like her father, or a pharmacist, which was actually her father’s dream for her. After seeing the events of September 11 unfold in America and asking God for guidance, Yaseen decided to pursue pharmacy, with the hope of becoming involved in the Red Cross or another humanitarian organization. “I decided to become a pharmacist to help people and save lives all over the world,” she says.

Yaseen has had many mentors throughout her training and career. One such mentor is Dr. Lika’a Al-Kzayer, a pediatrician and head of the pediatric hematology-oncology unit at the Ibn Al-Atheer Teaching Hospital for Children. Yaseen states:

Dr. Al-Kzayer showed me the real meaning of teamwork. She is so faithful and sympathetic with patients, and this increased my interest in clinical work, especially in helping children patients with cancer.

Another such mentor is interventional cardiologist and president of Scientific Council of Cardiology, Professor Hasan Ali Al-Farhan. Of Al-Farhan, her supervisor in the cardiac care unit during residency training, Yaseen says, “He trusted me from the beginning and has encouraged and supported me from the moment I met him.” They have collaborated on several teams and projects, and Yaseen’s passion for cardiology is largely the result of Al-Farhan’s influence. “Dr. Al-Farhan increased my interest in cardiology and believes in the importance of clinical pharmacists in cardiovascular teamwork.” Finally, Yaseen’s father has played a vital role in her success. He instilled in her a passion for teaching and gave Yaseen her first opportunity to teach a didactic lecture on antibiotic and analgesic use in dentistry.

Yaseen expects her list of achievements to continue growing. Professionally, she wants to continue making an impact in the field of cardiology and hopes to be one of the first pharmacists to become board certified in cardiology through the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. In addition, she plans to get involved with humanitarian organizations, become fluent in French and Spanish, and travel the world.